These text-to-speech software programs are suitable for both students and teachers.
Using text-to-speech tools can be beneficial to students of all ages. Reading your work aloud can help you catch errors or phrases that don't fit with your writing.
You might get to a point while writing a paper where reading it doesn't make a big difference.
Text-to-speech tools can help you with your writing or grades. Below you will find the best available free options.
1. Announcify
This is a free, easy-to-use text to speech application that is readily available in the Chrome Web Store.
The program can be easily used by anyone and comes with an easy-to-use interface.
Annoucify is especially helpful for students studying for a test. It reads aloud the site you're on and streamlines your study process.
2. Free Natural Reader
Free Natural Reader is an online text-to-speech reader.
With it, you can translate any written text into spoken words. This includes Microsoft Word and PDF files, as well as web pages and emails.
This tool is useful for students, but it doesn't stop there. Free Natural Reader is easy to use, and it's even got a dyslexia font for extra convenience.
Teachers who are exhausted by reviewing their students' work can also find this useful as they can listen rather than read aloud and relax their eyes at least a bit.
3. Balabolka
Microsoft's Speech Application Programming Interface (SAPI) is the technology behind Balabolka text-to-speech software.
The platform converts text to speech and checks it for grammar and spelling errors. It is considered one of the world's best text-to-speech products.
Unlike most software, Balabolka lets you change the pitches and volumes of specific texts.
There are currently English and German languages supported, but the program will continue to expand. Users can also choose their font and background colors.
Students can use Balabolka for reading exercises to practice pronouncing some words within texts.
A teacher can also benefit from using the application if a student has a learning disorder.
4. SpeakIt!
With SpeakIt, you can select the text you want to hear and then listen to it. It is available for Chrome and can translate texts into more than 50 languages.
You can choose what you want to listen to and then click on the icon to start listening. If you need a break, you can always pause it.
SpeakIt is available for Windows, macOS, and Chrome OS, allowing you to use it regardless of the platform.
SpeakIt supports many languages, making it a great tool for students learning a new language.
It allows you to listen to the correct pronunciation of a new text or try out different pronunciations and accents.
5. Speakabo
Many tools allow you to convert text to speech and download it in MP3 format, but Speakabo is the only one available.
A library of realistic voices in over a hundred variations and 20+ languages enables the service to provide the best text-to-speech experience.
Additionally, you can create audio for your videos or educational materials by using SSML tags.
Students can use this service the next time they need to present a group project. Questions or dialogue can be recorded beforehand and played during video essays, too.
6. PowerTalk
PowerTalk is an excellent free tool to help you with presentations. Its purpose is to automatically read out your PowerPoint presentation to you.
The application will start narrating your presentation as soon as you open it.
PowerPoint 2000 or later is required for PowerTalk to work. This powerful tool speaks not only visible text, but also images, graphics, and shapes.
7. Select and Speak
The Select and Speak feature allows you to pick out text from any website online and hear it spoken aloud.
Select and Speak reads your selections and uses a range of speech voices to read them aloud--most recently, Greek and Arabic--along with others.
The customer service department can also request new languages, which increases the number of available languages.
The service is easy to use, and you can adjust the voice and speed via the settings. To use, you select the text, click the icon to start listening, and to stop, press stop.
It is also useful for teachers trying to demonstrate different accents speaking the same text, as it is in SpeakIt.
How Students and Teachers Benefit From Text-to-Speech Programs
There are countless benefits and no drawbacks to using a text-to-speech application in education.
Teachers who use programs like these have a better understanding of dyslexic students.
The students can also handle their work and assignments better.
Writing with these tools has become a popular practice for writers of all types.
It would be best if you never made a mistake when writing something that is carefully examined and graded.
Further, text-to-speech software isn't limited to your computer, laptop, or tablet. You can also download applications for your smartphone to get the same benefits.
