Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise FICAN Position on Research into Effects of Aircraft Noise on Classroom Learning

Research on the effects of aircraft noise on children’s learning suggests that aircraft noise can interfere with learning in the following areas: reading, motivation, language and speech acquisition, and memory. The strongest findings to date are in the area of reading, where more than 20 studies have shown that children in noise impact zones are negatively affected by aircraft. Recent research confirms conclusions from studies in the 1970s showing a decrement of reading when outdoor noise levels are at an Leq of 65 dB or higher. It is also possible that, for a given level of Leq, the effects of aircraft noise on classroom learning may be greater than the effects of road and railroad traffic.