We Made Background Noise For Writing, Reading & Focus
by Terry Heick
Without background noise, I can’t focus for the life of me–and if I am able to focus somehow, the quality of my thinking is absent and my creativity is next to zero.
Thus this video and sound file. I actually made this for me by experimenting with several different types of noise, merging a few, and then adjusting the levels until I found it soothing.
I used it as a teacher, too. I’d play it over the classroom speakers (that were embedded in the ceiling). When I’d first start it, a few students would look up and one or two might complain about ‘the noise.’ Five minutes later, the only sound in the classroom was the background noise.
Using Background Noise In Your Classroom
Using background noise in your classroom is a low-risk strategy. It’s noise. Students will either like it, or they won’t.
If you’re interested in trying this out, depending on your classroom setup it might be best to let students try it individually rather than playing it for the entire class. Let them use their phones, class tablets, laptops–whatever they have access to. Add a set of earbuds, and see what they think.
Encourage students to give it a chance. If their mindset is ‘I hate this noise,’ they’re going to hate the noise. But if they go into it with an open mind, they might be surprised how much it can help their focus, concentration while reading, creativity while writing, etc.
You may need to try it more than once. Further, you may need to simply play it without making it a big deal. Just turn it on for five minutes during a quick write, for example. Repeat this until you’ve got a sense of whether or not it’s working for your students, and if perhaps an on-a-student-by-student basis might be the best approach.
Background Noise For Writing, Reading & Focus
Video & sound file description: 60-min clip of a blend of brown and white noise that produces a gentle roar useful for calming the subconscious and allowing students–especially those easily distracted–to write, study, or work on projects.
Here, We Made Background Noise For Writing, Reading, And Focus