a method of providing an improved learning environment in a classroom setting area in which at least one human listener is attempting to focus on at least one speech sound source in the presence of at least one distracting sound source is disclosed . at least one electrical sound masking signal is generated by at least one sound masking signal generator as output , received by at least one system controller , and then provided to one or more loudspeaker assemblies . at least one acoustic sound masking signal corresponding to the at least one electrical sound masking signal is emitted by the one or more loudspeaker assemblies into the classroom setting area , providing an essentially uniform level of acoustic sound masking signal , thus improving the ability of the human listener to focus on the intended speech sound source in the presence of the distracting sound source .