Need your iPad to READ to you?

You know you can your iPad convert your speech to text. iPad 3s and later models have a microphone input tool on the keyboard. You can use the free Dragon Dictation app if you are using the iPad 2.

But did you know you can ask your iPad to read text to you? 

This feature can be invaluable as it allows developing readers to access information in written text that would be difficult for them to decode otherwise. All children need to learn to read independently, of course but it can be terribly frustrating and disheartening for a young reader to continually struggle to decode written information, when researching a topic for example, that may be beyond their current reading ability. The iPad's text to speech facility can level the playing field for a struggling reader.

Here's how...

Step One

Step Two

Step Three

With "Speak Selection" turned ON, any time text is selected (highlighted) it will automatically be spoken to you. This can be annoying if you wish to select text for other purposes (say, to edit fonts) in a document) so turn off the feature when you do not need it.

If you are using an older iPad, you can use VoiceOver to have text spoken. With VoiceOver turned on, any text you tap will be read to you. This means you have to use a double tap to open apps etc while VoiceOver is on. Again, the feature can be turned off when not required.

General > Accessibility > VoiceOver

There are also Text to Speech apps which may be useful on older iPads which do not have the "Speak Selection" feature.