Just listening to audiobooks can go a long way in boosting students’ fluency and self-confidence. Then you ought to know more about the best listening centres to achieve this.
Learning is supposed to be fun and thrilling. This is one aspect this present age educational scope is all about. It is integrating different unique approaches to support and enhance the education of students.
And though the traditional method of learning and teaching can never be erased.
Introducing time for listening centres can provide a break from conventional classroom instructions and serve as a unique way of organizing and maintaining students’ focus and flow of a particular subject.
A listening centre is a specified area in a classroom designated for students to sit and listen to various kinds of recordings, be it music, educational audiobooks, rhymes for kids, or an instruction course for development.
It does contain tapes, iPods, CD players, books, or multiple headphones where students typically listen to recordings of books and follow along with the reading.
This is one instructional tool teachers believe to be very effective for students in having a different way of approaching their materials since they can work and learn independently using well-designed learning centres.
And these are a few of the benefits learning centres do offer since they are easy to implement and simple to maintain.
But you should know as humans we are quite different in nature and by so doing, we generally learn in different ways and dimensions.
Listening centres might not be too great for some kids with learning impairments or for those who find it difficult to stay focused.
But you, as a teacher should always find ways to help them out and integrate them with others to prevent drawbacks.
The Reviews of 5 Best Listening Centers for Classroom of 2022
Below are the five best listening centres to go for but do ensure to stay tuned to the end for more benefits of listening centres.
Read on:
1. Hamilton Buhl (W901) 12 Station
Comes with a removable sound dampening top which allows you to mount an interactive whiteboard on it easily without issues
The Hamilton Buhl with its never-ending learning innovations is known for producing high-quality listening centres that are durable, simple to use, and do meet the needs of learners in the classroom.
This model is specially prepared to be used by twelve persons at the same instant of time while teachers can make use of this great feature to help kids learn faster and at the same time prevent the entangling of cords due to its wireless feature. This is one perfect device for easy learning.
These listening centres also allow any device with Bluetooth facilities to be connected to its wireless transmitter which in turn conveys the content to be heard to the wireless headphones available. This is one enhanced method compared to CDs or tapes.
The sound is also great and superb and is of good quality when in use while it can extensively be used between forty-five to fifty hours requiring just seven to eight hours of charge.
It has some other features like switchable frequencies, a lockable casing (though without a lock) to store its transmitter, power cords, and headphones.
What we like:
- Perfect for teaching kids
- Very efficient and effective
- Can be used by 12 persons
What we don’t like:
- Heavy
- Very expensive
2. Hamilton Buhl LCFW-AC1 6
Popularly used in education, entertainment, and business. It uses red and green lasers to project bright and vivid images onto any surface
This one comes with six headphones and a lockable carrying case(lock also not included). The available headphones can be used by six individuals at a time to fast-track learning.
It doesn’t have many features compared to the first but still secures second place on our list. One unique feature is its headphone foam which is safe, non-toxic, soft, and extremely flexible.
Normally, kids especially do not struggle with headphones when trying to use them. They should be easy to wear and a lot more comfortable to handle making this station up to the task with its wireless syncing.
Also, headphones that are over the ear should be preferred to open ear ones since they block ambient noise
And ensure the required lessons are learned by the students while keeping them focused. This is one great benefit this station can offer.
And with its audio champ, teachers can play any recordings made with CDs, MP3s, or connect their USB to ensure students are able to access their content and learn more easily.
This can help students to become more engaged, developing their pronunciation and reading skills.
What We Like:
- Lightweight.
- Available in different fancy colors.
- Offers superb and quality sound.
What We Don’t Like:
- Expensive.
3. Hamilton Buhl 6 Station Multi-Frequency
This amplifier is ideal for classrooms, libraries, auditoriums, gymnasiums, school cafeterias and other large spaces where maximum power is required.
Listening to stories is great fun and can help enhance reading skills, but even with the right storyteller, sitting still may be impossible for some kids.
That’s one reason listening centres like this are effective for the present age of tech-filled busy classrooms.
This particular Hamilton model is a little bit expensive but trusts us, and it is a very good investment to make.
You can definitely go wireless with kids and ensure everyone is up and learning. Its headphones deliver great sound making it a perfect choice for multimedia and classroom applications.
You can also have up to four different audio channels simultaneously by just tuning over frequencies with its ever simple to use transmitter.
It weighs just 4.8 pounds and can be quite easy to transfer about.
Furthermore, it comes in different fancy coloured headphones that can attract kids and ensure the focus is maintained.
Also, it can also consistently operate between 30 to 35 hours making it one durable centre while taking up a charge of 13 to 14 hours for its friendly NiMH battery.
It is a good listening centre that can be very much recommendable and weighs just 4.8 pounds and can be quite easy to transfer about.
What We Like:
- Fairly featherweight
- Has robust headphones to cut off external distractions
- Effective and classroom friendly
What We Don’t Like:
- Moderately heavy
- Does not enable a large number of users
- Expensive
4. Hamilton Buhl 6 Stations Listening Center
Has a built-in amplified speaker and headphone jack so anyone can listen anytime, anywhere? Made from high-impact material to withstand years of use
Compact, neat, and organized. This is a very great component of this particular Hamilton model has that tutors can take advantage of
Though it might be quite heavy to transfer about, this multi-frequency station has six headphones in its possession ensuring a wider range of individual participation.
It also has an inbuilt analogue radio which kids can use to listen to educational programs in their free time.
It is manufactured for heavy duties and offers superb and sleek functionality. It is particularly ideal for today’s classroom with its stereo jack box coming with individual volume control.
This is one aspect that controls the kid’s engagement since more of the content listened to comes from the stereo. It also has CD features so teachers can play their lessons in the form of audio to help students listen and learn better.
What We Like:
- Cheap to acquire
- Comes with an anti-lice storage bag
- Its cord is durable as they are chew resistant
What We Don’t Like:
- Not adequately effective.
- Laminated carry box not strong enough.
5. Califone 1114BL-4 Kid Listening Center, Blue
Many educators are integrating these centres into their classrooms as an essential tool in their teaching strategies because of their efficiency.
This is the cheapest of all and the best for disabled kids and is said to be one of the best affordable listening centres out there.
This model consists of just 4 headphones and a single mini stereo jack which can be used for those with impairments to catch up with others.
This model is designed for special school students learning and since it weighs just a pound, it is one great saviour for the disabled.
Its headphone is compatible with personal computers and MacBooks and with this makes up for what many stations don’t possess.
It is durable and safe to use for children and also serves its purpose of helping the special needs of students.
What We Like:
- Lightweight.
- Efficient long cords.
What We Don’t Like:
- Headphones are not strong.
The List of 6 Benefits of Listening Centers Explained
There are many key benefits listening centres can offer. From the organization of students to the maintained focus in the classroom, these are a few advantages students can get from listening to reading.
Listening centres;
- Teaches critical listening and reading skills
- Allows fluent reading by modeling
- Provides a read-aloud pattern
- Helps students learn new vocabularies
- It Helps students get familiar with words, and
- Introduces students to new and advanced books every listening time
The main priority of listening centres is to ensure students grasp the materials been listened to through improved focus. And with this system being one of the many unique approaches used for learning, students can also build listening and pronunciation skills, be more polished with words and learn more easily.
Listening centres is one system that has proven to work and will always work since its inception into the learning space. And with its ability to maintain engagement, it is considered effective for learning. Read our Best iPad Charging Station Reviews.
Conclusion
Listening to reading can help students and kids especially develop their expression, reading, listening, and comprehension skills.
Therefore, creating a listening centre in your classroom can help support the reader’s focus and build student confidence which helps develop them more.
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