Text-to-Speech
is a great tool to use on a Microsoft program or online program. Text-to-Speech converts typed (written) text
into word sounds read by a programmed reader.
The text-to-speech tool can be used for many things including the editing
process. This tool can be used for the
editing process because being a good writer means that you can be a good
reader. Often times, students’ writing
is not clear because they are not adept to really reading as a reader
should. If their papers (essays, book
reports, etc.) are read back to them and something doesn’t sound right, they
are able to immediately pinpoint what it is that they need to correct. If their writing is converted to sound using
a text-to-speech tool, the editing process can be easy. Additionally, sophisticated text-to-speech
software applications allow students to “… control the voice, rate of speech,
and which sections of text they need to listen to. Some students have a much
higher auditory fluency than printed text fluency and will perform better
academically in an auditory setting.” (Davis, 2011) Several authors and
students as stated on blogs, have personal testimonies that using
text-to-speech software for the editing process is beneficial for the work they
do.
However, as with
all technology applications, there are setbacks as well. My questions is: will using this tool make a
writer or reader to become lazy and not learn the basic fundamentals of what it
is to reciprocate both areas? Another
point to make is that the programmed readers on this tool is not reading based
on “real-in-the-moment” reading or using mind reasoning; therefore, it can be
hard for a writer using this tool to distinguish the appropriate emotional verbiage
related to their writing and thus make the editing process more difficult than
not.
Overall, I feel
that the pros of using text-to-speech software outweigh its cons. This tool is more beneficial to students’
reading and writing skill than it is not beneficial. Teachers should implement this type of
technology in the classroom during reading and writing times so that students
are able to listen and ultimately pinpoint their own mistakes in writing or
improve their reading comprehension skills.
Davis, D. (2011). Top 10 Classroom Technology
Strategies.
