Read & Write

Getting Started Tutorials

• • Introducing Read & Write for Education

  • Read & Write for Education- How to Articles

  • On Google Chrome:

    • Introduction to Read & Write for Google Chrome

    • Read & Write for Education Feature Tour

    • Read & Write for Google Chrome Training Guide

  • On iPad:

    • Introduction to  Read & Write with IPad

Text to Speech works with the Google Suite, Microsoft Online Suite, and on websites.

Notice the 'dual highlights' when text is being read aloud - Read&Write highlights the sentence AND word that is being read.

Tips for Usage:

• Continuous Reading is on by default but can be turned off in the Settings under the 'Speech' tab. This will allow for more control over how much is read aloud at one time.

• Try on a Google Doc first. You can adjust the speed of the reading voice in the Settings under the 'Speech' tab.

• Have students choose a preferred voice and two speeds - one for support when they are tired or distracted but could read on their own and a slower speed for text with more difficult concepts or new vocabulary.

The Dictionary tool allows students to gain access to word meaning regardless of their own reading ability as all definitions can be speech-enabled. We want to get students in the habit of using the dictionary as a resource.

Picture Dictionary gives visual representation of word meaning

Tips for usage:

• Use the Dictionary, Picture Dictionary, and Translator tools together as they auto sync with the highlighted word giving students choice of support.

• Try using on a Google Doc first then a webpage.

• Choose 5 words with more than one meaning from their reading.  Ask students to use the dictionary to determine which is the correct definition based on how the word is used and copy the definition next to the word.  Also ask why students chose the definition they chose for each.

• Three Productive Ways to Use the Picture Dictionary

The Translator can be used to translate single words into over 90 different languages! The Translator tool gives more choices for an individual word.  You can change the language that the Translator tool translates to in the settings under Speech tab. Spanish is the default translation language.

Tips for usage:

• Try on a Google Doc first. Click on the translator to open, type the word “car” and look at the 5 Spanish choices.  Different words will be recognized depending on where a student is from or what is spoken at home.

The Screenshot Reader allows you to have inaccessible text read aloud. Screenshot Reader is useful PDFs, Images, Maps, Charts, Diagrams and Videos.

Tips for usage:

• Try on the pictures on this Web page

• Pause a video with text and use the screenshot reader to have it read aloud! Example Video: pause at 0:08 seconds and use to read “Apples are red.”

The Simplify feature in Read&Write de-clutters and simplifies web pages only. You can change the contrast of background and text color, the font style and size (with Lexend and Open Dyslexic as fonts for students with dyslexia) and the line spacing. When using Simplify, once on the new tab of the article, clicking on the minus button next to the word “simplify” can remove the pictures leaving just the article.

Tips for usage:

• If your students need a specific font or have a tendency to migrate to other places on the web, you can save the modifications you made in Simplify as a PDF to be shared.

• Try on this Web page.

• Check out the Discover toggle to explore some additional support for key words and topics.  This feature finds these and then provides a pop-up explanation and photo. The words that Discover has found more information on will be underlined in purple. Have students try it out.

Prediction can be customized for use including number of words displayed, where the prediction box appears, prediction for just the word being typed or the next word as well, enabling words predicted read aloud when hovering over each suggestion, and adjustments to the size of the words predicted in the prediction box.

Tips for usage:

• Try using on a Google Doc. 

• Click on the Prediction Tool. When you start typing a sentence, you will notice the prediction box will pop up. There are a two ways to have the word populate on your document: Click on the word in the prediction box or press Ctrl+[number] of the word.

Talk&Type is Speech-to-Text which allows for students to speak their thoughts and answers versus having to type them, including most punctuation marks.  This tool will also allow you to speak in your native language by using the drop down menu on the microphone icon.

Tips for usage:

• Try using on a Google Doc.

• Click on the Talk&Type icon. If prompted, you must allow access your microphone. When the Talk&Type button is highlighted purple, this means it is active. A red microphone icon will appear near the top left of the Chrome window. Use the Text to Speech tool to catch any errors to be corrected.