Immersive Reader is a literacy support tool from Microsoft. One of its many features is the ability to break words into syllables which can help a user decode, recognize, and pronounce the individual word. This video titled Improving Your Reading With Immersive Reader shows how to activate this feature along with other literacy support options.
Syllable Support in Immersive Reader
Grammar Options in Immersive Reader Including Syllable Support
Symbols for frequently used words such as like, of, some, and know do not help someone produce a picture in their mind. Look at the examples below. If you covered up the text, could you guess the text below?
When a picture representation of a word is added to a text representation of a word, it tends to add to the complexity of visual information presented in a way that does NOT help an individual learn how to decode, recognize, or comprehend the text. The added image doesn’t actually help students make an association between the printed word and the symbol. A strategy to use instead is to present the text without an added picture. The text itself is the symbol.
Ceci Fetterolf was a senior at Loudoun Valley High School during the 2021-2022 school year. For her capstone project she created a series of videos illustrating the multiple meanings of 15 different frequently used words. These videos can be used to help those learning language using augmentative/alternative communication understand how these words are used in everyday interactions. The videos are organized on a virtual poster each linked via a QR code.
Ceci also authored three online books explaining mathematical concepts using frequently used words. These books can also be used to help any learner explore math concepts using commonly used language. Learn more about her motivation, approach, and what she learned by listening to this audio interview with Ceci and/or reading the transcript of her interview.
Ceci Fetterolf, a senior at Loudoun Valley High School during the 2021-2022 school year, displays a poster featuring QR codes to each of her created videos.
A recent update to Read&Write for Google Chrome has brought with it a new, highly requested feature! The Talk&Type button is a shortcut to activating the Voice Typing feature of Google Docs. Prior to this update, this feature only worked in the Speaker Notes section of a Google Slides presentation. Users needed to turn on the Enable Dictation feature in the Accessibility settings of Chrome to dictate directly into a slide. Now, users can use the Talk&Type button in Read&Write for Google Chrome when using Google Slides to use speech to text, essentially cutting down on navigation and providing a consistent experience between applications. This new feature provides learners with yet another option for how to compose text to show what they know! Watch this short tutorial titled Read&Write in Google Slides Speech to Text Update to see how it works.