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ICT - Networking and Communications
Results of better classroom sound and acoustics Listening to the message – once aware of the message, it needs to be
The Deafness Research UK Report considers the effectiveness of Soundfield as intelligible so that students can listen to it to decipher its content
an intervention to improve sound in class, on several educational parameters: Understanding the message – students need to be able to understand the
General Classroom Behaviour: studies show that teachers commonly message correctly to make sense of it and learn from it.
report improvements in children’s attention and listening behaviour with The observation is that the most fundamental learning opportunities in
Soundfield. class are facilitated by ensuring that students correctly hear what teachers
Speech Perception in Class: Soundfield has a positive and immediate say.
impact on speech perception. Long term developmental advantages are more However, in addition to securing the basics, progressive teaching
complex due to advancing student abilities with time. environments increasingly need to provide more interactive opportunities as
Language tasks & comprehension: Soundfield improves comprehension. well as staple sound strategies, such as:
The paper notes that due to their developing hearing and other factors, on Podcasts: record and post podcasts of lessons, readings, excerpts and
any one day, one third of children may be considered “hearing impaired”. As projects for review and revision by students or for sharing with other
Soundfield has been observed to be particularly effective for hearing impaired students.
students, this means that a significant number of children would be Multimedia: online, offline, video and recorded content all require sound.
advantaged by Soundfield. In addition, Soundfield prevents students not in With a variety of sound sources to share with the class, reproduction of sound
close proximity to the teacher from being disadvantaged by their distance is becoming more important than ever.
from the teacher. Projects and presenting: as students love to share their knowledge, so the
Listening in Class: Soundfield could positively influence children’s listening benefits of a mutual learning environment in which to present and
behaviour, although the precise influence of room size is not yet fully resolved. communicate are being increasingly explored.
The conclusion is that in addition to positive learning outcomes brought These advanced features develop the requirements for better sound in
about by providing students with better access to sound, teachers express classrooms, creating a richer learning and education experience, building on
very positive opinions of using Soundfield as a solution to improved sound in the original requirements of hearing and understanding.
class. This reflects benefits in pupil listening and attention, as well as reduced So it seems that not only can you learn plenty with your eyes shut, but that
overall strain on the teacher, making teaching a more pleasant experience. by optimising conditions to hear properly in class too, you may considerably
improve learning opportunities now and in the future.
Opportunities for the future
Adding to the weight of formal research, this January at BETT in London, To find out more about the importance of sound in classrooms, how to
Primary head teacher, Mr E Pearson-Shaul presented his personal improve acoustics conditions in class or request more information on the
observations on the importance of sound on learning. reports and information cited above, visit www.Soundfield.info.
Mr Pearson-Shaul explained clearly the effects of hearing on teaching and
learning - specifically that learning had three vital stages: u020 7833 1733
Hearing the message – students need to hear the message to be aware of ucontact@deafnessresearch.org.uk
its content uwww.deafnessresearch.org.uk
February 2010 www.education-today.co.uk
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