Panasonic WX-LT350 The Sound of Learning

The Sound of Learning: Why classrooms

must be designed for listening

(Summary)

Karen Anderson

The American School Board Journal, pp. 26-28

October, 1997

As adults, our hearing is fully developed. This development allows us to

understand speech under less-than-perfect situations; however, children struggle

in noisy classrooms as their hearing has yet to mature.

Children in typical classrooms at some point during the day will have difficulty

hearing and understanding the teacher. It is proven that children who can’t hear

the intended signal perform poorly academically and suffer from behavioral

problems.

One of the problems lies in the fact that many classrooms that are designed

today are duplicates of acoustically inadequate designs from 50 years ago.

Classrooms designed decades ago did not have the scientific knowledge of

children’s speech perception. By considering classroom acoustics, you might

save your district money and trouble in the future. Improving classroom acoustics

will pay off for your district and students.

Auditory paths of the brain need time to

mature. This time indicates that children under the age of 15 have a harder time

understanding speech under less-than-perfect listening conditions. Children also

face additional challenges when trying to understand spoken words including:

• Hearing loss due to colds, ear infections, or allergies

• Learning disabilities

• Non-native English speakers

• Hearing loss in one ear

A study of loudness or intensity required for people of different ages

demonstrated that young children require the spoken word to be significantly

louder than adults before they can clearly understand and recognize words. Poor

acoustics also affect teacher performance as well. Teachers try to overcome

Continued…