A check-list for classroom acoustics
Finding the reasons why children are having problems with learning at a basic level can be a hard experience for guardians and parents. It is important for guardians and parents to pay sufficient attention to the environment that accommodates the classroom where their kids are being taught.
Research shows that a substantial percentage of the number of kids may have their learning experience hampered by excessive noise and echo. As a parent, you have to take required steps to know if the classroom in which your kid is being taught requires some kind of classroom acoustics. If the problem of echo and extreme noise are not properly put in check, it can cause delay in kids and educational failure.
Problem of echo
Echo remains one of the issues that can make the learning process a horrible experience for children. Once a room is echoing, it lacks the ability to absorb sound, and this won’t permit the kids to hear and understand the content of the tutorials given by their teacher. When there is a situation of extreme echo, it will be difficult for the students to know what they are taught. Fortunately, echo is something that can be dealt with. There are various hints that you should look out for when you want to know if echo is the main problem. These tips might include:
• The classroom is made of a solid ceiling that is bereft of architectural noise control.
• The ceilings of the classroom are above ten feet
• Painted tiles in the classroom
Check for Background noise
Reasons of background noise are HVAC equipment, conducts in adjoining rooms and adjacent land uses. Getting to the root causes of background noise will require the proficiency of a professional consultant of classroom acoustics. You can carry out the following series of tests in an empty classroom:
Switching off HVAC
The very first step to having an idea of the classroom ambience is by requesting the instructor or teacher to turn off ventilating, heating, and air conditioning equipment for vital reasons. It should be noted that equipment that makes more noise than any whisper may change the way a consonant sounds to kids.
Check for sound in the adjoining areas
This technique works better with noise absorbing curtains when you have all the HVAC gear turned off. You may try a device known as sound-level meter to check background noise. Make sure the sound meter is of robust quality that can offer analysis less than 35 decibels. Be sure you carry out tests in classrooms to explore the noise sources. Once a classroom is with an empty background, sound intensity that is above 35 decibels, such a classroom doesn’t have the ability to provide the speech clarity young children need for the language acquisition and reading.