Controlling classroom noise levels without shouting

Why classroom noise matters

The World Health Organization's Guidelines for Community Noise recommend that background sound in classrooms should not exceed 35 dB LAeq during teaching, so that speech can be heard and understood. Children with hearing difficulties may need even quieter rooms. The guidelines also name young children as a group at higher risk, especially while they are learning language.

Real classrooms are much louder. In a study of London primary schools, Bridget Shield and Julie Dockrell measured an average of about 72 dB in occupied teaching spaces. Background noise inside classrooms was linked with test results even after allowing for factors such as deprivation, and noise from outside events affected older pupils most.

What a classroom noise meter can and can't do

The noise meter here shows a relative loudness score from 0 to 100 and changes from "Nice and quiet" to "Getting louder…" to "Too loud!" as the room gets noisier. It is not a calibrated sound level meter, so it can't tell you whether your room meets the WHO figure. What it can do is show the class, in real time, how its own volume changes.

Use it as feedback, not as a punishment

Visible feedback works when pupils feel in control of it. Introduce the meter as a shared goal: "Let's keep it green during group work." Avoid tying the red state to punishments for individuals, because one loud laugh will then feel unfair and the meter becomes a source of conflict.

• Agree the level together for each activity: silent reading, partner talk and group work need different limits.
• Set the Too-loud limit so normal partner talk stays below it.
• Turn on "Beep when it's too loud" only for older classes; for young children, the colour is enough.
• Praise the quiet stretches out loud, not just the loud moments.

Getting a fair reading

Place the device somewhere central and away from desks that get bumped, so taps and dropped pencils don't spike the reading. Test the limit for a minute while the class works normally, then adjust it. If the meter turns red during calm work, the limit is too low, not the class too loud.

Beyond the meter

A meter works best alongside room changes that reduce noise at the source: felt pads on chair legs, soft displays on walls and a routine for calling the class to attention without raising your voice. Hard surfaces make a room echo, and the WHO guidelines recommend short reverberation times in classrooms for the same reason.