Sound Field Systems

Under quiet classroom conditions, most teachers have enough natural volume in their voice to communicate effectively with a standard sized class. However, a number of acoustic factors (lively/noisy classes, reverberant room conditions, ambient noise from equipment and outside, hearing difficulties, etc.) can have a significant effect on clear, effective teacher/pupil communication.

The inclusion of a Sound Field System in the classroom will raise the teacher's voice above this ambient noise level, to give even voice coverage throughout the room and without the need to shout or raise one's voice.

What is a Sound Field System?

In it's most simple form, a Sound Field Voice Reinforcement System consists of the following components:

• Wireless Microphone and Receiver

• Amplifier

• Loudspeakers

• Connection Cables

However, due to the many differing conditions within the classroom (type of classroom, size, number of pupils, ambient noise level, etc.), a Sound Field system can be designed and specified to give the best results for a given application, using a different number of speakers, different types of speakers, system positioning, inputs for Audio Visual equipment, etc.

Sound Field - Assisting SEN Pupils

With a positive emphasis placed on inclusion in the classroom of SEN pupils (Special Educational Needs) and the legal requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), ensuring the ability for hearing impaired students to join a mainstream classroom has become an issue of great importance throughout the UK education sector.

The integration of Sound Field Voice Reinforcement Systems in the classroom, therefore, is becoming more and more popular in mainstream schools, colleges and universities.

By amplifying the teacher's voice to an intelligible and evenly distributed level throughout the whole of the classroom, pupils with minor hearing impairments can listen on an 'even playing field' with the rest of the mainstream class.

An Induction Loop System can also be easily connected to our range of Sound Field Systems. An Induction Loop allows hearing aid users to receive voice and AV audio signals and transmit them to the hearing aid Telecoil when set in the 'T' position.

Children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are also reported to benefit from Sound Field. With an impaired ability to hold their attention or focus on specific activities and subjects, ensuring a clearer and more easily understood message from the teacher can provide significant positive results.

Many children with Down Syndrome have fluctuating conductive hearing losses further reducing their speech and language. (Studies by the University of Canterbury, NZ) have proved that children with Down Syndrome perceive significantly more speech in all conditions where a Sound Field system is used.

Sound Field - The Hearing Pupil

The integration of Sound Field Voice Reinforcement into the classroom provides a diverse range of benefits for pupils, teachers, management and specifiers alike.

Though much emphasis is placed upon the benefits of hard of hearing students, some well-documented studies confirm the additional academic improvements for all pupils in the classroom.

All children benefit from the improved speech clarity of the teacher/lecturer provided by a Sound Field system. Academic improvements are consistently noted in:

• Task behaviour

• Attentiveness

• Understanding of instructions

• Less repitition required

• Better attendance

• Improved measures of verbal recognition

During early learning years, children lack the language experience to dicipher messages amongst interference. Clear, evenly distributed voice reproduction throughout the classroom assists young children to hear and understand more of what is said.

Similarly, those for whom English is a second language benefit from improved understanding of the teachers' voice.

In early learning years, up to 35% of children may have some form of temporary hearing deficiency due to illness, disease or allergies. These children wil significantly benefit from Sound Field in the classroom.

Sound Field - Assisting The Teacher

Although it cannot be denied that many of the major benefits of Sound Field are to the pupils (whether hard of hearing or not), there are a number of significant factors which will benefit the teacher and school/college management team:

Lively, interactive (or just plain noisy!) classes require the teacher to frequently raise their voice to be heard. When designed and set-up effectively, a Sound Field System can actually reduce the operational noise level as all children will hear the teacher's voice more clearly, often improving discipline.

Studies suggest that up to 20% of teachers experience vocal problems during an academic year. By negating the need to raise the voice, vocal strain is much less likely, reducing time lost to illness or stress.

Improved measures of understanding from pupils means less repetition required, saving on class time.

By ensuring clear voice reproduction to hard of hearing and non-hard of hearing pupils, teachers can provide more effective and less discriminatory inclusion of SEN students into the mainstream class.

Sound Field Systems can also be specified to include remote Audio Visual inputs, allowing plugging-in of additional laptops, CD/MP3 players, DVD etc. for high quality distributed, amplified sound throughout the classroom.

Our Sound Field product range offers a wide range of permanent installation systems to meet the acoustic requirements of all subject and classroom types. Furthermore, we also offer a range of portable solutions for use in assembly/sports hall areas, for use by part-time SEN teachers and even for use outdoors.

Utilising our preferred infrared (IR) Sound Field System, there is a further logistical advantage to teachers over radio frequency (RF) Microphone systems. As IR systems are not frequency specific, the teachercan move from room to room without having to alter the microphone settings.