How To Choose The Right Headphone For The Modern Classroom.

In this post we will be looking at the key things to consider when buying education headphones for use in the classroom or at home and why they are such an asset to introduce to support student learning.

Don’t forget when buying headphones for young children (3+) the World Health Organisation says the safety limit should be set at a maximum of 85 dB, because exposure to sounds above 85 dB for a prolonged period of time is widely recognised as a potential cause of hearing loss.

With over 20-years of experience of working with teachers in the classroom we would like to share the 5- things to consider when buying education headphones, below you can view our thoughts and recommendations.

Comfort

• Firstly, headphones that are uncomfortable to wear in the classroom will ultimately cost you money, as they often become unused and damaged.  
• Comfort is important as your students may wear them for long periods of time, meaning they will need to be a good fit. The ear padding is important as it offer more protection from pressing on the head and ears. With growing ears, freedom to find flex is important. There are also variations in material covers with some more breathable than others. 
• For best results look for headphones that provide a snug fit and are easy adjustable, look for key features such as volume limited, volume control, soft ear pads and easy adjustment. 

Durability

• Alongside comfort, it’s also important to keep the durability of the headphones you are purchasing in mind. Whilst this will incur a slight increase in initial cost, more durable headphones can be a more cost-effective choice in the long run. We recommend looking for headphones with steel tensioned headband this is one of the most durable headphones designs for the classroom.
• Look for features such as detachable cables, easy to clean and replaceable ear pads. These features will save you money in the long run.

Microphone

• Headphones with in-built microphones can help students to actively take part in development activities, language learning, and other audio-based activities such as music creation software. Headphones with a microphone are a must if students are home learning.

Budget

• It is a good idea to know ahead of time what you would like to spend as you begin your search for the perfect school headphone or school headset solution. If you are going to make a large school purchase, check if your supplier offers classroom headphone sets as an option. This will not only save you money but offer you neat storage solutions for your education headphones.

Compatibility with your School’s Equipment 

• Most schools have several different devices. What is compatible with one of your computers, may not be compatible with tablets. Be sure to check compatibility with your devices before making a purchase. One example, a popular connection on new laptops, tablets and smartphones include a TRRS adapter that connects a single 3.5mm plug to both the microphone and headphone jacks. A standard 3.5 mm adapter works with most devices that have a standard headphone input. You can also choose, USB, Dual Plug and Multi-plug options that enable cross compatibility with multiple devices.

For the Primary school

Our Easy2Use Almost Unbreakable 85 dB sound limited headphone are perfect for all primary school and SEN students: 

• Flexible Almost Unbreakable Childrens Headphones
• Lightweight yet Rugged Black/Blue headphone Braided cable
• Quality Headphone with microphone and braided cable

For the secondary School 

Our recommendation for, durability and comfort are:

• Mk2 Robust Flexible Almost Unbreakable Headphones
• Heavy Duty Robust Headphones with Microphone
• Mk1 Robust Headphone & Microphone

If you’re not sure which headphone to choose, why not call us on 0115 940 5550 and let us help to select the perfect option for your school.