Listening and learning in classroom acoustical design

Abstract

Listening and learning are proven ingredients to the successful education of our nation’s children. Research studies confirm that the acoustical environment in a classroom is an important variable in the academic achievement of children. For effective communication in a classroom, unoccupied ambient noise levels should not exceed 30 to 35 dBA, while reverberation times (RT) should not surpass 0.4 s. Unfortunately, these acoustic conditions are seldom found. Even children with ‘‘normal’’ hearing sensitivity often encounter significant difficulty understanding noisy or reverberated speech. Excessive classroom reverberation and/or noise can compromise speech perception, but also reading/spelling ability, behavior, attention, concentration, and academic achievement in children with normal hearing and in children with hearing loss. The concept of an ideal acoustical classroom environment provides design, engineering, and budgetary challenges for architects, engineers, school administrators, and community leaders. To address these somewhat conflicting challenges, a team of architects and engineers has collaborated to develop successful auditory and architectural solutions. These real life solutions in Connecticut schools, John Trumball Primary School, Watertown; Rochambeau Middle School, Middlebury; and East Lyme High School, East Lyme will serve as models to other communities, educators, planners, and architects as we enter the new millennium.