Today we’re diving into an interesting device I discovered a few months ago—Forbrain.
This brain-training device claims to boost speech, attention, and memory for both kids and adults. When it comes to kids specifically, it’s designed to help with clearer speech, stronger attention, and better reading.
But is this too good to be true? How exactly does it work, and what can you realistically expect?
We’re unpacking it all in today’s article!
Get ForBrain Now!
Special 10% Discount!
Note: If the discount is not automatically applied, use the code 3A9906072 at checkout
*Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this article may be affiliate links, meaning that I could get a small commission at no additional cost to you should you decide to buy from them.
ForBrain – A closer look at the device & how to wear it
This is Forbrain (see picture below).
Using Forbrain is pretty straightforward. You press this button on the side to turn it on, and adjust the volume with the slider next to it.
You need to wear it like this (see picture below).
Notice how it wraps around the back of the head, resting just in front of your ears—but not inside the ear canal. That’s an important distinction!
What is ForBrain?
Forbrain is a type of bone-conduction headphone with a built-in microphone. When you wear it, you speak into the mic, and the sound of your voice is transmitted through your skull’s bones instead of your ear canal. Essentially, your skull becomes the device’s speaker.
When you speak, you’ll hear yourself in real-time—similar to how you’d sound on a recording, though not exactly the same. And here’s where the magic happens: Forbrain slightly modifies the sound of your voice using a dynamic filter.
But, how does it modify your sound? It emphasizes high-frequency sounds, softens low-frequency sounds, and blocks out environmental noise.
Why is this important?
I’ll admit—it took me a while to wrap my head around this concept. Why modify the sound of your voice? Why focus on high frequencies? The company behind Forbrain explains that bright high-frequency sounds help “energize” the brain, which is a beautiful way of saying these frequencies are associated with alertness and focus.
From my own experience using Forbrain, I can confirm this makes sense. I feel noticeably more focused and alert when I use it. And this brings us to the auditory feedback loop, one of the foundational principles behind Forbrain.
What is the Auditory Feedback Loop? How does Forbrain take advantage of it?
It’s a cycle that naturally happens when we speak. We say something, we listen to what we have said, and, then, we correct what we have said, if necessary.
We use these three steps all the time, every single day, without even realizing that we are. For instance, if you are in a busy place, like a noisy café or a noisy street, you are going to adjust the volume of your voice almost automatically. Or if you are in a quiet place, like the library, you are going to use a low voice.
We continuously do this— we perceive, we analyze and we adjust our voice, and our speech.
The logic behind the ForBrain device is taking advantage of this natural auditory feedback loop and enhance it, so we can focus more, be more alert, and hear language speech sounds, and structures, and frequencies more clearly.
This way, we activate our abilities in auditory discrimination, phonological awareness, and rhythm. These skills are crucial for language and for all learning processes.
I guess you are already starting to realize how this device can help you with our self-awareness around how we really sound (or “sort of” sound, as we’ve learned before).
It’s like self-awareness on steroids! We are enhancing what we strategically want to enhance, and blocking things like noise or lower sounds, so we can focus even more.
In children’s case, if they have trouble with their speech, imagine how powerful this can be! Hearing themselves in an augmented, and more realistic way, while blocking the noise, etc.!
Many kids struggle with certain sounds—like confusing /f/ and /th/—because they can’t hear the differences clearly. Forbrain is able to provide real-time feedback, helping them distinguish these sounds better and develop clearer speech.
Phonemic and Phonological Awareness and ForBrain Headset
Phonemic and Phonological Awareness -skills that involve recognizing and manipulating sounds in words- are critical for reading success.
We know that children with reading difficulties, especially those with dyslexia, often struggle with sound discrimination and auditory processing. ForBrain can help train these skills by giving kids real-time feedback on the sounds they’re producing.
If you want to learn more about Phonemic & Phonological Awareness, I recommend you read our Phonemic Awareness Guide!
Get ForBrain Now!
Special 10% Discount!
Note: If the discount is not automatically applied, use code 3A9906072 at checkout
What is included in the ForBrain Headset?
The Forbrain set includes:
- A bone conduction headset with a microphone and dynamic filter
- An additional secondary microphone
- A USB charging cable
- An educational support guide
- A protection case
- A user manual
It also comes with a 30-day money-back guaranty, and two years manufacturer’s warranty.
ForBrain delivers internationally, except for Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, China, Singapore, South Africa, and Central African countries, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.
What does research say about ForBrain? Any scientific studies on ForBrain?
Let’s take a look now at the scientific studies on ForBrain.
Forbrain’s website includes several studies on voice quality, stuttering, attention, speech, and reading. However, since most of you are likely interested in reading above all, let’s focus on that in this article.
Study #1 on reading-related skills:
Forbrain® improves reading speed and comprehension. Published in: Mediterrani de La Ampolla School (in Tarragona)
This study tested the device’s impact on reading speed and comprehension. The results showed an improvement in the reading skills of all participants.
The improvement was particularly noticeable in improved reading speed. As observed in the table below, after 20 Forbrain sessions (15 min. each), the average number of words students read per minute went from an average of 42 words per minute to 50 words per minute.
In some cases, this was also accompanied with a decrease in reading mistakes, and higher self-confidence.
Study #3 on reading-related skills:
Torabi et al. The effect of sound therapy on reading skills of students with reading difficulties. Published in: Journal of Garmian University Vol.5, No.3 (July, 2018)
This study highlighted how sound therapy with Forbrain enhances auditory discrimination and processing, leading to better reading abilities in children with learning difficulties.
In this study, a significant impact was observed (an improvement of over 25%) in all these reading-related skills: reading words, naming pictures, text comprehension, understanding words, deleting sounds, recognizing letter cues, and identifying category cues.
Study #3 on reading-related skills:
Guerrero. Effect of the Use of Forbrain® in the Reading Processes (2015). Published in: International University of La Rioja (Spain).
According to the results in this study, Forbrain device plays a role in enhancing the relationship between letters and their corresponding sounds. It also aids in reorganizing our awareness of speech sounds through plasticity in the auditory system.
The research also suggested that the effects of Forbrain’s use can last for an extended period.
Study #4 on reading-related skills:
Lucas. Effects of Speech and Audiophonic Loop Training through the Forbrain® Headset on Reading Accuracy and Speed, as well as Working Memory and Verbal Short-Term Memory in Dyslexic Patients: A Multiple Case Study (2022). Published in: Research paper.
According to this study, the Forbrain headset, combined with adapted training, shows promising outcomes for reading accuracy, reading speed, working memory and verbal short-term memory in dyslexic patients. The use of the Forbrain headset seemed to improve reading accuracy, and improve reading errors during post-protocol reading.
Note: While the results for this study may look promising, it’s also worth noting that this study involved a very small sample size (only 4 subjects). More research would definitely be a good thing!
References: More information on the studies here!
Still confused about Bone Conduction?
If you’re still wondering how bone conduction works, here’s a simple test: Stick your fingers in your ears and say something out loud. The sound you hear is bone conduction in action. It’s faster and higher in quality than air conduction because the sound travels directly through the bones in your skull.
This direct transmission is critical for speech and language processing, as it enhances the perception of your own voice. Forbrain leverages this by delivering sound through bone conduction to improve focus, clarity, and processing.
How much does ForBrain cost?
I am not going to lie – The ForBrain headset will be a significant investment for many families.
The set costs $299.00 + shipment (approximately $9). They deliver internationally to most countries.
They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a two-year warranty.
SPECIAL OFFER
Get a 10% discount clicking using the button below.
IMPORTANT – If the discount is not applied automatically use the code 3A9906072 at checkout.
This offer can be used in conjunction with their Black Friday sale!! (up to 30% discount throughout the entire shop!)
My personal experience with ForBrain
I’ve been using Forbrain to improve my English pronunciation.
It’s helped me become more aware of subtle nuances in my speech—like rhythm, stress, and articulation—that I wasn’t paying attention to before.
Suddenly, these little things are suddenly way more obvious thanks to this device. I don’t think they have done studies around the use of this device to learn a new language, or to improve pronunciation for learners of a second language. In my opinion, it’s got lots of potential.
I also use it before recording the videos for my YouTube Channel (Learning Reading Hub). It helps me prepare better, present more clearly, reducing editing time.
How have my kids been using ForBrain?
My kids are wearing it many times-not all the time- while they are reading. Nothing extravagant. It’s super easy to implement, since they are already reading on a daily basis!
On top of that, my older daughter has found a way to use it that she really loves. She loves singing karaoke songs with the device.
She wears the device, so she can hear herself singing. I should mention this is a skill she is interested in. In fact, she used to do singing lessons.
It gives her real-time feedback on her singing, which she finds incredibly motivating.
How to use ForBrain for struggling readers and dyslexic children?
How would I go if I had to use Forbrain with a kid that truly had difficulties with reading, for instance a dyslexic child?
By the way, I’ve taken most of these tips from specialists working with children and adults with speech and reading difficulties, and sound processing disorders. While ForBrain is a device you can easily use at home, it’s also widely used by speech language therapists, voice coaches, occupational therapists, etc.
- Start slow: For children under 5, limit sessions to 10 minutes a day. For older kids, aim for 15–20 minutes.
- Demonstrate first: Let them see you using the device to build excitement and familiarity.
- Let them see themselves with the device on: Use a mirror or phone camera to show them how they look wearing it.
- Create a positive experience: It’s not gonna be noisy, it’s not gonna be over stimulating, but let them get used to it. We know how some children can be a little bit apprehensive at first, or a bit sensitive sometimes.
Also, you can also plug in their secondary mic (also included with the ForBrain set), so they can hear you through it. This allows for additional voice input from you.
That is, you can give them feedback and instructions and your voice will also be processed by the dynamic filter and bone conduction technology, which -as we’ve learned- enhances your kid’s focus and processing of the spoken words.
In other words, with your corrections, you will be improving and amplifying the vocal feedback loop.
Specific Activities for Reading Difficulties
They have an exercises booklet (check here), specially developed to practice singing, rhythm, fluency, pronunciation, and diction. However, these are more for older students (teens) and adults.
To help younger struggling readers/dyslexic students accurately identify, repeat and manipulate sounds:
1. Get your child to do Phonemic Awareness exercises with the headset on. For instance,
- Ask your child to identify the first or last sound in a word.
- Practice blending sounds to form words.
- Work on manipulating sounds (e.g., “What happens if we change the /k/ in ‘cat’ to /m/?”).
- For more Phonemic Awareness Exercises, check this article, and this other article. You can also download our Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Worksheets, from our Library of Free Resources.
2. If your child is already reading words and sentences, simply have them wear the device during his/her reading lessons or while reading aloud.
I would use this headset in combination with whichever program you may be using.
3. Use the secondary mic to give real-time feedback on their speech. This way, your voice will also be processed through the dynamic filter.
4. Choral reading (again, using the secondary mic).
5. Reading poems. Poems are fantastic for Phonological Awareness! If your kid can’t read poems all by herself, you can -again-read little poems to your child using the secondary microphone. You can also use nursery rhymes.
6. Read a dialog with your child, like a comic book, where you alternate characters with your child.
7. For clearer dictions or sounds that are especially tricky, exaggerate sounds.
8. Get your child to read out aloud her/his list of “heart words” (also known as “high-frequency words” or “sight words”) words while wearing the headset, as ForBrain also helps with faster memorization.
9. Sing what you are reading, or sing a karaoke song. Singing karaoke helps with reading! (Take a look at this study, if interesting in knowing more.) On top of that, same language subtitles also support reading (Learn more here.) By doing this, you will be using many powerful tools at the same time: subtitles, ForBrain headset, the rhymes and the rhythm in the songs.
10. Use their jack cable (also included when you buy the ForBrain set) to connect the headset to a tablet, a computer or a kindle, so your child can listen to an audiobook through the bone-conduction headphones.
Conclusion – ForBrain Headset
Forbrain is a unique tool with a lot of potential. While it may not be a miracle cure for reading or speech difficulties, it can be a valuable addition to your toolkit—especially if used consistently and in combination with other interventions.
However, we are also aware that ForBrain may be a big investment for some families.
It costs $299, but you can get in with a 10% discount (use button below). If your discount is not automatically applied, USE the code 3A9906072 at checkout.
On top of that, ForBrain also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which gives you plenty of time to try it out, plus a two-year manufacturer warranty.
SPECIAL BLACK FRIDAY – UP TO 30% (of top of their 10% discount) during Black Friday week!
USE the code 3A9906072 at checkout, if your discount is not automatically applied!
Prefer to Watch? See ForBrain video-review on YouTube!
Hey there! I’m Laura – an author, YouTuber, blogger, and the creator of the “Learning Reading Hub” platform. I created this space to dive into the world of reading instruction and to shout from the rooftops about how vital it is to use the right methods for teaching reading. I’ve got a TEYL certification (Teaching English to Young Learners), plus a Journalism degree from the University of Navarra in Spain, along with a Master’s Degree in Communication.
I’ve always loved digging into research, jotting down my thoughts, connecting with people, and sharing what makes me tick. With a background in marketing, digital projects, and the education scene (especially language learning), I’m all about wearing different hats.
When my first kid needed to learn how to read, it opened my eyes to the challenges and complexities involved. This journey took me through a rollercoaster of self-teaching, eye-opening discoveries, and yeah, some letdowns too. There’s so much conflicting info out there, along with methods that just don’t cut it. And let’s face it, these issues are way too common.
Now, I’m all about channeling that passion (without sounding like a know-it-all!) and sharing my journey. My mission? Making it easier for those who are on the same path I once was.
My heart’s with my family and the amazing Learning Reading Hub project. I live with my husband and two little ones, raising them in a bi-lingual environment (English and Spanish).
