Impact of noise in education - A research summary

Noise levels in schools are often high enough to negatively influence students and teachers’ health and wellbeing. And acoustics play an important role in mitigating noise. But by how much and to what extent?

This summary explores current scientific evidence showing the impact the acoustic environment plays for students’ learning, behavior and cognition.
Importantly, it also considers how those with additional listening needs are affected.

In this summary you will discover the answers to these questions:

How bad are noise levels in schools really?
What are the risks of teaching in noisy environments for the health and wellbeing of our teachers?
Does noise affect concentration and behavior in students?
Can improving acoustics lead to better test scores and engagement in the classroom?
How are children with special listening needs affected by the acoustic environment?
What can we do to create more inclusive classrooms?

Imagine the exponential impact if teachers could remain focused on teaching and not controlling noise and disruptions, while students could spend longer periods engaged in a deeper state of learning.