With the most recent iPad update, there is an awesome new application, called Apple Translate.
It is built-in, so you don't need to download or install anything special.
Apple Translate may be used to translate and speak:
-a verbal conversation between speakers of different languages
-a passage from a book or paper taken with the Camera app
-text that is selected on a website or document on the iPad
Spoken passages with this app are more natural than any other speech-to-text reader I have seen.
It's not perfect, but this may help you or your students overcome communication barriers in a quick and efficient way.
| While not perfect, Apple Translate can be used in a conversation between two speakers. I have a simple conversation here with myself. A simple tap on the microphone will let the iPad 'listen' to what is said and then repeat it back in the desired language. Any part of the conversation may be played back by tapping on the text. Here, I posted a non-perfect conversation to show a more realistic version of how this may look for you. | |
| Extended text may be pasted or spoken with the Translation function. This text may also be spoken. The built-in text-to-speech feature automatically uses the voice in that given language. Here, it means that you will not hear Spanish language with an English voice. | |
| Apple Translate may also be used to scan text from a book, translate it to a desired language, and even have that text spoken in that language. To the left is a short video to show how this scanning feature works. I have included screenshots below **This feature only works with 8th Generation and newer iPads or our iPad Pros. Our current student devices are 7th Generation.** |
Here are screenshots that you can use as a reference for using that scan/translate feature with a book:
This same Translate feature may be actually be used with any highlighted text on iPad, such as a website or a document.
Click here to read more about using Apple Translate.
Click here for a review outlining some of the differences between Apple Translate and Google Translate.
But wait, there's more: To add accessibility for any reader - for any student that would benefit from text-to-speech for scanned, you can use the Translate application and set both languages to English. A student can then listen/read a passage in a fairly natural text-to-speech language, rather than the robotic voice we have been used to.
All of our student's are English Language Learners, no matter what their first language is. Good use of resources like this can developmentally help all of our learners.
Let me know if you would like to learn more about Apple Translate or would like to see a demonstration.
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Here is what the Translate feature looks like on your Mac laptop in Safari (if you have the latest operating system update) You will get the nice conversational text-to-speech audio found above on iPad.
If you select Speech -> Start Speaking, you will get the familiar robotic voice.
You can listen to selected text in English or another selected language:
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AND ... here is what the scan-to-text feature looks like within Google Translate:
(The text shown here is from a catalog)
