+++
title = "WordTalk text-to-speech"
date = "2021-07-25T00:13:36+08:00"
tags = ["AI", "text to speech"]
type = "blog"
banner = "img/banners/banner-3.jpg"
+++

Hear the text of Word documents spoken with WordTalk

Wordtalk http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/Home/

A Windows text-to-speech plugin for Microsoft Word, free for Scottish schools. It will speak the text of the document and will highlight it as it goes. It contains a talking dictionary and a text-to-mp3 converter.

Click on this link to see Wordtalk in action (using the Scottish “Stuart” voice) Stuart speaking text from a Word document

Click on this link to hear an example of Wordtalk speaking a piece of text (using the Scottish “Heather” voice) within Wordtalk, saved using WordTalk in mp3 format: Welcome to my blog

For people with reading and writing difficulties, having text reinforced by hearing it read aloud can be helpful.

Click on this link for more information about the Scottish Voices for WordTalk. WordTalk is a download text-to-speech plugin (free for Scottish schools) for use with all versions of Microsoft Word (from Word 97 up to Word 2010). It will speak the text of the document and will highlight it as it goes. It contains a talking dictionary to help decide which word spelling is most appropriate.

Sitting in the Microsoft Word toolbar it is configurable, allowing you to:

Adjust the highlight colours;

Change the voice and the speed of the speech;

Convert text to speech and save as a .wav or .mp3 file so that it can be played back on an iPod or mp3 player. Note that Scottish schools can use the Scottish voice Heather free of charge while others can use the default voices.

For guide to the toolbar and functions:

http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/Toolbar-Quick-Guide/

You can adjust the WordTalk settings. It has options to configure Speech, Colour, and Keys. The speed of the voice can be increased by dragging right along the speed bar and decreased by dragging left. The volume of the voice can be increased by dragging right along the volume bar and decreased by dragging left.

The WordTalk spell checker uses the Word dictionaries with a few “phonic” enhancements. WordTalk also speaks the suggestions for alternative words. To use the Word Talk spell check, click on the word to be checked and then click on the WordTalk spelling icon.

If Wordtalk toolbar does not automatically appear on your Word Document then click on “Add-Ins” tab at the top of the document in Word 2007.

Alternative Text to Speech Tools

YaKiToMe is a free text to speech tool which can be used to generate audio of written text from copiued and pasted text, or from websites, or Word documents. You can choose which voice you wish to use.