The classroom environment combines factors connected to heat, light, indoor air quality and sound. Acoustical quality is one of the most important aspects, but the influence on students' school performance and the quality of teaching also depends on non-acoustical features. The results from acoustical measurements in Italian secondary-school classrooms have underlined the importance of sound absorbing treatments, even in small occupied rooms. The average noise level in an occupied classrooms is about 44 dB(A), while the average vocal effort is between "Normal" and "Raised". A slight correlation was found between the vocal efforts of the teachers and the L_(Aeq) background noise levels, showing about a 0.40-dB increase in speech level per dB increase in noise level. Other studies are however necessary to more clearly investigate factors that can influence the teacher's vocal effort. As far as the subjective survey is concerned, the highest mean intensity scores were assigned to the noise produced by the students talking and moving in the classroom and in the corridor, and a problem of low sound insulation of the separating wall between classrooms and corridors was in fact pointed out. Students and teachers are aware of changes in classroom acoustics, since differences were observed in acoustical answer scores for renovated and nonrenovated classrooms, and, as an effect of bad acoustics, one of the most important consequence is a decrease in concentration.
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