OOOR00001
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School Hearing
Test Program
vvEPA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Noise Office, ANR-471
Washington, D.C. 20460
ii s environmental Protection Agency
^oirn S.Lfersry (PL-12J)
77 West Jackson Boulevacd, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
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PREFACE
This document contains a suggested dissemi-
nation plan for your school system's Hearing Test
Noise Education Program. The strategy that follows
and suggested letters from your Superintendent
of Schools to the involved key people were designed
as a possible aid to help implement this program.
Since various school system's modes of operations
vary, this plan may be used as appropriate in your
system.
Also included is a separate section for
teachers with teaching material and a sample quiz.
We have included a program evaluation form that
could provide us with meaningful information on the
use of these materials, if your coordinator or
designated school representative could take the time
to provide us with this information.
We appreciate your interest and assistance in
implementing this program.
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CONTENTS
Section Page
1 Hearing Test Noise Education Program 1
Strategy
2 Suggested Letters from Superintendent
of Schools to Key People Involved in
Hearing Test Education Program:
- Superintendent's letter to parents 4
- Superintendent's letter to individuals 5
giving presentations on noise
- Superintendent's letter to hearing 7
test administrators
3 Suggested Press Release 8
4 Evaluation of Program Effectiveness 10
5 Teachers Section
Background materials for teachers making
presentation on noise and health:
- Fact sheet on noise 11
- True-False quiz with detailed answer 13
sheet
Inside back cover
a) Three hearing test brochures:
- Noise and Your Hearing (grades K-4)
- Hear Here! (grades 5-8)
- Think Quietly About Noise (grades 9
and up)
b) Noise: A Health Problem
c) Order form for additional program
materials
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1
Hearing Test Noise
Education Program Strategy
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HEARING TEST NOISE EDUCATION
PROGRAM STRATEGY
I. PROGRAM INITIATION
To facilitate the administration of the hearing
test noise education program, a suggested program
strategy has been developed. Sample information
packages will be sent to the Superintendent of
Schools, the Director of Health Services for the
School District, and the President of the PTA.
II. SUGGESTED PROGRAM COORDINATION
A. Meeting of involved parties to establish the
program's overall structure.
B. Selection of one individual (or office) to act
as local coordinator of the whole program:
1. Individual will identify him/herself to
Ms. Jackie Copp (703/557-7695), EPA, as the
contact. EPA would like to evaluate the
effectiveness of the program and its support
materials. Working with one person will
facilitate this.
2. Coordinator will have the responsibility of
ordering brochures and other support material
from EPA. See samples, Think Quietly About
Noise, Hear Here!, and Noise and Your Hearing,
inside back cover.
3. Coordinator will be the contact for teachers
in individual schools who desire additional
materials.
4. Coordinator will have the responsibility of
disseminating materials to the individual
schools.
III. SUGGESTED COORDINATOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Coordinator will meet with individual school
officials.
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B. Coordinator will promote program in individual
schools.
C. Coordinator will contact individual school
officials to determine what materials are most
appropriate for specific age groups.
D. Coordinator will determine with schools how
material is to be dispersed within the school
itself and how school will procure additional
materials.
IV. STAFF RESOURCES
Decisions must be made regarding who will address
the students on hearing and when program will be
carried out (possible staff appointment for each school)
A. Noise and hearing education information should be
presented to students close to the period selected
for the administering of student hearing tests.
B. Suggested individuals to convey information to
students:
High School and Junior High Schools -
1. Home room teachers and/or science teachers:
- discussion need not be too long (10-15
minutes).
- teachers can brief themselves with material,
administer the true-false quiz, then give a
short talk based on the test questions.
2. Nurse, audiologist, or doctor could give a
similar talk at a short assembly.
3. PTA members could assist by giving a short
presentation and the true-false quiz.
Elementary Schools -
1. Regular classroom teachers can speak to their
students during a science or health class.
2. School nurse can give a short talk to students.
V. EVALUATION
A. After the hearing tests are administered, an
evaluation would be helpful to ascertain the im-
pact of the program on the students.
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B. The evaluation could be done by the school
coordinator or individual teachers.
C. Copy of results should then be forwarded to
the designated coordinator of the program.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would
appreciate a copy of the results for their
evaluation purposes also. Thank you.
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2
Suggested Letters from Superintendent
of Schools to Key People Involved
in Hearing Test Education Program
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(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)
Dear Parent,
I would like to take this opportunity to notify
you that the __^ Public School System, in
collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, will be conducting an educational program for
students on the harmful effects of excessive noise
on their hearing and learning ability. The program
will be conducted in conjunction with the hearing
tests soon to be administered throughout our school
system.
The purpose of this program is to acquaint
students with the hazards of exposure to noise over
an extended period of time. We will point out what
students can do to protect themselves from excessive
noise that is detrimental to health and hearing.
Researchers have shown that noise not only affects
hearing, but also may seriously impair a child's
learning ability. Studies have also shown that
excessive noise is detrimental to reading skills
development and can negatively affect communication
skills.
With both health and education at stake here, I
am asking you to encourage your children to take this
hearing test program very seriously. After a trained
professional tests your child's hearing, you will be
notified if your child has a hearing problem, and
proper treatment will be recommended. Your interest
in this matter now may save your children from
suffering further hearing loss.
There is no known cure for noise-damaged hearing,
A hearing aid can only give minimal assistance. In
addition, hearing loss caused by overexposure to noise
comes gradually, which means that you may not be able
to detect it in your children.
I urge you to take an active role in protecting
your child's hearing. For your child's health, we
need your help!
Sincerely,
Superintendent of Schools
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(LETTER TO INDIVIDUAL GIVING NOISE PRESENTATION)
Dear
I am pleased to announce that the
School District will be conducting a comprehensive
educational program for students on the harmful
effects of excessive noise. The program will be
conducted during the administration of student hearing
tests. Its purpose will be to acquaint students with
the hazards of exposure to excessive noise over ex-
tended periods of time, and to advise them of what
they can do to protect themselves and others.
While we are all extremely excited about the
program, we realize that without your cooperation its
chances for success are not very good. To help you
in this task, a package of teacher support material
has been assembled which should give you all the
backup information you will need to give a brief
presentation on noise. The package is composed of:
A fact sheet on noise
A true-false quiz and an answer sheet
The three brochures, "Noise and Your Hearing,"
"Hear Here!" and "Think Quietly About Noise,"
and
The booklet, "Noise: A Health Problem."
Perhaps the best way to go about preparing your
short (10-15 minutes) presentation is to begin with
the true-false quiz. This quiz has been constructed
in such a way as to be meaningful to students of all
ages. The answers that go along with it cover most of
the important points to be made about noise. You can
tailor your discussion about these answers to the age
of your students.
It would be helpful to have a followup evaluation
of the program's impact on students. This is also
included. It will give us some idea of how successful
the program and support material have been in educating
our students to the hazards of excessive noise. In
addition, it will help us to improve future programs.
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If you have any questions or want to obtain
additional brochures, please contact
who is acting as the Coordinator for the School
District.
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I would like to thank you for your cooperation,
I and I hope the hearing and noise program is rewarding
for all involved.
for all involved.
Sincerely,
Superintendent of Schools
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(HEARING TEST ADMINISTRATOR)
I would like to inform you that in conjunction
with the hearing test screening soon to be adminis-
tered throughout our school system, we will also be
conducting an educational program for students on the
harmful effects of excessive noise. This is quite
an exciting program that has been developed by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration
with the American Speech-Language and Hearing Associa-
tion. The brochures, Noise and Your Hearing, Hear,
Here! and Think Quietly About Noise are being supplied
to this school system free of charge by EPA.
The purpose of this program is to acquaint
students with the hazards of exposure to noise over
an extended period of time and what they can do to
protect their hearing from excessive noise that is
detrimental to health and hearing. Researchers have
shown that noise not only affects hearing but also
may seriously impair a child's learning ability,
reading skill development, and can negatively affect
communication skills.
With both health and education at stake here, I
know that I have your support in this program.
Sincerely,
Superintendent of Schools
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Suggested Press Release
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(SUGGESTED PRESS RELEASE)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCES
SCHOOL HEARING TEST PROGRAM
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
(City, State)--Superintendent of Schools, Dr.
today announced that the
Public School System has been selected by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency to participate in a
noise education program.
The noise education portion of the program, which
will coincide with the administering of hearing tests,
will educate students to the dangers associated with
exposure to noise over an extended period of time.
A number of recent studies have identified probable
connections between noise and physical and mental health.
According to Superintendent , "Noise constitutes
one of the most pervasive health hazards in the U.S.
today. Moreover, high noise levels have a direct
impact on the learning process."
The program will be administered by teachers with
support from PTA members and school health officials.
Students will receive instruction on the subject of
noise in their environment. In addition, students
will be given brochures developed by the American
Speech-Language and Hearing Association and EPA's Noise
Office.
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The hearing test program is one element of the
I total effort underway in _ to inform the
community's children of the harmful effects of too
much noise and what they can do to protect their
£ hearing.
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Evaluation of Program Effectiveness
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EVALUATION
HEARING TEST PROGRAM BROCHURES
To be completed by the Hearing Test Program Coordinator for the
school system and sent to the EPA Noise Office.
Please complete the following information:
No. of schools
Brochure Number giving
given hearing tests
NOISE AND YOUR HEARING
HEAR HERE!
THINK QUIETLY ABOUT NOISE
Did any other groups receive the brochures?
Please list groups, brochure, and number given:
Do you feel that the brochures were effective?
Did any of the schools conduct a classroom-teacher evaluation to
ascertain the amount of interest in the subject of noise?
Have- any of the schools and/or classrooms reported being quieter
since students received brochures?
Has the school system and/or schools received any requests for
additional information on noise?
Please give a brief summary of the brochures' impact in your school
district.
We would appreciate your help and coordination in the hearing test
program. Please mail to: EPA Noise Office
ANR-471
Washington, DC 20460
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Teacher's Section
Background Teaching Materials
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FACT SHEET ON NOISE FOR TEACHERS
The following material may be duplicated for use
by teachers or others presenting noise and hearing
information to students. Additional information
oan be obtained from the booklet, NOISE: A HEALTH
PROBLEM.
GENERAL
The most obvious price we pay for noise is
annoyance. In extreme situations or when a
person is under stress, this annoyance may
express itself as rage.
The effects of noise on health are often mis-
understood or unrecognized. Further studies
to clarify the role of noise as a public health
hazard are needed, but we at least know from
existing evidence that the danger is real.
People who live in noisy places tend to adopt a
lifestyle devoid of communication and social
interaction. They speak only when absolutely
necessary, change the content of the conversa-
tion, and frequently repeat themselves.
LEARNING
Reading ability may be seriously impaired by
noise. A study of reading scores of children
indicated that high noise levels were detri-
mental to their reading development.
In one study the influence of noise in the home
on children's reading skills was found to be
more important than the educational background
of the parents, the number of children in the
family, and the grades the children were in.
The longer the children had lived in the noisy
environment, the more pronounced the reading
impairment.
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HEARING LOSS
Hearing loss usually occurs gradually. The first
awareness of damage usually begins with misunder-
standing occasional words in general conversation,
But recognition comes too late to recover what is
lost. There is no cure, and hearing aids do not
restore noise-damaged hearing, although they can
be of limited help to some people.
People with hearing loss from exposure to noise
do not necessarily live in a quiet world. The
many sounds still audible to them are distorted
in loudness, pitch, apparent location, or clarity.
Sounds of moderate levels are frequently painful;
ringing or buzzing in the ear (called tinnitus)
is common to those hard-of-hearing.
HEALTH PROBLEMS
Noise produces a stress response and the body
reacts with increased adrenalin, changes in
heart rate, and elevated blood pressure.
People do not get used to noise--the body con-
tinues to react. Our bodies make automatic and
unconscious responses to sudden or loud sounds.
Blood pressure rises, heart rate and breathing
speed up, and muscles tense. These changes even
occur during sleep.
WORK
Noise may hinder efficiency. It is more likely
to reduce the accuracy of work than the total
quantity.
In the words of Leonard Woodcock, former president
of the United Auto Workers, "They (auto workers)
complain of headaches and inability to sleep and
they suffer from anxiety....Our members tell us
that the continuous exposure to high levels of
noise makes them tense, irritable, and upset."
SLEEP
Noise interferes with our sleep in a number of
ways. Noise can make it difficult to fall asleep,
it can wake us, and it can cause shifts from
deeper to lighter sleep stages. If sleep intrusion
becomes a chronic problem, it may take its toll on
health. 12
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TRUE - FALSE QUIZ ON NOISE
True False
1. LOUD NOISES, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME,
CAN DAMAGE A PERSON'S HEARING
2. A PERSON'S READING SKILLS MAY BE
AFFECTED BY LOUD NOISES
3. ACCIDENTS OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY IN
NOISY PLACES
4. THERE IS NOT MUCH PEOPLE CAN DO
ABOUT NOISE
5. HOME APPLIANCES MAY BE A BIT NOISY
BUT NOT NOISY ENOUGH TO CAUSE ANY
HEALTH PROBLEMS
6. YOU CAN TELL WHEN NOISE MAY BE
DAMAGING YOUR HEARING BECAUSE IT
WILL HURT YOUR EARS
7. EVERYBODY HEARS EXACTLY THE SAME
8. LOUD NOISES MAY HURT YOUR EARS BUT
THEY CAN'T AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF
YOUR BODY
9. LOUD NOISES CAN HAVE A PHYSICAL AS
WELL AS A MENTAL EFFECT ON PEOPLE.
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BACKGROUND ON TRUE-FALSE QUESTIONS
TEACHER'S NOTES
TRUE - While the ear is an amazingly resilient
organ, exposure to loud noise over a long
period can permanently damage a person's hearing.
Hearing loss comes gradually, which makes it
difficult to realize what is happening until it
is too late.
TRUE - Reading ability may be seriously impaired
by noise. A study of reading scores of 54 child-
ren in grades 2 through 5 indicated that noise
levels in adjacent apartment buildings were
detrimental to the children's reading abilities.
The influence of noise in the home was found to
be a more significant factor affecting reading
ability than the parents' educational background,
the number of children in the family, or the
grades the youngsters were in. The longer the
children had lived in a noisy environment, the
more pronounced the reading impairment.
TRUE - The inability to hear warning signals or
calls because of high background noise is thought
to be the cause of many accidents each year.
Traffic accidents occur and lives are lost be-
cause drivers are unable to hear the sirens from
nearby or passing emergency vehicles. One study
has estimated that when a fire truck or ambulance
is in the process of passing a truck, the truck
driver is able to detect the siren for only a
very short timethree seconds or less. The
concern over preventable accidents also is great
in noisy industrial settings, which can hinder
communication between employees and the hearing
of warning signals.
4. FALSE - Noise is a problem that everyone can
take part in correcting. Here are a few
suggestions that can be implemented in your
own homes:
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Use foam pads under blenders, mixers, and
food processors to absorb noise.
Use caution in buying toys for your younger
brothers or sisters Tor playing with certain
toys). Some toys emit intensive or explosive
sounds and may be damaging to hearing.
Listen to your radio or stereo at a reasonable
volume to avoid disturbing neighbors and
damaging your ears.
Make sure that your family has carpeting in
areas where there is a lot of foot traffic.
It is amazing how much noise carpeting can
absorb.
FALSE - Vacuum cleaners, washing machines,
blenders, mixers, shop tools, and other
appliances can emit noises which, if ex-
perienced over a long period of time, can
harm hearing. The point is, however, some-
thing can be done about all these problems.
Dishwashers and washing machines can be
placed in areas that can be shut off from
where people are trying to speak or rest, and
rubber padding can be placed under blenders
and mixers to absorb sound. Ear plugs or
other hearing protectors can be worn while
operating noisy appliances. Remember, there
is an answer to every noise-related problem
around your home.
6. FALSE - One of the problems with noise-damaged
hearing is that in most cases a person cannot
tell that hearing is being damaged until it is
too late. Except in cases of close exposure
to explosive noises, damage from excessive noise
appears gradually. However, once it occurs there
is no way to repair the damage. In addition, it
is a mistake to believe that people with noise-
damaged hearing necessarily live in a quieter
world. The sounds which are still audible to
them become distorted in loudness, pitch,
apparent location, or clarity. Ringing or
buzzing in the ears (tinnitus) is common, and
sounds of moderate volume may be painful.
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FALSE - As in everything else related to the
human mechanism, no two people are exactly
alike. One person's ability to hear may be
naturally more sensitive than another's. How-
ever, everyone's hearing is alike in one
respect: it is vulnerable to damage caused
by excessive noise.
8. FALSE - Our bodies make automatic and
and unconscious responses to sudden or
9. TRUE loud sounds, reacting as if these
sounds were always a threat or warning.
Blood pressure rises, heart rate and breathing
speed up, muscles tense, hormones are released
into the bloodstream, and perspiration appears,
These changes occur even during sleep.
Even when we think we have become accustomed
to noise, biological changes still take place
inside us. Researchers continue to debate
whether the body's automatic responses build
on each other, leading to "diseases of adapta-
tion," such as ulcers, asthma, high blood
pressure, headaches, and colitis.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5, Library 'PL-12J)
77 West Jackson Boulevacd, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL CQ604-35SO
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