Perceived effects of background noise on the learning experiences of English first- and second-language female learners

Noise, although ubiquitous, is seldom considered as a factor that may impede learning. In South Africa, most learners are multilingual and learn in English, which is their second language. Most noise studies have been conducted in the Global North, where the school context differs from the Global South. In this article, using questions selected from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, we present a quantitative evaluation of the perceptions of background noise on learning of a purposive sample of 154 Grade 10 to 12 female learners attending 2 all-girls schools, who were either learning through English as their second, or as their first language. The responses of first language and second language learners were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests with Hodges-Lehman estimates. Second language learners reported greater interference and annoyance from noise, compared to their first language peers. This may be due to the additional cognitive demands required when processing complex information in a second language. Given the high proportion of learners who are learning through a language that is not their mother tongue, we highlight the importance of a good acoustic environment to counteract the negative effects of the increased cognitive demand when processing information in a second language. Educators should consider ways to mitigate interference from noise and to improve the saliency of the acoustic signal in their classrooms.