0
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR
  • International Database and Gallery of Structures

Advertisement

Speech Intelligibility in Classrooms: Specific Acoustical Needs for Primary School Children

Author(s):

Medium: journal article
Language(s): English
Published in: Building Acoustics, , n. 1, v. 15
Page(s): 35-47
DOI: 10.1260/135101008784050223
Abstract:

Classrooms for primary school children should be built to criteria based on children's speech intelligibility needs which in some respects – e.g. reverberation time – differ markedly from the traditional criteria for adults. To further identify why the needs of children and adults for speech perception are so different we have measured the ‘integration time’ of speech for adults and children using a novel technique to obviate the complicating effects of differing language. The results for children are significantly different than for adults (35 ms c.f. 50 ms) and recommendations for classroom design based on the children's requirements have been made. When groups of children engage in ‘co-operative learning’ activities in the classroom, the “cafe effect” produces a rising activity noise level. We suggest the Lombard Effect is responsible for this. Measurements show children are more susceptible to the effect and we have developed a prediction model for activity noise in a classroom.

Structurae cannot make the full text of this publication available at this time. The full text can be accessed through the publisher via the DOI: 10.1260/135101008784050223.
  • About this
    data sheet
  • Reference-ID
    10479260
  • Published on:
    16/11/2020
  • Last updated on:
    16/11/2020
 
Structurae cooperates with
International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE)
e-mosty Magazine
e-BrIM Magazine