How Classroom Acoustics Shape the Way Children Learn

Today’s classrooms are designed to encourage collaboration, creativity, and active learning. But as schools embrace more flexible spaces and project-based instruction, noise has become an often-overlooked factor that undermines these goals.

Excessive classroom noise does more than distract students. It can reduce attention, impair memory, elevate stress, and create unequal learning environments—particularly for younger children and students with diverse needs.

“The physical environment can impact all the things that are critical to learning and cognitive function,” said Heidi Hampton, RA, LEED AP BD+C, a leader in Gensler’s Education practice and Studio Director of the architecture and design firm’s Los Angeles office.

Those findings align with decades of research. The World Health Organization has identified classroom noise as an environmental health concern, noting that chronic exposure can interfere with speech perception, reading comprehension, and overall academic performance. Similarly, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recommends classroom acoustic standards that allow students to clearly hear instruction, recognizing that even moderate background noise can reduce speech intelligibility.

Noise affects more than concentration

Today’s classrooms are expected to serve a broader range of learners than ever before. Beyond delivering curriculum, educational facilities also now increasingly prioritize student inclusion and wellness. All of these factors affect the look and feel of modern learning environments.

"I think it’s a lot of forces coming together," Hampton explains about the rising interest in school acoustics. "We’ve moved from simply meeting baseline code and technical requirements to designing for mental well-being, emotional regulation, and the ability to focus." 
For many students, noise is more than an annoyance. Those learning English, experiencing hearing loss, or navigating ADHD, autism, or auditory processing differences often require clearer listening environments to fully participate in class. Background noise reduces reading and memory performance, particularly with younger children because they are still developing language and attention skills.

“A noisy classroom can create unequal learning experiences,” Hampton says. “Good acoustic design helps level the playing field.” 

Designing for different kinds of learning

Rather than trying to eliminate sound altogether, architects increasingly focus on designing the right acoustic environment for the activity that’s taking place in the space.

Dormitories, for example, require quiet environments that support sleep and recovery—both of which affect cognitive function and school success. Dining halls need to accommodate conversation but have enough sound absorption to prevent noise from becoming overwhelming, especially for the neurodiverse. Classrooms require a careful acoustic balance that allows for group and individual discussions without compromising speech clarity.

A Gensler project at the K-12 ‘Iolani School in Honolulu illustrates this approach. The Arrillaga Center features numerous indoor-outdoor learning spaces, so the designers selected wood-look materials that visually reinforce the connection to nature while also absorbing sound. That way, the classrooms’ speech intelligibility is supported, but not at the expense of the spaces’ use or aesthetics. 

The team achieved similar results but with a different tack at Da Vinci school in El Segundo, CA. Reimagining the space as a multifloor office, the designers organized it into project-based learning clusters rather than traditional classrooms and hallways. Each of the areas uses different materials to support its purpose. But all meet the same acoustic standards, allowing students to both energetically collaborate and quietly focus. 

Such flexibility is critical for any learning environment. But as schools adopt new technologies, including AI-supported instruction, the need will only increase.

Acoustics as part of student well-being

Ultimately, acoustic design is less about controlling noise and more about optimizing learning conditions for students and teachers.

“Good design is about creating spaces where students can feel seen, supported, and have a sense of belonging,” Hudson said. “Acoustics is just one of the ways that we can create that experience.” 

As educators continue to rethink how schools prepare students for the future, the ability to hear clearly, concentrate deeply, and learn comfortably may prove just as essential as the curriculum itself.