Imagine a classroom where there is a teacher at the side of each student giving one-on-one instruction. The possibility is now here with the emerging technology of infrared audio enhancement systems in every classroom. Changing the way the information is delivered will profoundly effect education. 

A classroom is audio-enhanced when the teacher wears a wireless microphone that distributes the teacher's voice evenly throughout the classroom.

So, how does audio enhancement help students to learn?

• Students are rich in auditory designed neural tissue. However, this tissue needs stimulation in order to grow and develop.
• Learning is about brain access, with subsequent brain growth and development.
• A student's ability to learn centers on how well their brains receive the incoming signal or information from the teacher.
• For spoken instruction to be worthwhile, students must hear and listen to the words. 
• Because children's brains are in the process of developing, they listen differently from adults.

Nationwide, studies have shown the effectiveness of this technology in improving the learning and instructional environments of students. Research has established direct positive correlations with the implementation of audio enhancement classroom systems with students' academic performance and test scores.

Student Performance
Oakland School District now uses audio enhancement systems in its elementary, middle and high schools throughout Region 4, an eight county area in southwest Michigan. Following a highly successful, multi-year assessment called "The Oakland County Audio Field Project," district administrators found audio enhancement systems in classrooms increased academic learning; improved student on-task behavior; were teacher friendly to use; and were reliable in enhancing all student learning environments. The district's audio enhancement reliability report indicated audio enhanced classrooms were successful in improving student improvement and teacher instruction.

Reading and Math Gains
Anaheim Public Schools showed significant 3rd and 4th grade student test scores gain in reading, math, language, and spelling in audio enhanced classrooms, when compared to previous years' test scores without audio enhancement intervention and implementation. Audio enhanced schools reported overall gains of 5 to 15 percent.

Phonemic Awareness
Improving literacy is a national priority. Phonemic awareness is a prerequisite to successful reading and comprehension. It is an auditory skill dealing with the sounds of spoken language. This University of Akron study found the use of audio or sound field amplification to enhance the acoustic environment of schools will significantly improve and facilitate successful student development of phonemic awareness.

Student Attentiveness and Behavior
In the typical classroom, a number of environmental and student factors interfere with student listening. The use of a wireless microphone by the teacher and speakers placed appropriately in the ceiling reduced student fatigue, increased on-task student behavior, improved classroom management and decreased teacher vocal fatigue.

Dyslexia
Dyslexic children cannot sound out many words for the simple reason that they have never clearly heard what sounds certain letters make. Average scores on reading tests before classrooms were amplified were 44 to 48 percent. With the same teachers, same curriculum and same student population, the average score after seven months of sound field amplification was 75 percent.

Teacher Benefits
There are benefits for teachers and school administrators, as well as students. Research has shown that teacher absenteeism declines with sound field amplification usage. 

For instance, Iowa teachers using sound field classroom amplification equipment found a 36 percent decline in teacher absenteeism when compared to teachers not using sound field amplification. Teachers' complaints and sick leave for voice, jaw or throat problems decreased dramatically for teachers who used sound field amplification systems in their classrooms over teachers who did not. The data showed that an increased use of sound field amplification equipment would result in a substantial annual savings for the school district in substitute teacher pay.

Students require a quieter environment and louder signal than adults in order to learn. When students reach more of their potential sensory development, they achieve higher academic standings.

For more information, contact Audio Enhancement by calling 800-383-9362 or visiting www.AudioEnhancement.com.