A great education can lead to boundless opportunities in life. Unfortunately, education is not always a level playing field. Whether the student in your life suffers from a learning disability, dyslexia, or simply needs a leg up in comprehension, text to speech can be an invaluable tool that allows them to thrive. Text to speech has been proven to improve literacy rates in struggling readers, garner reading comprehension, cultivate an understanding of grammatical concepts, and curb physical impairments. Of course, some text to speech tools are far more valuable to students than others. Read on for the text to speech tools every student should be using.
Built-In Text to Speech
Every pupil knows how to use devices such as an iPad or Surface to their advantage. They also perform most of their work on a desktop or laptop computer. Practically all of these devices come with built-in text to speech software programs. Many of which can be highly beneficial to young learners. For example, Microsoft computers have a built-in text to speech function that can read PDF docs or other downloaded materials out loud. This can help students who struggle with reading comprehension to hear the words out loud. Essentially, text to speech amplifies context and has proven to help students grasp grammatical concepts, all while boosting literacy rates.
Web-Based Tools
No matter what kind of computer or tablet a student has, they can easily access web-based text to speech tools. In fact, web-based tools may be the most accessible text to speech software platforms available. Web-based platforms such asNotevibes allow students to convert text into a natural sounding voice that reads the content in an accurate and human way. Studies show that natural human-like voices are more valuable to learners than those that sound robotic or artificial. Websites like Notevibes can also offer “reading assist” tools. Other sites boast the ability to read an entire web page aloud. Whatever a student requires, web-based apps exist to make reading easier.
Text To Speech Apps
If a student needs to take the text to speech functionality on the go, they can easily download text to speech apps on their smartphones and digital tablets. These apps incorporate many special features such as text highlights as well as OCR. A few examples of text to speech apps are Dream Reder and ScanPen. Keep in mind, not every text to speech apps if free and some can include in-app purchases such as specific voice-packs or the ability to download content.
Text To Speech Software Programs
For home desktops and laptop computers, text to speech software programs can flaunt a massive collection of reading and writing tools. Most also offer immersive reading tools that allow users to choose the natural-sounding voice that is most appealing to them. Some also offer users the option to download content to listen to at a different time. A few examples of text to speech software programs are Read&Write as well as Microsoft’s Reader Tool. Apps such as OneNote and Word can also help students struggling with reading issues to overcome literacy issues.
Things to Remember
With the right text to speech app, students can overcome debilitating literacy setbacks and improve their overall reading comprehension. In a world where reading matters with such aplomb, utilizing the latest text to speech technology is an inexpensive and easy way to help your students grow and learn at their own pace.