Using Text-to-Speech software has been an internal conflict for me this entire year. As exceptional children teachers were trained in the Solo software this past year, I personally had an internal conflict that was making me crazy. I continually questioned "how does this improve literacy?", "are we just enabling students not to learn to read", "are students going to walk around with an electronic device so text can be read to them" etc.....
In this session, two teachers from LosAngeles discussed how students with very limited English skills were given a classroom voice via text to speech software. They were able to be a part of a class, they were able to gain knowledge for global studies and most of all they were able to show they had intelligence even though they could not read. This in turn gave the students confidence to learn and to grow. I know see a place for text-to-speech software in some of are classrooms. As educators we must be very careful how we use text-to-speech software. It all comes back to assessing the students needs and matching them with the correct tools.
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4 comments:
That is really interesting Laura!
I also think text-to-speech helps to provide students with experiences that may be at their social level but not their reading level. Think of how much you learn from reading books, magazines, websites and blogs! It provides an opportunity to open up worlds to these students they may never have been exposed to!
I am glad it was a helpful session! I am happy you wrote about it, because I may not have even thought about text-to-speech at all today - or even this month!
I think the key is something that you eluded to and that Anne Davis mentioned in talking about blogs. Text-to-Speech, or a blog, shouldn't replace in-person classroom instruction. Instead it should be paired with thoughtful dialogue and quality, direct instruction. It should be a tool towards literacy growth.
Definitely! Never replacing always enhancing!
I have a little memo to myself - e-learning is not the same as using the web to retrieve information!
Learning and teaching are processes - being so entrenched in technology and learning - it is hard to remember that sometimes teachers feel technology is a replacement for teaching.
All technology does is provide enhancements and alternative to teaching/learning. It does not replace the need for facilitation and guidance in learning.
Thanks for your feedback. This text-to-speech software has brought to the forefront the most important issue of all is nothing takes the place of good instruction.
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