How the Traffic Light works
The traffic light shows one color for the voice level you want right now. Green is work talk, yellow is whisper, red is silence. You switch the color. The class reads it.
- Click Traffic Light in the dock.
- Set the color that matches the task before you give the directions.
- Change it when the task changes, not after the room is already loud.
- Pair it with a timer when the level has an end time.
- Press Save Board if this layout should stay in this browser.
Settings and features
The control is the color. Teach the three meanings once, then stop re-explaining them.
| Control | What it does | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Work talk is fine. | Partner talk, stations, labs. |
| Yellow | Whisper only. | A transition, or a group that is sliding past work talk. |
| Red | Silence. | A test, a read-aloud, or independent writing. |
Ways to use it in class
Start of work time
Flip to green, start the timer, and begin. Students who look up see both the level and the time left. You do not announce "you may talk" as a separate step.
Test
Red stays on for the whole sitting. If you drop to yellow for a whispered question, say so. Otherwise the color is the rule.
Reset
Yellow for sixty seconds is a reset without a lecture. Pair it with the timer so yellow has an end.
Ready-made boards
Red light, green light
The light plus a short timer.
Open this boardSoft start
A green light for a calm arrival.
Open this boardZones of regulation
The light next to a zones check-in.
Open this boardMorning meeting
The light beside the greeting and the timer.
Open this board
When not to use it
- The class has not been taught what the colors mean. Teach it once on a calm day.
- You need a measured level from the microphone. Use the Noise Meter.
- A student finds the color change distressing. Tell them the next color before you switch.
Accessibility and privacy
Name the color out loud when you change it so students who cannot see the tile still get the level. The widget stores nothing about students. Save Board keeps the layout in this browser only.
Frequently asked questions
What do the colors mean?
Green is work talk, yellow is whisper, red is silence. Teach that once and keep the meanings stable.
Is this the noise meter?
No. The traffic light is the level you set. The noise meter reads the room through the microphone.
Does it make a sound?
No. If you want a chime at the end of a level, use the Timer and press Test Sound before class.