A playground in a college in Rennes.

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DAMIEN MEYER / AFP

  • According to an * Opinionway poll for Ecophon revealed by 

    20 Minutes

    , most students consider that there is too much noise in their school (86%).

  • Noise nuisance that makes learning more difficult and sometimes causes headaches.

  • Hence the need to rethink the acoustics in establishments.

A falling chair, the hubbub in the canteen, work in the street… These are just a few examples of the noises we hear daily in middle and high schools and which put a strain on the eardrums.

Moreover, 86% of students consider their establishment too noisy, according to an Opinionway * poll for Ecophon carried out on the occasion of the 18th Semaine du sound and revealed by

20 Minutes

.

Nuisances which more affect students and staff in very urban establishments.

Thus, almost all (94%) of the students in the Paris area consider their establishment too noisy, against a little less than 8 out of 10 students among those who live in rural areas (78%).

“In the city, we are more exposed to a sound shroud, because the noise of cars, passers-by, construction is constant there”, emphasizes

Christian Hugonnet, president of the Semaine du Son and acoustic engineer.

In addition, schools in very urban areas concentrate a greater number of students.

“Noise breeds noise.

We have to speak louder to be heard ”

In the Pantheon, the noisiest spaces are the canteen (89%), the corridors (83%), the entrance hall (83%) and the gymnasium (79%).

And the spaces reserved for learning and study are not spared by noise pollution, even if it is to a lesser extent: 34% of students complain about the classroom, 33% for the study room and 18% for the CDI.

A noise pollution that Guillaume Bègue, professor of economics and social sciences, knew well in his three previous establishments: "The classrooms were not well insulated and exterior or interior noise echoed there," he recalls. .

A phenomenon due to the architecture of educational establishments, according to Christian Hugonnet: “Many date from the 1970s and were designed with high ceiling heights.

Because in our country, architects insisted more on the visual quality than the acoustic quality of buildings.

And noise begets noise.

We have to speak louder to be heard ”.

"It creates stress and fatigue at the end of the day"

These nuisances have repercussions on the work of the pupils, since 74% say they cannot hear the teacher's voice clearly, and 75% say they have difficulty concentrating in class.

“In my previous schools, I spent a lot of time doing classroom management, picking up students to ask them to tone down.

Which made me waste time during my lessons.

The extraneous noise made it more difficult to learn and I had to put in a lot of effort to stay focused and to be heard.

However, my voice is my main tool, ”says Guillaume Bègue.

These noises are all the more annoying in the current context, because 90% of the students questioned have more difficulty hearing their teacher because of the mask.

"It cuts the treble and complicates intelligibility", insists Christian Hugonnet.

Noise also has consequences for health, since 64% of students say they sometimes have a headache because of the resonance in collective areas.

“Not being able to have a quiet lunch or rest in the courtyard in peace does not make the breaks very saving.

And noise for 6 or eight hours in a row creates stress and fatigue at the end of the day.

In the worst cases, this can contribute to sick leave for some teachers, ”says Christian Hugonnet.

Solutions to change the game

But the problem is not inevitable.

"It is possible to design acoustic false ceilings or add panels that absorb noise", observes Christian Hugonnet.

This insulation work can be carried out during the renovation of an establishment.

Teachers also have a role to play in reducing the noise level "They can make their students aware of the noise level in the classroom and encourage them to speak more quietly," adds Christian Hugonnet.

Fortunately, more recent establishments often seem to have taken these issues into account.

As Guillaume Bègue, who now works at the Saint-André Sainte-Marie high school in Saint-André-de-Cubzac (Gironde) can testify: “I no longer need to raise my voice.

Whether a student is in the front row or in the back of the class, he can hear me.

And since the door to my room remains open due to current sanitary measures, I appreciate not being disturbed by noises coming from the hallway.

This creates a really more pleasant climate for studying and I can more easily organize work in small groups with my students, ”he insists.

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* Survey conducted for Ecophon by Opinionway, conducted online from January 4 to 6 with 506 students (60% middle school students and 40% high school students), spread throughout France using the quota method.

  • Middle School

  • Environment

  • High school

  • Society

  • Noise

  • Education