Text-to-speech reads digital text aloud. It can help a pupil access subject knowledge when independent word reading is too effortful for the task. It is an access tool, not a reading-fluency intervention, so it should sit alongside direct practice with manageable texts.

Teach the pupil how to use it actively. Pressing play is not enough.

Decide when to use it

Text-to-speech may be appropriate for:

• a long science or humanities text where the learning goal is subject knowledge;

• digital instructions that the pupil needs to follow independently;

• research material;

• proofreading written work;

• homework where adult reading support is not available.

It may not be appropriate when the purpose is to assess unaided reading or to practise word reading directly. School assessment rules should be checked separately. In public exams, a computer reader is a formal access arrangement that must reflect the pupil’s normal way of working (JCQ access arrangements), so note when the pupil uses text-to-speech in lessons and class tests and share it with the colleague who coordinates access arrangements.

Teach an active listening routine

Model how to:

1. select the correct text;

2. choose a voice and workable speed;

3. follow the highlighted or spoken words;

4. pause after a dense section;

5. replay a sentence when meaning is unclear;

6. note or highlight the important point;

7. return to the text rather than listening passively.

Begin with a short passage. Ask the pupil to explain the content and show where it appears in the text.

If following every word creates overload, use line focus or a smaller selected section where the platform allows it.

Use the right text format

Text-to-speech works best when the digital text is selectable and ordered correctly. Scanned worksheets or image-only PDFs may not be read accurately without optical character recognition.

Check materials before the lesson:

• headings and paragraphs read in the correct order;

• symbols and equations are handled appropriately;

• pronunciation of technical terms is understandable;

• the pupil can control playback;

• headphones are available without isolating the pupil from instruction.

Where technical vocabulary is pronounced poorly, teach the correct pronunciation and keep a subject glossary available.

Keep direct fluency practice separate

Choose a short, manageable passage for the pupil to read themselves. This may involve modelled reading, repeated reading or targeted decoding work.

Do not judge the success of text-to-speech by whether the pupil reads faster afterwards. Judge it by whether they can access, understand and work with the curriculum content while their reading is developed through suitable teaching.

Protect independence and dignity

Teach the tool before it is needed in a demanding lesson. Agree how the pupil will access headphones and digital text without repeated public requests.

Use software already available through the school where possible. Microsoft’s Immersive Reader in Teams includes read-aloud and display tools. Microsoft Edge also has Read aloud built in (the three-dot menu, then More tools), and the reading speed can be changed. On a Chromebook, turn on Select to Speak in the accessibility settings, then highlight text and press the search key and S; each word is highlighted as it is read. Both come with the browser or device at no extra cost.

Avoid assuming one product suits every pupil. Test the actual workflow and ask the pupil which settings are usable.

Review whether it is helping

Look for whether the pupil:

• starts and controls the tool independently;

• follows the text rather than disengaging;

• pauses and replays strategically;

• understands the curriculum content;

• completes the intended task;

• continues to receive direct reading instruction.

If the pupil listens but cannot locate information afterwards, teach a more active routine or reconsider the task design.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Presenting text-to-speech as a fluency intervention.

• Giving the tool without teaching its controls.

• Using inaccessible scans.

• Setting the playback too fast.

• Allowing passive listening with no engagement in the text.

• Removing direct reading practice.

• Recommending a new commercial product before checking existing school provision.

Evidence and further reading

The Education Endowment Foundation’s Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools provides the wider context for supporting literacy across subjects.

Talamo has no commercial relationship with any of the organisations named here. We suggest them only because we think they could be useful to schools.