Google Read Along (Beta), is a tool that is available on the web to help young learners with reading fluency. With virtual assistant, Diya, the software uses speech recognition to offer pronunciation help and encouragement as children read aloud from a variety of stories, with all processing done locally in the browser to protect user privacy.
Here are some key features of the program:
- Students read stories aloud to Diya, a reading assistant who listens and gives positive reinforcement and correctional feedback.
- Diya uses Google’s text-to-speech and speech recognition technology to identify words and provide assistance.
- Students can tap on words to hear them pronounced or ask for help, and they can collect digital stars and badges for completing goals, which helps motivate them.
- The tool tracks a student’s progress and recommends stories at their appropriate reading level.
- All speech data is processed locally on the user’s browser, meaning no voice recordings are sent to Google’s servers.
- Read Along is designed to help children practice reading independently, especially when parents or teachers are unavailable.
If you would like to preview and share Google Read Along for student use, simply navigate to the website and log in with your Hall County Google Credentials.
