CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM

Introduction
Learning environment refers to the physical characteristics of the surroundings of the students when learning. These may vary depending on environmental elements such as sound, light, temperature, and design (Tenedero, 2009).
Sound is the first element of the learning environment. Most students are contented with only one sound inside the classroom. This sound refers to the teacher’s voice - explaining the lesson, giving out instructions or assignments, or scolding a student or the entire class (Tenedero, 2009). Some learners prefer total silence or minimum sound because sound acts as a distraction to their effective learning (Senge, 2006). A study done by an American, named James Wallace (2008), mentioned that Filipino students prefer a quiet environment rather than having music or other sounds when studying. However, there are researches which showed that many students prefer to listen to a lecture or study on their own with some background music on because it makes them more receptive to learning (Tenedero, 2009).
Light is the second element of the learning environment. Brighter lightings can reduce visual problems, fatigue, and posture problems and produce effective learning which helps improve students’ academic performance (Jensen, 2006). However, research also shows that there are many students who perform significantly better in low light environments because bright lights make them restless, fidgety, and hyperactive. Dimmed light environments calm down many learners and it makes them relax and think clearly (Prashnig, 2006).
Temperature is another element that plays a key role in the learning environment. If a student is too cold or too hot, he will have a hard time concentrating on his learning tasks (Moore, 2007). There is research evidence that the brain functions well at lower temperatures instead of when they