Natural Readers
In Natural Reader students are able to see words highlighted as they are read aloud. This program also allows students to scan in books and have those books read aloud to them. It also is able to convert text files to MP3 files. It also has the ability to pull from programs like Internet Explorer, Outlook and Adobe Reader and read the text aloud.
This tool can help students who need to hear the questions on any tests or assignments. Once you scan in the test, the program will read the questions aloud to the students. This is beneficial for struggling readers, ESL students and students with visual impairments. It will also help those students who are auditory learners. It can be used in all subject areas.
The tool allows you to stop, pause, rewind, and play the reader. This reader also allows you to choose different languages, voices, and speeds of the reader. Although they offer different languages the free languages are limited. The languages offered are English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Swedish, and Arabic. There are other languages available for purchase. In the professional version, which is about $100, of Natural Reader you are able to record your own voice for use. Education versions of Natural Reader are available at a discounted price, which also allows you to record your voice and comes with free eBooks.
There are a few downfalls of the free downloaded version of Natural Reader. The voices available are monotone and they don’t show any voice articulation in reference to the text it is reading. The voices are also robotic and would be hard for younger students to understand.
Another downfall in the free version is the ability to open word documents and upload those documents to Natural Reader. The reader doesn’t support Microsoft Word documents; therefore, in order for the Reader to read the document the text must be copied and pasted into Natural Reader.
In this program the student is able to use the Reader independently once the program has started and the documents are copied and pasted into the text area.
Faye, Natural reader sounds like such a great program for all students, not just those with learning disabilities. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThis is a great tool for all types of learners. Natural Reader has a lot of good things going for it and sounds like it is user friendly. As we have found with most of the text readers, they are monotone sounding. Paying the $100 to upgrade wouldn't be a bad deal. Being able to record a real voice reading would be great for students to listen to.
ReplyDeleteFay I like the idea that Natural Reader brings to the table. It can be used with learners of all types. Have you used it with your students before?
ReplyDeleteI have heard so many good things about Natural Reader, I really hope we can access it at school, if not I will suggest it to my parents.
ReplyDeleteWe utilize natural reader at our school and it has a great success rate. Students reading ability definently increases using this program. This is a great resource to share.
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