Speech To Text and Text To Speech: The Holy Grail For Dyslexics
Dyslexia is a learning difference that affects reading, writing, and spelling abilities, along with other co-morbidities that most people do not think about when they think of dyslexia. When sharing that your child is dyslexic, you will get, oh, they get their letters backward. Uh! With technological advancements, dyslexic students now have access to various assistive technologies that can lower the entry price when writing a paper. And I am not even getting into AI in this post. I will tell you why your dyslexic students must have access to text-to-speech and speech-to-text and how it can help them overcome challenges in their academic journey. They should have this tech-like: they go to school with shoes on their feet. One of my favorites for all dyslexic learners is Grammarly. It is a must-have!
Enhancing Reading and Writing Skills
Assistive technologies such as text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools can transform written text into spoken words and spoken words into written words. This enables dyslexic students to listen to the text being read aloud, making it easier to comprehend and absorb information. Think of the dreaded summer reading you had to do back in the day. Following along in a book while listening to it is groundbreaking for a dyslexic soul. Characters’ names suddenly come to life. You are no longer agonizing over the names in Harry Potter but are now a part of the journey. You now have another foot in the classroom door. You can share now and take part in the class discussion. You can interact with those kids and adults who are crazy about the Harry Potter books. Another chance to socialize! If you are a parent who struggles to read well, you can still supply your children with rich literary content. Using their background knowledge will make the information they come across again more digestible and will be able to add to their understanding. Audible is a fantastic place to consume books.
Additionally, these tools can help students improve their writing skills by providing speech-to-text functionality, reducing the fatigue of getting your thoughts on paper. You can data dump your ideas, knowing you will have the energy for that second draft. Google Docs speech-to-text is a great place to start speaking out your paper or story. Combined with Grammarly, you have a beautiful system for getting your thoughts out of your head and digital, and you can now feel confident about sharing them with your classroom teacher or the world. I highly recommend the paid version for your student who has transitioned out of their dyslexic school or is in any learning environment where they have to produce work in an educational environment that is not conducive to their dyslexic learning needs),
Providing Multi-sensory Learning
Many dyslexic students benefit from a multi-sensory approach to learning. Multi-sensory assistive technologies can simultaneously engage multiple senses, such as visual, auditory, and tactile—which are just a few of the things we talk about when we talk about speech-text and text-to-speech. These learning pathways reinforce learning and memory retention. For example, educational apps and software often incorporate interactive visual and auditory elements that support dyslexic students in understanding and retaining information effectively. Just be wary if your child is in a particular class that is tech-heavy and light on teacher-led. Also, you want to ensure students still master skills unrelated to tech, like cursive handwriting. As a parent, I have felt that some schools have given up teaching handwriting.
Promoting Independence and Self-Confidence
Assistive technologies empower dyslexic students to become more independent learners. Access to tools that accommodate their unique learning needs allows them to work at their own pace and overcome challenges without relying heavily on others. This increased autonomy fosters a sense of self-confidence, motivation, and a positive attitude toward education.
Parents New to a Dyslexic Diagnosis, and AT: Assistive Technology
I have heard parents ask if listening to a book (Text to Speech) is cheating. Should we ask you to close your eyes while watching your favorite Housewives series? No, we want students to get all they can from a book. Some dyslexics have extraordinary 3d visualization abilities. When you do not have to struggle with the fatigue of sounding out the words, your mind opens up for a beautiful picture to play out. Same with speech to tech. Unloading thoughts through your fingertips to the keyboard is sometimes complex for some of us with dyslexia. Speaking out your paper lets the ideas flow without restraints.
Final Thought For Now
Assistive technology plays a crucial role in leveling the playing field for dyslexic students, enabling them to overcome barriers and unlock their full potential. By enhancing reading and writing skills, we are promoting independence and self-confidence. While these technologies significantly contribute to the academic success and overall well-being of dyslexic students, they will not work well for students who have not reached a certain grade level in spelling. Technology needs to be able to predict the word you are spelling. The tech is improving, but the right to read and spell and access an actual reading intervention program by a master-level teacher is paramount. Let’s continue embracing technology’s power for dyslexic students while still teaching them to read.
