Q. How Does Excessive Noise in Classrooms Affect Children?

    In my previous entry, I discussed the impact of classroom noise on the community. (For more details, refer: https://childrennoiseissueggrh.blogspot.com/2023/06/q-how-does-noise-affect-peoples-health.html) However, I began to wonder, "While it may not directly affect the health of individuals living 30 meters away from schools, could constant exposure to noise levels exceeding 70 decibels be dangerous for children?" This entry delves into how classroom noise can potentially affect the well-being of children themselves.

    The Japanese Ministry of Education recommends that classroom noise levels should be 50 decibels or less. Unfortunately, a study conducted by the Shiga University of Medical Science found that a first-grade classroom in an elementary school in Shiga prefecture had an average noise level of around 80 decibels.

    An 80-decibel noise level is relatively high, approaching the 85 dB limit set by official organizations such as NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) as the maximum time-weighted average (TWA) limit for human exposure exceeding 8 hours per day.

    Noise-induced impairment during early childhood development and education can have long-lasting effects on academic achievement and overall health. Numerous studies and statistics examining the effects of chronic exposure to aircraft noise on children have consistently shown that:

    Noise exposure detrimentally affects cognitive performance.
There is a consistent association with impaired well-being and, to a slightly lesser extent, motivation. Moderate evidence indicates effects on blood pressure and the secretion of catecholamine hormones.
    It is evident that remaining in such environments can pose risks to children. Therefore, I believe it is crucial to find solutions that reduce classroom noise levels for the well-being of both the children and the community.

Published by Rina

Source
"【参考】学校環境衛生基準（平成30年文部科学省告示第60号）溶け込み版", Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Published Mar 30, 2018 (https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20201222-mxt_kenshoku-100000613_05.pdf), Accessed July 12th, 2023

"小学校教室内の音環境の調査", Shiga University of Medical Science, Published Jan 2002, (http://www.shiga-med.ac.jp/~hqpreve/kyouiku/socmed_fw/pdf/2001/2002_1.pdf), Accessed July 12th, 2023

Noise and Occupational Hearing Loss | NIOSH | CDC. (n.d.). (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/default.html), Accessed July 13th, 2023

Occupational noise exposure - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). (https://www.osha.gov/noise), Accessed July 13th, 2023

World Health Organization: WHO. (2010). Noise. www.who.int. (https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/noise), Accessed July 12th, 2023

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Q. How does noise affect people's health? (Noise especially from schools)

Image
Q. How does noise affect people's health? How can excessive noise from children impact the mental and physical health of individuals in the community? Are there any specific health risks associated with prolonged exposure to noise caused by children? A. Noise can have a significant impact on people's health, especially when it comes to excessive noise from children within a community.       Decibels, the unit used to measure noise levels, play a crucial role in understanding these effects. For instance, a normal conversation typically ranges from 60 to 70 decibels, but sustained exposure to noise levels of 80-90 decibels can lead to hearing loss.       Research specifically focused on children's noise in schools reveals interesting findings. The Japanese Ministry of Education suggests that classroom noise levels should be below 50 decibels with windows closed and below 55 decibels with windows open. Although a difference of 5 decibels may seem ins...
Read more

Q. How many people complain about the noise children make?

Image
  Q1. How many people complain about the noise children make?   A1. 　I would like to summarize the results of a survey conducted by a nursery school to find out how many people actually consider children to be noisy. The survey was open from November 5 to November 30, 2014; and 720 people responded to it. 　According to the result of a survey, about 43% of all (315 people) answered that they have felt that children's noises are noise. Although the numbers are not extremely high, it is clear that a certain number of people still feel that children's voices are noisy. In addition, the survey was conducted online, and some people found and responded to the survey as a result of a search, which may be more biased than actual public opinion. 　The fact that such a survey was conducted shows that there is at least a high level of interest in this issue in Japan. _________________________   Q2. How can you talk to the parents of children who make noise?   A2. I would like to...
Read more

Reflections on Final Presentation (Rina)

On July 20, our team presented NeighConnect, the NGO we created, and received valuable feedback from our classmates. As the one responsible for laying the foundation of our NGO and writing the blog entry, I wanted to reflect on the feedback, particularly regarding the content. One of the feedback points highlighted the idea of connecting activities online. However, our organization's primary focus is on providing in-person experiences within the flats and the community. While we acknowledge the potential of online activities, we believe that the essence of NeighConnect lies in fostering face-to-face interactions to bridge generational gaps effectively. If we were to explore online activities, it would likely be in the form of seminars to promote our organization's mission and initiatives. Another feedback suggested narrowing down the activities. Although we didn't elaborate on this during the presentation, each activity we planned had a specific target audience to bring dif...
Read more