Tech for Learning

Windows 10 and 11 have speech recognition capability built in to the operating system. This enables you to dictate to the computer and it will turn your spoken thoughts and ideas into text.

Speech recognition works in Microsoft Word and other programs. It's recommended that you complete the built-in tutorial. In addition, a good quality USB headset microphone is recommended to get the best results.

Just search for 'Ease of access' or 'dictate' on your windows search bar to bring up the settings.

Dictation and Transcription in Word Online

As part of Microsoft 365 there is a transcription function in Word Online (not the desktop app which only features dictation).  This used to be limited to 300 minutes of transcription per month but is now unlimited as part of the Microsoft 365 subscription.  You can transcribe from live speech or upload pre-recorded files for transcription.  We always advise you check the transcription files for accuracy.

Your audio files are sent to Microsoft and used only to provide you with this service. When the transcription is done your audio and transcription results are not stored by their service. 

Guides for Word Online Transcription can be found here - Microsoft Office 365 - Transcribe Your Recordings

Speech recognition can be activated when typing on your Android device.

If this facility is available in the app you are using, a microphone icon will appear on the keypad. Pressing this activates the speech recognition.

Android does have offline speech recognition capabilities.

You can activate this by going to Settings - Language and Input - Voice Input and touch the cog icon next to Enhanced Google Services.

Choose "Offline Speech Recognition" and select the "All" tab to download your preferred language if it's not already installed.  The location of this setting can vary slightly depending on the version of Android your device is running and the manufacturer.

Once the language is installed and set as default, you should find that offline speech recognition works in apps such as Google Keep, Google Calendar, Gmail, Docs etc

Depending on the app you are using, speech recognition sometimes requires an internet connection to work.   Please note that some apps require to send your speech to a server in order to convert it to text. 

You can type and edit a document by speaking in Google Docs.  It supports a large number of different languages. This facility is currently only available on your computer when using Docs in the Chrome browser, (although the Google Docs app for Android and iOS does have this facility too). It also requires an internet connection and Google account.  Please note: your speech is sent to Google's servers in order to turn it into text. You can use the built-in microphone on your computer if you have one.  A good headset microphone works best though, as it helps cut out any background noise.

Find out how to do it here

Apple Mac

Built into the Mac operating system from OSX Mountain Lion or later.  Allows you to dictate documents to your Mac using just your voice.  OSX Mavericks or later has an enhanced offline dictation function. No voice training required. A good USB headset is recommended. You can also control the Mac with voice commands. 

In Mac OSX prior to macOS Sierra (10.12), dictation controls can be found in System Preferences under the Dictation and Speech control panel.

In macOS Sierra, dictation can be found in System Preferences - Keyboard - Dictation.

Find out more

Other Apple devices 

Voice recognition can be activated when typing on your iPhone or iPad.

If this facility is available in the app you are using, a microphone icon will appear on the on screen keyboard. Tapping this icon activates the voice recognition. Usually requires an internet connection to work.

Some Apple devices using an A9 or newer processor and iOS 10 now have offline dictation capability in some languages. 

To check if your iPhone or iPad has this capability go to Settings - General - Keyboards.  Then scroll down to the bottom of the screen. 

It will state "You can use Dictation for (language) when you are not connected to the internet"