One of the Best Hidden Features of the iPad for Language Teachers and Students

Text to Speech

This hidden stock app feature can be a boon to your non-native English speaking students in your class. Your iPad can convert nearly every text into speech that is spoken over your iPad's speakers. Imagine finding text from a web article, or a document you or your student wrote and easily converting it into audible speech.

STEPS to Enabling the Text to Speech on your iPad

  • Go to Settings.
  • Select Accessibility.
  • Select Speech.
  • TAP to turn on the switch for Speak Selection
  • TAP to turn on the switch for Speak Screen.
  • TAP to turn on the switch for Highlight Content.
  • Done!

Now you can convert any text into audible speech. From any open app, swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to hear the content of the screen. When you swipe, start 'off the screen' to make this work more fluidly.

This calls up a small sound controller. There is, from left to right, a minimize button, a button to slow down the speech, a rewind to previous paragraph button, a play/pause button, a fast-forward to next paragraph button, a speed up the speech button, and a button to cancel text to speech all together. Once you hit play, this controller automatically minimizes to a small arrow to the left of the screen. You can tap on it to get access to all the buttons again if you like.

There is another way to convert nearly any text to speech. Simply highlight any text and select 'Speak' from among the options that pop up above the highlighted text. 

A Tip for listening to webpage text that is too cluttered. 

In Safari, you have the option to select the Reader interface that converts the website to a more reader-friendly format. This often cuts out the advertisements and clutter and is great for distraction-free reading. This is also the best way to use the Text to Speech feature. Be sure to select the reader interface after the webpage loads. This button is located to the left side within the URL window of Safari.