Children’s listening perception and cognitive performance at school

Classroom acoustics and noise exposure significantly affect students' emotional, cognitive, and academic well-being, especially when they are not mother tongue or they suffer from auditory impairments. This study aims to investigate the specific contribution of the acoustic components on children's auditory and cognitive performance. Before the study, all participants underwent a comprehensive hearing screening to rule out any auditory impairments that could influence the results. Subsequently, children were exposed to two distinct acoustic conditions: a regular classroom with ambient noise and a classroom with artificially induced noise. Performance in both auditory and non-auditory tasks was assessed using a standardized battery of tests administered during the different acoustic conditions. Collected results, such as the number of errors and the response time, were statistically analyzed to compare children’s reactions across these conditions, thus providing empirical evidence on the effects of noise on learning processes. The findings of this research can inform educational policies and school building design practice to create more effective and healthier learning spaces