Built-in Tools to Support Literacy

12/01/2024

Learning Module

Home > Resources > Built-in Tools to Support Literacy

Overview

There are many built-in reading and writing tools to support literacy. Whether a student is working on a laptop or an iPad, these tools can help them access information, make annotations and create their own writing. Some supports include dictation, predictive text, text-to-speech, annotation of PDFs, and the reduction of visual distractions from websites.

Module 1 – Windows and Microsoft Literacy Tools

Audio / Video
Resources

Voice Typing
Word Dictate
Speech Recognition
Immersive Reader

Voice Typing is a free dictation, speech-to-text, tool built into Windows. It is easily accessed by pressing the Windows and H keys and makes dictation an option anywhere text is possible. Auto-punctuation can be enabled removing one more barrier to writing success.

When students are working on written assignments, they are often using Microsoft Word. Built into Word is the Dictate tool which offers speech-to-text and auto-punctuation. Built into Windows is predictive text when typing. These tools, in concert or alone, offer excellent writing supports within Word.

Dictation, or speech-to-text, success can be inconsistent if the user’s voice has significant speech irregularities. Windows Speech Recognition has a training component where the user dictates pre-set text giving the speech engine an opportunity to ‘learn’ a user’s voice patterns. Additionally, when Windows Speech Recognition is running, it can respond to specific voice commands to control the computer.

When editing writing, students may find it challenging to read back their own work. Within Word, there is Immersive Reader which offers many supports, including text-to-speech. When enabled, distractions are minimized, column width, page colour, word spacing, and the depth of line focus can be adjusted. There is Read Aloud mode so students can listen to their work and pause to edit.

Voice Typing
Word Dictate & Predictive Text
Windows Speech Recognition
Immersive Reader

Module 2 – Texthelp’s Read&Write and OrbitNote

Audio / Video
Resources

Texthelp’s Read&Write and OrbitNote extensions provide many literacy supports. These simple, intuitive tools can work with various devices as well as the Chrome and Edge browsers.

Click the link to SET BC’s resources on Texthelp’s Read&Write and OrbitNote, below. You’ll learn how to enable read aloud, use the dictionary function, speech-to-text, among many other tools.

Read&Write – SET-BC Resource

Module 3 – Reading Supports in the Microsoft Edge and Firefox Browsers

Audio / Video
Resources

Edge
Firefox

Reading supports in the Microsoft Edge browser that students can benefit from are:

text-to-speech
changing font type and size
increasing line, word, margin spacing
changing background colour
eliminating website distractions

Reading supports in the Mozilla Firefox browser that students can benefit from are:

text-to-speech
changing font type and size
increasing line, word, margin spacing
changing background colour
eliminating website distractions

Reading Supports in Microsoft Edge
Reading Supports in Firefox

Module 4 – Reading and Annotating PDFs for Microsoft Office 365 Users

Audio / Video
Resources

Handouts are often given to students in a PDF format. This module explores how to annotate a PDF using Microsoft Edge:

PDF text-to-speech
adding text by typing or dictation / speech-to-text
PDF annotation
saving annotations

If your school has a paid subscription to Texthelp’s OrbitNote, visit SET BC’s resources on Texthelp’s Read&Write and OrbitNote.

Reading and Annotating PDFs for Microsoft 365 Users

Module 5 – Reading and Annotating PDFs for Google Users

Audio / Video
Resources

Texthelp’s OrbitNote extension is the most powerful tool to work with PDFs. If OrbitNote is unavailable to you, then this module will show you tools to use with PDFs in Google Drive and Google Classroom:

PDF text-to-speech
adding text by typing or dictation / speech-to-text
PDF annotation
saving annotations

Reading and Annotating PDFs for Google Users

Module 6 – Literacy Supports on iPads

Audio / Video
Resources

Safari Reading Supports
Microsoft Word
Safari Markup
OneDrive Markup
Google Drive Markup

Safari’s Reader View can remove visual distractions from a webpage, while maintaining key visuals. Online text-to-speech is possible using Spoken Content or Speak Screen. The user can control the reading speed, the voice and how text appears.

Students using Word on an iPad can benefit from using dictation, speech-to-text, with auto-punctuation and capitalization. When typing, predictive text can be used. To support editing, a student can use text-to-speech to have writing read aloud.

When reading a website, students can make annotations directly on the webpage. The Markup tool allows webpages to be annotated and saved. In doing so, students’ notes are paired with the webpage source.

Microsoft 365 users can access PDF assignments through the OneDrive app. When a PDF is opened, an annotation ribbon is available. The annotations are automatically saved on the PDF in OneDrive.

Google users can access PDF assignments through the Google Drive app. Students will use the Markup tool, to allow PDF annotations, which can be saved.

Reading Supports in the Safari Browser
Microsoft Word – Dictate, Prediction & Immersive Reader on the iPad
Annotating a Safari Website Using the Markup Tool
PDF Assignment Completion Using the Markup Tool on the iPad – for Microsoft 365 Users
PDF Assignment Completion Using the Markup Tool on the iPad – for Google Users