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Voice levels poster (free printable, levels 0 to 4)

Five voice levels from zero to four, each with a number, a name, a line about when to use it and a speaker that gets louder. Rename the levels to match your room.

Printed on the sheet. Leave it empty to write by hand.
Name | when it is used
Colour
Voice Levels, page 1Voice LevelsChoose the voice that fits the job.0SilentNo talking: working alone or listening1WhisperOnly the person next to me can hear2Table voiceHeard at my table and no further3Class voiceEveryone can hear: sharing and presenting4Outside voicePlayground and gym only

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About this sheet

A voice-level chart replaces be quiet with a number, which is faster to say and kinder to hear. The idea is to give students a shared scale so that Level one is a request they can follow without guessing what you mean. Each row has a number, a name, a description of when it fits and a speaker with more waves as the volume rises. The first level, with no sound at all, is marked with a cross. Edit any line: some rooms use five levels, some four, and many rename them. Post the chart where you point to it, and change the level on a clip or a flip card as the activity changes.

Grades: Pre-K to 6. Best in: August, September.

How to use it

  1. Edit the five levels in the box: name, a bar, then when it is used. Add or remove lines for more or fewer levels.
  2. Print the poster and mount a clothespin or a movable arrow beside it, to show the level for the current activity.
  3. Teach each level by modeling it, then ask students to show you a level-two voice, then a level-one. Practice before you need it.

Five ideas for class

  1. Point to the level before each transition, not after the noise starts. Prevention takes two seconds and a correction takes two minutes.
  2. Pair the chart with the noise meter on this site for a whole-class goal: stay at the level for the activity and watch the meter together.
  3. Let students choose the level for partner talk. Asking them to pick and defend a level builds the skill better than assigning one.
  4. Teach what each level sounds like outside school: the library, the playground, a restaurant. Students apply the scale when you are not there.
  5. Make a second, smaller copy for the hall and the cafeteria, with the levels the school uses in those places, so the same numbers mean the same thing everywhere.

Related

Questions

Why start at zero?

Zero means no voice, which is its own level and a different skill from a whisper. If you prefer to start at one, rename the levels and the numbers follow the order of the list.

Can I change the names?

Yes. Every name and description is editable, so Whisper can be Mouse voice and Class voice can be Presenter voice, whatever your class already says.

How do I show the current level?

Many teachers hang a clothespin or a magnet beside the chart and move it to the active level, or hold a number card at the front. A student can be the level keeper.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.

Can I print it in black and white?

Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.

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