1. and Teacher Strategies for Optimising
Acoustic Guidelines
and Teacher Strategies for Optimising
Learning Conditions in Classrooms
Professor Julie Dockrell & Dr.Kate Rigby
Institute of Education
Professor Bridget Shield & Anne Carey
School of Engineering Systems & Design London
Phonak Seminar
Odense
Phonak

2. Outline of talk The importance of acoustics in learning environments?
Levels of noise in London schools
External and Internal
Noise and attainments
Chronic
Acute
Identifying the key parameters to support inclusive education
Teachers’ views
Levels of concern and awareness
Preparing the professionals
Data from trainee teachers
SFS – the way forward?
Phonak

3. A typical classroom in the United Kingdom
Wide range of
visual materials
Children sitting
Round tables
No front
Phonak

4. What is the major noise source in UK classrooms ?
Traffic noise 
Aircraft noise 
Children classroom noise 
Children playground noise 
Building noises 
Phonak

5. Typical UK classrooms exposed to a range of sources of noise
Noise from
the children !!
Phonak

6. Levels of noise in London primary classes
External noise from 142 schools
Internal noise 140 classrooms
Phonak

7. Results of external noise surveys outside 142 schools
London primary schools are exposed to a wide range of noise levels
65% of schools measured were exposed to external levels greater than 55 dB(A) LAeq
86% of schools were exposed to noise from road traffic
Phonak

8. Results of internal noise surveys in 140 classrooms
Classroom noise levels were determined by classroom activity
A range of over 20 dB(A) between the noisiest and quietest activities
External noise affected internal levels only when children working ‘in silence’
Classroom activity levels
‘Silent’ reading dB(A)
1 person speaking dB(A)
Children at tables dB(A)
Movement around dB(A)
Group work at tables dB(A)
Group work+ movement 77 dB(A)
Phonak

9. Impact ? Are children aware ? Yes  No 
Does noise level affect attainments?
Yes 
No 
Phonak

10. Questionnaire survey Participants 2036 children in Year 2 and Year 6
51 teachers
Phonak

11. Questionnaire results - hearing and annoyance
Older (Year 6) children more aware of external noise
Younger (Year 2) children more annoyed by external noise
Teachers and pupils ranking of sound sources highly correlated
Hearing noise is related to external background noise levels
Annoyance is related to external maximum levels
Phonak

12. Classroom listening conditions
Classroom listening conditions
1. The teacher is talking but you cannot see her face.
How well can you hear what the teacher is saying?
very well
quite well
okay
not very well
not at all
2. The teacher is talking and moving around the classroom.
How well can you hear what the teacher is saying?
very well
quite well
okay
not very well
not at all
Phonak

13. Conclusion from listening conditions questions
In classrooms children’s ease of listening varied significantly across situations
 no noise at all
 doing a test
In general younger children found listening conditions in classrooms worst
apart from ‘ could not see teachers face’
when children making noise outside
Phonak

14. Comparison of noise levels and Standard Attainment tasks
Given to all children aged 7 (KS1) and 11 (KS2) in primary school
Maths, English & Science
Data collected country wide
Classroom noise:
Significant correlations between average background levels in occupied classrooms and most SATs scores
Phonak

15. Classroom noise and SATs
r = , p<.01
r = , p<.01
Phonak

16. Summary of effects of noise on SATs A CHRONIC NOISE EFFECT
Noise has a detrimental effect upon schools’ SATs scores, especially at Key Stage 2 (age 10/11)
RESULTS STILL HOLD WHEN SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS ACCOUNTED FOR
Phonak

17. EXPERIMENTAL STUDY Compare children’s performance in
Baseline …typical class
Babble…levels recorded
Babble + environmental …interspersed with environmental noise
Range of tasks to reflect verbal and non verbal processing
Reading, spelling, number, speed of information processing
Some of the participants had special educational needs (predominantly literacy based)
Phonak

18. OVERALL RESULTS No effects on Maths or Reasoning
For typical children babble interfered with verbal tasks
Babble + environmental interfered with non-verbal speed tasks
BUT differential effect for children with Special Educational Needs
Phonak

19. Children with special educational needs
Phonak

20. Summary of impact on performance
· The two noise conditions had differential effects on children’s performance
· Performance on the verbal tasks (reading and spelling) was significantly reduced in the babble condition
Children with special educational needs were differentially negatively affected for reading and spelling in the babble condition
Phonak

21. Designing inclusive environments
Schools need to become inclusive
The right of children with SEN to be educated in mainstream schools where parents want this” SENDA (2001)
Data indicate noise has a detrimental effect – children with SEN
Successful teaching is the natural counterpart of successful learning SO
Technology School buildings Teachers 
Phonak

22. SCHOOLS & TEACHERS Noise policy – 25% Moderately noisy classrooms –61%
Range of environmental noises reported matched pupils reports r=.945
Outside noise reported to affect performance
Children with SEN negatively affected
Teachers aware of noises (78.4%)
Arrange quiet times (60.8%)
BUT FEW EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES?
Phonak

23. What do teachers do?
Phonak

24. TRAINING NEEDS – KNOWLEDGE & BEHAVIOUR
Examine trainee teachers
Investigate
effective teaching
Noise management strategies
Tasks thought to be influenced by noise
Awareness of needs of children with hearing impairments
Sample 318 trainees at start of training – followed up at end
Little change over time in their views!
Phonak

25. Effective teaching
Trainees rated 13 different strategies to support effective teaching: Low ratings overall for
Managing classroom noise
Task organisation and furniture
Type of classroom
Although majority felt there were activities where noise should be avoided
Phonak

26. Percentage of trainees reporting
Percentage of trainees reporting
Match to objective data
Reading 
Tests
But
Low levels X
Lack of differentiation across contexts X
Avoid noise
Outside
Avoid noise class children
Start
End
Tasks
Reading 22 19 12
Difficult task 8 5 6
Context
Group work 2 7 3 9
Whole class 13
Individual work 10
Tests 17 24 14
Listening activity 11 1 4
Phonak

27. Moderating noise?- differential ratings of strategies by trainee teachers
Phonak

28. Knowledge base to implement strategies: Hearing impaired children
51% no experience of children with HI
92% no training
50% thought it very unlikely HI child in their class
Majority thought they would change the way they taught if a HI child in classroom
Help?
62% school SEN worker
17% head teacher
2% organisations
Phonak

29. Phonak

30. How likely is it that these modifications
Occur?
Yes 
No 
Meet the needs of a child with an HI?
Phonak

31. A typical classroom in the United Kingdom
Wide range of
visual materials
Children sitting
Round tables
No front
Phonak

32. Current Research
‘Acoustic design guidelines and teacher strategies for optimising learning conditions in classrooms for hearing and hearing-impaired children’.
AIMS
To identify those acoustic parameters that are most applicable to children's hearing and listening in classrooms
To investigate ways of improving the acoustics in classrooms
To investigate the use of sound field systems in schools
Phonak

33. SFS as a solution?
Evidence that SFS’s may have a beneficial effect on some teachers’ voices
Phonak

34. Range of teachers voice levels before Sound Field System installed
Correct type of SFS
needs to be chosen for teachers’ teaching style
And children’s age.
YrR
Yr1
Yr2
Yr3
Yr4
Yr5
Yr6 96 94 92 90 88 86 84
Level of voice measured 20cm from mouth (dBA) 82 80 78 76 74
N.B. Square data points are male teachers Diamond data points are female teachers
N.B. Square data points are male 72
Diamond data points are female 70
Children sitting on floor, teacher sitting or standing in front of them
Children sitting at desks, teacher standing in front of them
Children move bewteen floor & desks, teacher sitting or standing in front of them
Phonak

35. Children’s views
“Yes a difference, more clearer to hear than speaking”
“Yes, a little different compered to normal. I think its better”
“Depends – when its making wierd noises no but when its not yes”
“Its quite annoying it makes noises which puts me off my work”
Phonak

36. SFS as a solution
The psychological data have provided some indication that SFS may have a beneficial effect on children’s classroom experience and overall attainment.
The teachers need to be relatively positive and open to the appropriate use of SFS. Ongoing support and training may help to improve the teacher’s experience.
Need for Guides for using SFS- minor difficulties restricted use – regular updating required
Phonak

37. General conclusions from study
Children in London primary schools are exposed to higher levels of noise at school than recommended by current guidelines
Children were aware of noise levels and annoyed by specific sound sources
Exposure to noise affected performance on academic tasks: real world & experimental
Teachers concerned but ill prepared
Trainee teachers –lack relevant knowledge about effects noise, strategies to moderate noise and the needs of children with HI
Designing inclusive classrooms requires an awareness of teacher needs
No simple solutions!
Phonak