What are other effects of poor classroom acoustics?
• Increased voice fatigue for teachers (Allen,1995). An Iowa study found that the highest percentage of teacher absences was due to voice-related problems. • Students’ listening effort increases (Ross, 1992). The energy that is put into trying to hear the teacher reduces the student’s ability to focus on what is being said. • Developmental factors related to language capacity. These factors cause younger children to have more problems than older children. • Students with hearing impairment listen through a filter created by their hearing loss: • hearing aids amplify all sounds • assistive technology improves signal-to-noise ratios • assistive listening devices are a necessity for most students with hearing loss.
