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ICT - Networking and Communications
IT suites often present teachers with particular
challenges to be heard correctly by all students
Acoustics – the hidden influence
on teaching and learning
V
irtually all pupils and teachers would agree eliminate distance between teacher and pupils – in This is what a soundfield system does, by
with a definition of ‘good’ acoustics that big rooms the kids at the back won’t get the same equipping the teacher with a wireless microphone,
meant ‘best speech-intelligibility within the amount of information as the ones at the front. linked to a base-station that sends their voice to
classroom’. Good understanding of speech must Another factor affecting the achievement of speakers around the classroom. It’s a concept so
be the key ambition within any classroom. good classroom speech intelligibility is the powerful and so simple to implement that it’s
Soundfield systems have been designed to imperfection of the occupants themselves. surprising soundfield isn’t installed in every classroom.
achieve this. Teachers’ voices can vary enormously. More Soundfield is a proven concept in UK schools
Unfortunately, for architects, engineers and crucially, children have undeveloped hearing and with over 15,000 systems in daily use. Pupils get
builders, the meaning can be different. They would listening abilities. They don’t develop an adult’s better academic results, teachers get less voice-
define ‘good’ acoustics as the prevention of noise listening abilities until at least 14-15 years of age. strain and schools get better league-table positions.
transfer between rooms and floors, or the reduction What’s more they are likely to suffer from Steve Mitchell, Product Manager for PC Werth,
of reverberation to reduce echo and distortion. temporary, but educationally-significant, hearing specialists in improving the acoustics of schools
The fact is that three things affect speech- loss several times during their school careers due to classrooms, says that the cost per system is modest
intelligibility in the classroom: reverberation, noise colds, glue-ear and other ENT infections. (about the same as two PCs) and the financial
and distance. In a well-designed classroom So what is needed is for the teacher’s voice to be returns for schools are quick to realise.
reverberation and external noise can be managed. close to every child’s ear – overcoming distance, noise
But no amount of design can eliminate the internal and hearing loss. Achieve this and pupils will hear uwww.soundfield.info
noise generated by moving children, clothing, speech clearly, without the stress of the teacher usoundfield@soundfield.info
furniture, computers, etc. And no design can shouting to be heard and without constant repetition. u020 8772 2700
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www.education-today.co.uk November 2009
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