Noise in the classroom: tips for better acoustics

Headache, tiredness and students who are not learning well. High sound levels and reverberation have a lot of impact. Yet the acoustics of classrooms often receive little attention. “While it is tiring for the teacher to speak loudly and for children, listening to the teacher becomes unpleasant, which is negative for the educational performance,” says Lennard Duijvestijn, owner of the Geluidburo, an engineering firm specialized in noise research in schools, among other places.

1. Create periods with less noise or silence in the classroom.

2. Make sure students wear 'quiet' shoes, socks or slippers. Place felt pads under tables and chairs.

3. Isolate. If necessary, close the windows during the instruction. Reduce the distance between teacher and students by, for example, setting up in a circle or semicircle. Place students with hearing difficulties close to the teacher.

4. Use acoustically absorbent materials on walls and ceiling. Lower the ceiling if it is higher than three meters.

5. Provide quieter ventilation and air conditioning systems. Noise can cost a lot of physical energy.

6. Soft floor coverings such as project carpet can contribute to good acoustics, as can open bookcases, curtains or canvases on the wall.

7. In secondary schools, use the classrooms on the quiet side of the building for theory lessons.