You can use Read Aloud on its own or within Immersive Reader for Word in Windows and MacOS. Immersive Reader is a set of tools that help improve reading fluency and comprehension. For more information about Immersive Reader, see Learning Tools in Word. Speak reads only the text you've selected. Speak is available for Windows only. Immersive Reader And Microsoft Word For Mac Free. Microsoft Teams Immersive Reader. Install Immersive Reader For Word. Mar 03, 2020 Immersive Reader in Microsoft apps. Immersive Reader is available in OneNote, in the Windows 10 Store app, the Mac and iPad apps and the OneNote Online web app, or as a free add-in for the desktop. The Microsoft Immersive Reader is a free tool built into Word, OneNote, Outlook, Office Lens, Microsoft Teams, Forms, Flipgrid, Minecraft Education Edition, and the Edge browser. It offers an alternative way to engage with content, having been designed as a tool to enhance and focus reading and writing skills. In Word for the Web, you can listen to your documents using Immersive Reader. On the View tab, go to Document Views and select Immersive Reader. In Immersive Reader, select the Play button at the bottom. To pause reading, select the Pause button at the bottom. To exit Immersive Reader, select the arrow at the top left.
Learning Tools are free tools from Microsoft that implement proven techniques to improve reading and writing for people regardless of their age or ability. These Learning Tools are available in various versions of Microsoft OneNote and Microsoft Word. Microsoft yesterday announced ten new improvements coming to Learning Tools including translation features, Math Assistant support, Line Focus in Word Desktop app and more. Read about them below.
1. Translate comes to the Immersive Reader
We’ve added the ability for anyone to translate a page, or single word into another language, in real-time all within Immersive Reader. This new capability will support Read Aloud, Syllables, Parts of Speech and Picture Dictionary. Translate in Immersive Reader will be available in: Word Online, OneNote Online, OneNote for Windows 10, OneNote iPad, OneNote Mac, Outlook Online, Teams and Flipgrid. Translate will begin rolling out worldwide this week and into next week and you’ll find the list of supported languages here.
2. Immersive Reader reading the Math Assistant’s Step-by-Step solutions
In OneNote for Windows 10 and OneNote Online, we are now combining the power of step-by-step solving in Math Assistant and the reading aloud in Immersive Reader. Math pane now has an additional button that launches the Immersive Reader for math step-by-step solutions.
3. Immersive Reader math in Word Online
In addition to being able to read math equations from your page in OneNote for Windows 10 and OneNote Online, the Immersive Reader will now read math equations from your Word Online documents, both in view and edit modes.
4. The modern Immersive Reader interface comes to OneNote Desktop Learning Tools
With many students and schools still using the original OneNote 2016 Learning Tools addin, we wanted to allows the students to get many of the benefits of the updated capabilities of the immersive reader. With the most recent update of the Learning Tools Addin to version 1.9, IT Administrators can now push out the Immersive Reader app from the Microsoft tore that interacts with the Learning Tools addin.
5. Word Desktop Line Focus
A popular capability of the Immersive Reader is Line Focus, which allows a focus of 1, 3, or 5 lines of text. Line Focus is coming to Word Desktop, and can be accessed on the View tab, and then clicking Learning Tools –> Line Focus. This feature has begun to rollout to Office Insiders, and will slowly be rolling out worldwide to all Office 365 customers. Later in spring, Line Focus will also be coming to Mac and iOS Word.
6. Page Colors in Word Desktop
One of the most popular features of the Immersive Reader has been page theme colors, which allows the changing of the background color of the page. Many people have challenges reading with an all-white or all-black background, so we’ve expanded the choice of colors in Word Desktop. This will start rolling out to Office Insiders in January, and roll out more broadly after January. Page Colors will be coming to Mac and iOS Word later in spring. To try this out, go to the View tab and choose Learning Tools, and then Page Color.
7. Parts of Speech and Picture Dictionary support for Korean, and coming soon for Arabic and Hebrew
Korean support for parts of speech (nouns/verbs/adjectives/adverbs) and picture dictionary are starting to roll out today, and in early February, we will be rolling out Arabic and Hebrew support for parts of speech and picture dictionary. These new languages will be supported in Word Online, OneNote Online, Windows 10 app, iPad and Mac, Outlook Online, Teams and Flipgrid.
8. Dictation in OneNote Online – rolled out 100% worldwide
As previously announced in October, Dictation is now rolled out 100% worldwide for all OneNote Online customers. Just look for the Dictate button on the Home tab.
9. Dictation in Word Online
As announced in October, Dictation is rolling to Word Online for Office 365. This is currently about 50% rolled out worldwide and was delayed for some improvements, but now we’ve resumed rollout, and we aim to have this at full 100% worldwide by February.
10. Auto-language detection
Auto-language detection is helpful Immersive Reader feature that is also rolled out 100% worldwide. An example of how auto-language detection works is to copy text from a Spanish website and pasting into Word Online. Now go to the View tab and choose Immersive Reader. The text will be automatically detected as Spanish, and switch to the proper text-to-speech language, syllables, and parts of speech. Auto-language detection is supported in Word Online, OneNote Online, OneNote for Mac and iOS, Teams, and Flipgrid.
Source: Microsoft
Learning Tools are free tools that implement proven techniques to improve reading and writing for people regardless of their age or ability. Read more about Learning Tools' features and the products that offer them below, or select your product to get started.
According to Microsoft, Immersive Reader supports an additional 10 new languages. It is also coming to even more platforms in 2018. Immersive Reader appears on Word for Mac, iPhone, Android platforms. Since the original Microsoft Hackathon project, Immersive Reader has had the ability to highlight important parts of speech including nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Adverb highlighting in the Immersive Reader Availability: Word Online, OneNote Online, OneNote for Windows 10, OneNote for iPad, OneNote for Mac, and Outlook in the Web Languages. Microsoft says the Parts of Speech ability is not integrated into the Immersive Reader for Word Desktop. Learning Tools Microsoft’s read-aid feature is a tool that helps people improve their. Immersive Reader, included in OneNote Learning Tools, is a full screen reading experience to increase readability of content in OneNote documents.Learning Tools is designed to support students with dyslexia and dysgraphia in the classroom, but can support anyone who wants to make reading on their device easier.
Learning Tools in Word and Learning Tools in Word for the web
Learning Tools features available in Microsoft products
Immersive Reader | Read Aloud | Syllables | Parts of Speech: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives | Line Focus | Dictate | Picture Dictionary | Comprehension | Translate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Feature Description | Recognizes text from images and files Reduces file length | Highlights words while reading them out loud Mac os cd. | Separates words into syllables | Shows verbs, nouns, and adjectives in different colors | Highlights one, three, or five lines of text | Writes words as they are said with correct punctuation | Clicking certain words will show a picture signifying the word | Highlights dependent clauses within sentences | Translates text into another language |
OneNote Desktop | Windows 8 Windows 8.1 Windows 10 | (2016) | |||||||
OneNote for Windows 10 | |||||||||
OneNote for the web | |||||||||
OneNote Mac | |||||||||
OneNote iPad | |||||||||
Word Desktop | |||||||||
Word for the web | |||||||||
Word Mac | |||||||||
Word iPad | |||||||||
Outlook Desktop | |||||||||
Outlook Online | |||||||||
Office Lens | |||||||||
Edge | Web page (RS3 update) PDF (RS3 update) ePub (RS3 update) Reading view (RS4 update) | Reading view (RS4 update) ePub (RS4 update) | Reading view (RS4 update) ePub (RS4 update) | ||||||
Microsoft Teams |
Improving reading skills: Decoding, fluency, and comprehension
Immersive Reader Mode
The research about reading identifies three separate reading skills: decoding, fluency, and comprehension.
Decoding: Understanding individual words by breaking them into meaningful pieces
Learning tools improve decoding by letting the reader see words highlighted at the same time they hear the words spoken. This implements research published in 2012 by Floyd and Judge.
Immersive Reader (OneNote, Office Lens on iPhone), and Read Mode with Read Aloud (Word) recognizes text from images, then highlights words as they are read out loud.
Sound segmentation, which is breaking written words apart into separate syllables, is an important part of decoding. Syllables (OneNote, Word) lets readers see words separated into syllables.
Fluency: Reading accurately and quickly
To increase accuracy, research published in 2012 by Zorzi showed 50% fewer reading errors when people with dyslexia increased spacing. To increase speed, research published in 2013 by Schneps showed a 27% increase in reading speed when using short line lengths.
Spacing (Word, Office Lens on iPhone, OneNote) allows readers to increase text spacing (including between letters, words, and lines of text), and shorten line length.
Comprehension: Understanding what you read
Comprehension is the ability to understand what you read. Comprehension can improve by 30% just by adding line breaks between clauses according to Graf & Torrey (1966).
Comprehension (OneNote desktop) shows grammatical clauses by adding brackets around dependent clauses. Parts of Speech, part of Comprehension, adds colored text for verbs, adjectives, and nouns.
Breaking words apart into syllables can increase reading comprehension by 10% , according to research by Yu-Chi Tai in a study supported by Microsoft. Syllables (OneNote, Word) lets readers see words separated into syllables.
Improving writing skills: Enhanced dictation
Learning tools improve writing skills by letting the author speak, and see words and sentences correctly spelled and punctuated. Writers can concentrate on organizing their thoughts, while absorbing the appropriate representation of those thoughts. Dictate is available in OneNote on Windows PCs.
The best learning technologies do one thing well – they get out of your way.
These learning tools allow teachers and students to focus on what’s being taught.
Learning Tools for OneNote is designed to meet both these goals for anyone who wants to understand any bit of text. The landing page describes it best:
Learning Tools for OneNote is a free Add-in for OneNote that helps everyone improve reading and writing skills, including gifted learners, students with learning differences or a combination of any of a broad range of unique learning abilities.
But maybe, this table says it better.
Let’s Start by Installing It
The Learning Tool add-in works with OneNote 2013 and 2016. Versions for both 32-Bit and 64-Bit are available. Close any running instance of OneNote before starting the installer. Close all instances of OneNote that are running (including the “New Quick Note” icon) and click on the downloaded installer. After the installation, you should see a new tab on the OneNote ribbon named Learning Tools.
The tab has only two buttons and that is where all the magic is hidden.
This simple toolbar was born from a one-week, company-wide OneNote Hackathon. The development team led by program manager Jeff Petty asked itself…
“Where is an area we can help the most, with something as basic as reading? How can we help everyone read better? What are some of the techniques that work for students with reading disabilities?’ [We thought], maybe we can bring those to the table for everybody.”
The toolbar brings together a set of pre-existing technologies like enhanced dictation powered by Bing, immersive reading that uses Windows services of simultaneous audio text playback with highlighting, and natural language processing from Microsoft Research.
The simple goal of improving the way we read and figure out text isn’t just meant for dyslexic students. In the end, this means a better shot at challenging information overloadManaging Digital Information Overload - Is Technology The Cause & The Cure? [Opinion]Managing Digital Information Overload - Is Technology The Cause & The Cure? [Opinion]‘Drinking from the firehose’ is a turn of phrase you might not be familiar with. But believe me, if you are reading this blog and many others like this, it’s exactly what you are doing.Read More for all of us.
Let’s Start Using the Immersive Reader
Click on the Immersive Reader button in the Tools group of the add-in to start a distraction-free reading environment. Attentive reading needs an escape from any diversions. Use the Next and Previous page buttons to move between pages. You will notice that the reader does not display any images, but it recognizes and displays the text in the images.
You can also use a tool like Office Lens on your smartphone to snap a picture, scan it for any text, and bring it into OneNote. The Learning Tools Immersive Reader can then quickly read back the text using the text-to-voice technology, and the grammar aids can be used on the text from the photo.
Press Play and OneNote will start Microsoft Text to Speech engine to read back the text to you. You can change the speed of the playback and the choice of the voice from the Settings menu. You can go with Microsoft David or choose the softer Microsoft Zira.
When you want the narration from a different point in the text, just click that word and the narration resumes from there.
Each word is highlighted with the narration. This is an important instructional feature as it boosts word identification with the double-barreled benefits of voice and reading. It can be compared to the Neurological Impress Method, which is believed to benefit reading fluency in children. The Learning Tool Immersive Reader aims to make everyone independent readers.
Get a Grip On the Text with the Grammar Aids
Even native speakers of English struggle with grammar. In more serious cases, Specific Language Impairment affects 7 to 8 percent of children in kindergarten and continues on to adulthood. Even without this communication disorder, most of us have struggled with the nuances of grammar7 Apps to Help Anyone Improve Their English Grammar7 Apps to Help Anyone Improve Their English GrammarYou may cringe at the thought of those endless grammar worksheets from elementary school. Luckily, apps are a more fun and modern tool for grammar learning.Read More in childhood.
Click the book icon on the upper-right to open a menu with five language aids. These reading aids highlight different parts of speech with color codes and help to improve learning outcomes.
The Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives buttons, highlight all the nouns, verbs and adjectives on the page. You can enable all three together or enable and disable them individually. Each part of speech is identified with a different color code.
Recognizing parts of speech is a basic building block for learning a languageHow I Finally Learned a Different Language. And You Can Too.How I Finally Learned a Different Language. And You Can Too.No single language learning app is the magic wand. The secret to learning a new language is a blended solution. With desire and motivation you too can learn any foreign language.Read More. Students can use this to build their vocabulary and understand the different contexts behind word usage. For instance, we know that a noun may be used as the subject of a verb and also the object of a verb. Students can instantly see this usage as they move through highlighted nouns across the reader.
The Comprehension button displays a reading comprehension mode. Using color codes, verbs and their dependent subordinate clauses are highlighted. Subordinate clauses are enclosed within small, triangular brackets and verbs are displayed in color. You can toggle the display of the verbs and just leave the sub-clause brackets too.
The Syllables button helps with pronunciation. Break any long word into syllables, and the word becomes easier to read. Every word is split into its syllables and displayed on the screen with small separators between each part of the word.
You can easily use it with the text-to-speech feature to get the correct way any word is spoken. Teachers can include creative syllable teaching activities and help their students pronounce words just right8 Online Audio Pronunciation Guides That Help You Speak Words Correctly8 Online Audio Pronunciation Guides That Help You Speak Words CorrectlyRead More.
The above features are much more effective if you use the high-contrast dark theme.
Immersive Reader And Microsoft Word For Mac Free
Enhance Your Reading with These Little Tweaks
There are some simple ways you can improve the reading experience for yourself, your children, or students. Tweak some of these settings and see what works for you.
- Increase or decrease the text size.
- Choose between regular spacing or wide spacing.
- Select the Calibri or Sitka Small font.
- Choose the Light or the Dark theme.
Speak and Dictate
Back on the Ribbon, the Dictate button allows you to talk to OneNote and enter text with the help of Microsoft’s speech recognition technology. The first time you use dictation, you’ll need to sign in with a valid account. You can use an Office 365 ID or you can use your Microsoft Account.
You will need a good microphone to help Microsoft recognize your speech. This accessibility feature is helpful when you want to talk instead of type. From the feel of it, it is a noticeable improvement over the default dictation tool available with OneNote. And going back to the tips we talked about in OneNote and its unique uses10 Unique Ways to Use Microsoft OneNote10 Unique Ways to Use Microsoft OneNote/windows-reader-for-mac-usb-2705/. OneNote is one of Microsoft's most underrated apps. It's available on almost every platform and can do many tricks you wouldn't expect from a note keeping app.Read More, you can transcribe the voice notes to text and organize them better.
Immersive Reader For Word
Remember, voice notes are also searchable in your notes. Just enable the search from File > Options > Audio & Video.
Unlocking Multi-Sensory Learning with Learning Tools
The main goal of the OneNote literacy tool is to help students become independent readers. This goal can piggyback on the many wonderful collaborative features of OneNote which is making it an indispensable classroom tool for teachers and studentsHow to Use OneNote for School: 10 Tips for Students and TeachersHow to Use OneNote for School: 10 Tips for Students and TeachersMicrosoft OneNote can transform the classroom. Find out why the note-taking app is designed for both students and teachers.Read More.
It need not only be for the solo learner.
I can already see a classroom where a teacher uses it interactively to teach grammar and parts of speech to an entire class. Using OneNote with a projector can be a better replacement for a whiteboard. With Wi-Fi and mobility, the classroom also need not be in the classroom anymore.
Download Immersive Reader For Edge
Microsoft Word For Mac Free Download
The number of non-natives English speaking children is rising in the United States and U.K. Adults are also struggling to improve their speaking skills. Learning Tools can play a vital role with ESL (English as a Second Language) students. Pronunciation is always a stumbling block. The Syllables button and Microsoft David or Microsoft Zira could be invaluable for learning the different sounds and sound distinctions. Learning the mystical idiomatic expressions could take some doing or even the more common phrasal verbs. But the Learning Tools could supply the first mortar for correct grammar.
Immersive Reader And Microsoft Word For Mac Pro
Jordan Shapiro, while writing for Forbes.com, calls it “a game changer for everybody”. The inspiration for the add-in came from the learning challenges faced by dyslexics, but as he explains, a truly disruptive educational tool needs to touch everyone – it should be able to improve learning for all.
This is why you should make Learning Tools for OneNote a part of your education.
Do you think digitization of reading will improve with the help of these tools? Do you have a struggling reader in your family? What are the daily challenges you face?
Image Credits:working on a laptop by Huntstock.com via Shutterstock
Immersive Reader Download
Immersive Reader And Microsoft Word For Mac Free
Explore more about: Education Technology, Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft OneNote.