The effects of aircraft noise on children's learning are a longstanding concern of planners, parents, and educators living and teaching near airports. This study examined the relationship between the behaviors and attitudes of students and teachers compared with internal and external noise levels at 11 schools surrounding Los Angeles International Airport. Observers in individual classrooms logged student and teacher behaviors. Additionally, teachers reported their attitudes and experiences related to aircraft noise exposure through an online survey. Noise levels were assessed through direct measurements outside the schools and within the classrooms simultaneous to the classroom observations (acute) and using computer modeling of long-term (chronic) school-day noise exposure.Multilevel regression analyses suggest the following: classroom dynamics, particularly teacher behavior, are associated with fluctuations in external noise, even at moderate levels of aircraft noise exposure; external noise seems to matter regardless of what the internal noise level is inside the classroom; teachers reported a negative impact of aircraft noise on students and moderate annoyance; and teachers in schools experiencing higher levels of aircraft noise were more likely to report negative impacts on student concentration due to aircraft noise.
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