How Teachers Can Use Speechify For Meeting Prep (Without Burning Out)

If you are a teacher with ADHD or autism, meeting prep may be something you wrestle with.

You want to be prepared and you understand why the reading matters.

But your brain and your schedule don't always cooperate.

That's where my favorite text-to-speech tool, Speechify, can help.

Let me show you how you can use it to go into meetings feeling less stressed and more informed.

TL;DR

If reading for meetings keeps not happening, Speechify can help you squeeze it into real life instead of an imaginary future time.

You snap a photo of the handout or paste the link, then listen on your phone while you commute, walk your dog, or flop on your bed.

Listening can feel easier than staring at another dense PDF, and you may even remember more if you can move around while it reads.

You are not cheating or being “lazy;” you are using a tool that matches how your brain and your actual energy work.

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The Common Struggles Teachers Face With Meeting Prep

You might feel like you're always running late on emails.

That includes the ones that you were supposed to read…before hand.

I know I certainly did when I was teaching.

There really isn't enough time in the day to accomplish much of anything.

Or you open a 50-page standards of learning website and all of a sudden need to do something else.

By the time you finally sit down to read, you're exhausted and the meeting is about to start.

Do these sound at all familiar?

Skimming long admin emails on your phone in the hallway, or speed reading notes before a PLC.

Dragging your eyes across dense spreadsheets that never end?

Realizing you forgot to read that “important” attachment the night before

It's a terrible cycle to fall into.

And while there may not be easy fixes, there are some things that may help.

Time Blindness Makes Planning Hard

Time blindness makes it tricky to guess how long reading will take.

You might try to skim something for ten minutes.

And, then find yourself still stuck on page two when the timer goes off.

That makes it harder to plan realistic prep time and easy to avoid starting at all.

Executive Function Challenges With Dense Text

Long, bureaucratic documents are a perfect storm when the brain has had enough.

Executive functions, or our brain's ability to adult, are imbalanced for a lot of us.

(Due to no fault of our own.)

You know you should read them, but actually starting is daunting.

If reading has been hard or stressful in the past, you could be feeling extra reluctant.

By the end of the school day you are already worn out, which makes focusing even harder.

It's not even about motivation.

It's how challenging it is to get all the perfect conditions lining up.

You might, like me, need quiet when you're reading.

And this can be excrutiantingly difficult to come by at school, and sometimes at home as well.

(Hello, young child with incredible volume.)

Types of Meetings That Need Quick Prep

There are plenty of situations where you need to process a lot of information fast.

Here are just a few.

1. Staff meetings that come with multi-page attachments
2. Team planning meetings where you are supposed to know the yearly or monthly plan
3. Professional development sessions that expect pre-reading
4. Meetings with families

All of this often lands on top of grading, lesson planning, safety drills, assemblies, field trips…

And trying to remember where you left your (now iced) coffee.

Why Speechify Stands Out Among Text To Speech Tools

There are lots of text-to-speech tools, but Speechify is the one I use and recommend to other teachers.

It turns your reading into audio you can listen to while you do other things.

This is especially helpful when attention, energy, or time feel limited.

For me, I appreciate how easily I can click the upload icon and direclty export something to the app.

If you want a fuller overview of what it can do beyond meetings?

Check out this guide on what Speechify offers teachers.

Easy Ways To Get Started With Speechify

The goal is to make it as easy as possible to begin.

Here are simple ways to feed information into the app.

Snap a photo of a paper handout or packet, then upload it to the Speechify app on your phone.

Copy and paste the link to an online document or article so Speechify can read it out loud.

Once it is in the app, you can listen during your commute, and while making copies.

Or, while reheating lunch.

That is, if you even get a lunch.

If you like using your computer, there is also a browser option, and you can follow this install Speechify Chrome extension guide to get started there.

Key Benefits For Neurodivergent Brains

Traditional learning models don't work.

So we need to be willing to adapt our environment to our needs, instead of always the other way around.

Speechify is one way you can bend the task to fit your brain.

Lower Barrier To Starting: Listen Instead Of Forcing Reading

Starting the audio is pretty straightforward.

You tap play, the words start, and you are in motion without as much mental buildup.

Less Overwhelming Than A Wall Of Text

Listening can feel easier than staring at a dense page full of tiny font.

If you have dyslexia or visual disabilities, having text read aloud can take away some of that barrier.

Better Retention While You Move

You can walk around, pace your classroom, tidy a shelf, or pack your bag while Speechify reads.

Your body gets to move, which can help your brain stay present.

Helpful For Already Exhausted Teachers

At the end of the day, when your eyes and brain are both worn out, listening may be the only realistic option.

This may even leave you with a little more energy and better mood.

Practical Uses For Speechify In Teaching

Here are some ways where Speechify can make meeting prep less stressful and more doable.

Reviewing Curriculum Plans

Yearly and monthly plans that you didn't write?

Instead of forcing yourself to sit still with the packet, and looking like you're reading;

You can snap photos of the pages and upload them into Speechify.

Listen ahead of a team meeting while you commute or fold laundry

Catching Up On Admin Newsletters

If you realize on Thursday that you have not read the last three principal newsletters, you can listen while you eat lunch.

You can also save them in a playlist and listen at a speed that matches your focus level that day.

Handling Data Spreadsheets And Comments

For some types of data, you may be able to upload or copy text into Speechify.

Always double check with your tech specialist or admin first, especially about anything that might be sensitive.

For non-sensitive information, listening to comments or notes is a great way to go.

Last Minute Reading For Tomorrow’s Meeting

If you remember late at night that you have required reading for a morning meeting, you can still salvage it.

Upload or link the text, then increase the playback speed to fit the time you have.

Even a quick listen can give you a basic sense of the content so you don't feel totally lost.

Other Quick Wins During Downtime

You can listen while cleaning up your classroom at the end of the day.

(What is that spill?)

Sitting in traffic… You get the idea.

Little bits of listening time add up, especially when your attention works better in short bursts.

Step By Step Workflow For Using Speechify

Once you have done it once or twice, using Speechify for meeting prep is pretty simple.

Here is a basic process you can follow.

1. Snap a clear photo of your handout or packet
2. Open the Speechify app on your phone
3. Upload the photo or paste in the link you need
4. Check the text that Speechify pulled in, if you want to
5. Choose your voice and speed
6. Press play and start listening

If you are curious about what comes with the free version and how safe it is for educators?

You can read this breakdown of Speechify free plan and safety.

Choosing Your Voice And Speed

With a premium account, you get more voices to pick from, which can make long listening sessions more fun.

(I really like Michael from the UK!)

You can slow things down for rich content or speed things up when you just need the main ideas.

Hit Play And Listen

Once everything is set, tap play and let your phone or computer do the heavy lifting.

You can pause, rewind, or skip ahead if your attention wanders, which it absolutely will.

Pro Tip: Adjust Speed For Urgency

If it is late and you are short on time, increase the speed to move through the content faster.

On days when your brain feels overloaded, keep it slower so it is easier to follow.

Of course all of that is totally personal, so find what works for you.

Bonus Feature: Speechify AI Podcast And Self-Quizzing

One fun feature in Speechify is the AI podcast option.

It can turn your reading into something that resembles a podcast episode with two speakers.

This can be easier to stick with than a single robotic voice reading straight text.

You can even create a quiz for yourself to check what you remember from what you listened to.

If you use Speechify a lot for school tasks, little tools like that can help you stay engaged.

And maybe even remember more.

For more tips on fitting Speechify into daily teacher life, you might like this Speechify features quick guide.

Final Thoughts On Using Speechify For Meeting Prep

You do not have to white knuckle your way through every packet and email to be a “good” teacher.

Or to beat yourself up when you don't get through it all.

Using tools like Speechify is a form of self accommodation, not cheating.

If listening helps your brain show up to meetings with a clearer sense of what is going on, that is a win.

Start with one upcoming meeting, pick one document, and try listening.

Then pay attention to how your body and brain feel when you walk into that room better prepared.

Here's an interesting read from Edutopia about ways to make meeting time more useful.