What teachers should know about noisy classrooms?

Classrooms are either quiet or noisy by design.

Causes of noise problems include:

• Poor sound insulation, often seen in modular buildings or buildings with poor windows.
• Noisy HVAC systems
• Noisy appliances
• Too much reverberation
• Not enough reinforcement of the teacher's voice due to the acoustical design of the room
• Poor acoustic design, such as open school design without sufficient attention to sound proofing

Reading list: Classroom design
Classroom Design for Good Hearing
ANSI Classroom Acoustics Standard
Classroom Acoustics Booklet I and II