Transform Text to a Spoken Track in iTunes

Transform text into a spoken track on iTunes. (Mac OS X Only)

First you need to adjust a setting in your System Preferences (this only needs to be done one time)

  1. Open System Preferences
  2. Click the Keyboard icon
  3. Select the Keyboard Shortcut tab
  4. Choose “Services” in the left sidebar.
  5. Scroll down to “Text” and check the box next to “Add to iTunes as Spoken Track”
  6. Close System Preferences

Next, open a program (MS Word, Firefox, Text Edit, etc.) and highlight text:

  1. Click the program name in the menu bar (for example “Word” or “Firefox”)
  2. Select “Services” and click on “Add to iTunes as Spoken Track”
  3. In a little while, depending on the amount of text that was selected to be spoken, a new track will appear in iTunes. It will be called “Text to Speech” or “Spoken Text” or something similar. You may find it helpful to add a column to iTunes called “Date Added” so that you could sort on that column to find the new track.
  4. The track can now be played on the computer, on iPods or on any mp3 player.

NOTE:  Some versions of OSX and some versions of MS Word will not allow you to select this option in the Services menu while in Word.  If that happens in your case, copy and paste the text from Word to Text Edit and then proceed as indicated above.

*Alex is the default voice used.  If you wish to change the voice:

  1. Open System Preferences.
  2. Click on the Speech icon.
  3. Select the “Text to Speech” tab.
  4. Choose a new system voice from the drop-down menu.  You can also adjust the speaking rate here.

This feature can be used in many ways in the classroom setting:  emerging and struggling readers, ELL students, special needs students or as a study aid for any learner (adults too!)

Teachers could also use the text of classroom notes to capture as spoken text and post to their web sites or to Student DocuShare.  This would allow students without OS X to download the track and play it on their computers or mp3 players.

Updated June 19, 2017