Chan Karen M K, Li Chi Mei, Ma Estella P M, Yiu Edwin M L, McPherson Bradley
Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Noise Health. 2015 Jan-Feb;17(74):48-55. doi: 10.4103/1463-1741.149580.
Background noise is known to adversely affect speech perception and speech recognition. High levels of background noise in school classrooms may affect student learning, especially for those pupils who are learning in a second language. The current study aimed to determine the noise level and teacher speech-to-noise ratio (SNR) in Hong Kong classrooms. Noise level was measured in 146 occupied classrooms in 37 schools, including kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and special schools, in Hong Kong. The mean noise levels in occupied kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and special school classrooms all exceeded recommended maximum noise levels, and noise reduction measures were seldom used in classrooms. The measured SNRs were not optimal and could have adverse implications for student learning and teachers' vocal health. Schools in urban Asian environments are advised to consider noise reduction measures in classrooms to better comply with recommended maximum noise levels for classrooms.
众所周知，背景噪音会对言语感知和言语识别产生不利影响。学校教室中的高强度背景噪音可能会影响学生的学习，尤其是对于那些正在学习第二语言的学生而言。本研究旨在确定香港教室中的噪音水平以及教师的言语信噪比（SNR）。在香港37所学校的146间有学生的教室中测量了噪音水平，这些学校包括幼儿园、小学、中学和特殊学校。在有学生的幼儿园、小学、中学和特殊学校教室中，平均噪音水平均超过了建议的最大噪音水平，并且教室中很少采用降噪措施。所测得的言语信噪比并不理想，可能会对学生学习和教师的嗓音健康产生不利影响。建议亚洲城市环境中的学校考虑在教室中采取降噪措施，以便更好地符合建议的教室最大噪音水平。
