Classroom Audio Amplification Systems

1
Classroom Audio Amplification Systems

• Kim Angel
• London Elementary School

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What is a classroom audio amplification system?

• A classroom audio amplification system is a
  wireless audio system that utilizes classroom
  surround sound speakers to amplify the teachers
  voice and maximize instruction.
• The teacher speaks into a microphone worn on the
  lapel
• The microphones transmitter sends voice signals
  to a sensor connected directly to an audio
  receiver
• The receiver broadcasts sound via the speakers

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Learning Styles

• Visual
• Learn through seeing
• 40 of school age children are visual learners
• Auditory
• Learn through hearing
• 30 of school age children are auditory learners
• Tactile/Kinesthetic
• Learn through manipulation
• 30 of school age children are tactile learners
• Many students rely on a combination of these
  three learning styles.
• Children spend 45-60 of their school day
  involved in listening activities.

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What do students hear during classroom
instruction?

• During instruction, students are constantly being
  distracted by background noises such as
• Hallway traffic
• Heating system fans
• Paper shuffling
• Dropped pencils
• Other adults in the classroom
• Desks moving
• Students moving about

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So whats so bad about background noise?

• Background noise in a classroom affects the
  childs ability to perceive speech by masking the
  acoustic and linguistic cues that are available
  in the teachers spoken message.
• The capability of classroom noise to mask the
  teachers speech depends on
• the long-term spectrum of the noise,
• intensity fluctuations of the noise over time,
• and the intensity of the noise relative to the
  intensity of speech.
• Since a teacher's voice level drops by 75 for a
  child 12 feet from the teacher, these levels of
  ambient noise significantly impair the listening
  ability of a child seated 12 feet or more from
  the teacher's position in the room.

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ASHA Recommendations

• The American Speech and Language Hearing
  Association (ASHA) recommends that the average
  unoccupied classroom should not exceed a 30-dB
  noise level.
• Average unoccupied classroom noise levels,
  however, range from 45 to 60 dB.
• Quantitative measurements have revealed that
  occupied kindergarten classrooms can range from
  65 to 75 decibels (dB), occupied elementary
  classrooms can range from 55 to 65 decibels, and
  occupied high school classrooms can range from 60
  to 70 decibels.

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How does background noise effect students?

• Koszarny (1978) reported that noise levels tend
  to affect concentration and attention more
  seriously in children under the age of 15 and
  those with lower IQs or high anxiety levels.
• Green (1982) reported that background noise
  levels in classrooms were significantly related
  to reading scores in elementary school-age
  children.

8
How much instruction do our students actually
hear?

• In good classroom-acoustic environments, with
  minimal background noise and reverberation and a
  high signal-to-noise ratio, students with good
  hearing still recognize only 71 percent of the
  speech they hear.
• In poor listening environments, auditory
  processing falls to less than 30 percent
  (Crandell Smaldino, 2000).
• Students who do not understand key words or
  instructions may find it difficult to catch up,
  leading to frustration and off-task behavior
  (Palmer, 1997).

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How does background noise effect teachers?

• Ko (1979) obtained information from more than
  1,200 teachers concerning the effects of noise in
  the classroom.
• Results indicated that noise related to classroom
  activities and traffic or airplane noise were
  correlated with teacher fatigue, increased
  tension and discomfort, and an interference with
  teaching and speech recognition.

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What if the teacher already speaks loudly?

• Audio decreases in strength over distance, so a
  loud voice does not guarantee that all students
  will hear consonants in a similar fashion.
• In general, loud voices do not make spoken words
  more intelligible. Classroom amplification
  systems utilize classroom surround sound to
  distribute sound evenly throughout a classroom,
  so students at the back of the room will hear
  just as clearly as those sitting at the front.

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Teacher Benefits of Using Classroom Audio
Amplification

• Teachers who use wireless microphone systems in
  their classrooms see a decrease in behavior
  problems.
• Teachers are twice as likely as other workers to
  suffer disorders such as sore throats and vocal
  fold swelling. By using a wireless mic., the
  teacher can talk in a normal voice.
• Schools that use audio amplification have
  reported an increase in teacher attendance.
• The teacher does not have to repeat instructions
  as often.

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Student Benefits of Using Classroom Audio
Amplification

• Classrooms that use wireless microphones have
  better academic results.
• St. Cloud Elementary in New Jersey saw an
  increase in reading scores over a one year period
  from 59 to 89. No other changes to instruction
  were made.
• Some studies have shown up to a 10 improvement
  on academic test scores for normal hearing
  students in classrooms that use an audio
  amplification system.

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Things to Remember When Using the Microphone
During Instruction

• The microphone is best suited for whole group
  instruction.
• The teacher should always turn the microphone off
  when talking to individual students.
• Students should be allowed to use the microphone
  too!

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Ideas for Letting Students Use the Microphone

• To read during whole group
• Presentations
• Explaining how they answered problems on the
  board
• Reading a response in class
• Readers Theatre

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Questions?
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Research

• http//www.gofrontrow.com/classroom20amplificatio
  n/PDFs/research/Background20Research20(Classroom
  20Acoustics20for20Children20with20Normal20He
  aring2020with20Hearing20Impairment).pdf
• http//www.gofrontrow.com/classroom20amplificatio
  n/PDFs/research/Proof20Research20(Classroom20Am
  plification20to20Enhance20Student20Performance
  ).pdf
• http//www2.smarttech.com/NR/rdonlyres/B963F346-5C
  6B-45A2-B5E1-2D0516B6B7BE/0/ClassroomAmplification
  SystemsFinalNov2008.pdf
• http//www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/Products/SMART
  classroomaudiosystem/
• http//www.lightspeed-tek.com/e-resource/pdf/BEN_S
  FA.pdf