VOA慢速英语2018--研究表明教室太热影响学习

Study Finds Hot Classrooms Hurt Learning

Some American students recently completed the school year and others are preparing to end soon. But as students in some parts of the country already deal with hot classrooms, the summer break cannot come soon enough.

Some new research has found that student performance drops when temperatures rise. The study mainly blames a lack of air-conditioning in many U.S. schools for causing learning problems.

The private, non-profit organization National Bureau of Economic Research released the working paper, Heat and Learning. Its writers are from Harvard, the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Georgia and The College Board.

The researchers examined test results of 10 million U.S. students attending high school from 2001 to 2014. The paper says the students scored lower during hot school years than cool ones.

The research is thought to be the first major study to center on the direct effects of heat on school learning. The study reported that on average, a one degree increase in temperature during the year before an exam led to a one percent drop in learning.

The research found that days reaching at least 38 degrees Celsius¹ reduced student scores by up to 50 percent. The findings suggest higher temperatures greatly harm classroom productivity² for both teachers and students.

“Our findings suggest that, even in highly-industrialized economies, heat exposure can reduce the rate of learning and skill formation,” the researchers reported.

They wrote that students from poor families and minority groups suffered the most learning problems due to heat.

The study found that higher heat affected³ black and Hispanic students about three times more than whites. It suggested the effects of heat in the classroom could be responsible for about 13 percent of the U.S. racial achievement difference. The study noted⁴ that many black and Hispanic students live in hotter places than white students. It also found more white children attended schools with air-conditioning.

The study reported that only high temperatures on school days caused learning problems. Hotter weather during the summer and on weekends had little influence. “This suggests that heat’s disruption⁵ of instruction or homework time is responsible for the observed drop in test scores,” they wrote.

The study showed a clear connection between lower student performance and a lack of air-conditioning in schools. The researchers said school air-conditioning appears to correct nearly all damaging effects of high temperatures on student achievement.

“Moving from a school with no air-conditioned classrooms to a school with all air-conditioned classrooms reduces the impact by approximately 78 percent,” the study said.

The researchers sought information on how many schools were air-conditioned. Information provided showed almost all classrooms in the U.S. South are air-conditioned. But a majority of classrooms in many northern and northeastern states are not.

A separate investigation⁶ by the education website The 74 showed most of America’s largest school districts had air-conditioning in classrooms. However, 11 large districts reported many of their classrooms were not air-conditioned. Some were in places where temperatures can repeatedly reach 32 degrees Celsius or higher.

In a 2014 report, the U.S. Department of Education said 30 percent of public schools reported having air-conditioning systems that were in fair or poor condition.

Last week, school officials in St. Paul, Minnesota requested that fans and extra water be brought in to help students deal with severe classroom heat. Two-thirds of schools in the St. Paul Public Schools district do not have air-conditioning.

District officials said they have not seen air-conditioning as necessary at all schools since they are closed during the hottest summer months.

One teacher took to Twitter to report the temperature in his classroom rose to 38 degrees Celsius. History teacher Mark Westpfahl said he felt light-headed and experienced head pain, both signs of heat exhaustion⁷. He said he was also worried about his students and had to send several to see the school’s healthcare worker.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

exposure – n. condition of being affected by or experiencing something

achievement – n. something good that someone achieves

disruption – n. interference into or stopping something

instruction – n. the action or process of teaching

impact – n. powerful or major influence or effect

district – n. an area established by a government for official government business

heat exhaustion – n. condition during which a person feels very weak and sick after being in a very hot place for too long

1 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

2 productivity   

n.生产力，生产率，多产

参考例句：

• Farmers are introducing in novations which increase the productivity.农民们正引进提高生产力的新方法。
• The workers try to put up productivity.工人设法提高生产率。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 disruption   

n.分裂

参考例句：

• The state was in disruption. 国家处于分崩离析之中。
• Such storms cause considerable disruption in magnetic prospecting operation. 这种磁暴对磁法勘探产生严重的破坏。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 exhaustion   

n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述

参考例句：

• She slept the sleep of exhaustion.她因疲劳而酣睡。
• His exhaustion was obvious when he fell asleep standing.他站着睡着了，显然是太累了。