Text-to-Speech Software for Editing

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.