When parents ask me what they can do at home right now, they often expect me to recommend something expensive. A special app, a new laptop, a course.
Usually, the most useful help is already sitting in your kitchen. Most phones, tablets and laptops have brilliant tools built in that can read text out loud or turn speech into writing. They’re free, they take two minutes to switch on, and most families have no idea they’re there.
Here are six I’d suggest trying first, sorted by the problem they solve.
When reading the homework is the hard part
Many children understand far more than they can comfortably read. If the reading gets in the way of the thinking, let a device do the reading so your child can get on with the learning.
1. Immersive Reader in Microsoft Word (laptop or computer)
Open the document, click View, then Immersive Reader, then Read Aloud. Word reads the text out loud and highlights each word as it goes, so your child can follow along. You can also make the text bigger and space it out, which many children find much easier on the eyes.
2. Read Aloud in Microsoft Edge (websites)
If homework is on a website, open it in the Edge browser, right-click on the page and choose Read aloud. Great for research homework, online reading tasks and school letters.
3. Speak Screen (iPhone and iPad) or Select to Speak (Android)
- iPhone or iPad: go to Settings, then Accessibility, then Spoken Content, and turn on Speak Screen. Then swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers, and it reads whatever is on the screen.
- Android: go to Settings, then Accessibility, and turn on Select to Speak. Tap the little person icon, then tap the text you want read out.
4. Google Lens (printed worksheets and books)
This is the one most parents haven’t heard of. Open the Google app, tap the camera icon, and point it at a printed worksheet. Select the text, tap Listen, and it reads the page out loud. Perfect for the reading-heavy worksheet that comes home in the book bag.
When getting ideas down is the hard part
Some children can tell you a brilliant story out loud, then write two lines. The ideas are there. It’s getting them onto the page that’s exhausting.
5. Voice typing
- Google Docs: open a document in Chrome, click Tools, then Voice typing, and click the microphone.
- Microsoft Word: click Dictate on the Home tab.
- Phone or tablet: tap the microphone on the keyboard.
My tip: use it for a first draft. Let your child say everything they want to say, then go back and tidy it up together. It separates the thinking from the spelling, which takes a lot of pressure off.
When you want them to enjoy books again
6. Free audiobooks with a library card
Most UK libraries let you borrow audiobooks for free through an app on your phone. Ask your local library which app they use. Listening to stories builds vocabulary and a love of books, without the reading getting in the way. And yes, listening to a book still counts as reading.
How to make them stick
- Try one at a time. Pick the tool that fixes your child’s biggest frustration and use it for a couple of weeks before adding another.
- Practise on something fun first. A football article or a recipe is a much better first try than a tricky homework sheet.
- Tell school what works. If a tool makes a real difference at home, let your child’s teacher know. It might be something they can use in class too.
What these tools can’t do
I want to be honest here. These tools help children get around a difficulty, but they don’t replace good teaching, and they won’t tell you why reading and writing feel so hard.
If your child seems to need them for almost everything, or they’re working much harder than their classmates and still falling behind, it’s worth finding out what’s going on underneath. A full diagnostic assessment gives you that answer, along with recommendations tailored to your child for home and school.
Want to talk it through?
I assess children and young people aged 8 to 25 in Leigh-on-Sea, with daytime, evening and weekend appointments. If you’re wondering whether an assessment is right for your child, I’m happy to have a no-pressure chat.
Email rosie@dyslexiadiscovery.org or send an enquiry here.
Have you found a tool that’s made a difference at home? Share it in the comments. It might be exactly what another parent needs.
Rosie Stokes, Specialist Dyslexia Teacher and Assessor (PG Cert, APC), Dyslexia Discovery, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
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