Here’s an update that might fly under the radar — but it deserves the spotlight. Book Creator has added text-to-speech in edit mode and in PDFs, and it’s a big win for accessibility, literacy, and just better student support all around.
Wait, Didn’t Book Creator Already Have This?
Yes… kind of. Book Creator has had text-to-speech for a while — but it only worked in read mode, and it read the entire book aloud.
That was helpful, sure, but not super flexible.
With this new update, students can now:
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Listen to individual text boxes
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Hear text inside shapes
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Play back imported PDFs
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All while still editing
They just click the speaker icon under the element, and it reads that part aloud — complete with word highlighting.
Why This Update Is a Game Changer
That shift — from whole-book playback to in-the-moment read-alouds — is major. Especially for:
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Multilingual learners decoding directions
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Students with dyslexia proofreading their writing
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Any middle schooler who swears their paragraph is flawless… until they hear it
This lets students hear what they wrote before they submit it, helping them catch mistakes their eyes might miss.
And yes, it’s available to all users.
PDF Text-to-Speech: Premium Only
One part of this feature — reading text from PDFs — is premium-only.
Here’s how that works:
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📄 Upload PDFs into a book
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🔍 Use “Scan for Text”
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🔊 Have it read aloud directly inside the project
That means worksheets, textbook pages, and articles just got way more accessible inside Book Creator.
Customizable and Optional (But Maybe Don’t Turn It Off)
Educators can also:
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✅ Turn off text-to-speech if needed
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🎙️ Adjust voice and speed
But if you’re thinking of disabling it — I’d caution you there. I’m a Universal Design for Learning guy. If it’s essnetial for some, I believe it’s beneficial for all to have access to.
Bonus: It Closes the Loop
Are your students already using speech-to-text in Book Creator? Now students can dictate their writing and listen back for self-revision. That creates a full feedback loop:
Dictate → Listen → Revise → Repeat
It builds confidence, independence, and stronger writing skills.
Have You Tried It?
📍 Have your students started using text-to-speech in edit mode? Noticed any changes in how they read or write? I’d love to hear what you’re seeing in action. Let us know in the comments below!
