What Can Speechify Do? A Teacher’s Quick Guide to Turning Reading into Listening

Feeling swamped by endless required reading, emails, and newsletters?

If you have ADHD or autism, you know how awful that ever-growing mountain of text can feel.

Even when you care about the content, finding the motivation to read is a challenge.

I know this feeling all too well.

The good news? You don’t have to wrestle with reading alone.

Let me tell you about my favorite tool that can help you turn every page into audio you can listen to, while getting on with your life.

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This post will serve as a hub for some of my articles about Speechify.

Meet Speechify: Your New Audio Reading BFF

Speechify is an app and browser extension that turns text into audio.

I've been using it for a few years now, and really love the versatility.

Even though I'm no longer in the classroom, I still have plenty of parental paperwork to slog through.

So if you're like me, instead of forcing yourself to read when your brain is mush?

You can pop on your headphones and listen—on the go, in the car, or while doing other tasks.

Okay don't wear your headphones while driving! Be smart, people.

With both a Chrome extension and a mobile app, Speechify fits smoothly into your routine.

Basic Features: How Speechify Makes Reading Easier

Speechify is easy to use.

You add your reading, pick how you want to listen, and let it handle the rest.

Here are some practical ways to get your content ready for listening:

• Upload files like PDFs, school newsletters, or parent handbooks
• Copy and paste text directly into the app for instant listening
• Snapshot and scan printed pages using your phone’s camera
• Adjust the speed so you can breeze through or slow down for certain parts
• Choose from a list of voices or change languages if that suits you

Think of it as turning your reading list into your own custom playlist.

How to Change Language Settings

Do you or your students speak more than one language?

You can change the language settings pretty easily.

Read Change Speechify Language Settings (Quick Guide for ADHD Teachers).

How to Install and Use Speechify Chrome Extension

Getting started is pretty straightforward.

Install the Chrome extension on your desktop, or download the mobile app.

Log in and pick your preferences.

Read more about how to install and use Speechify Chrome extension.

Everyday Wins: Listen to Newsletters and Parent Handbooks

How many times have you opened a school newsletter or parent handbook and felt your eyes glaze over?

You can use Speechify to listen while, driving, cleaning, walking, or prepping the next day's lunches.

Speechify can help you stay on top of pretty much any required reading you need to do.

Field trip forms? Check.

My own family's medical release forms? No problem.

School spirit weeks and other major events? Of course.

I love Speechify because of how easy it is to use on mobile.

I can upload a link to the app and it will start reading it to me.

The premium version is worth it to me, as I use it a lot.

And with that, you get to pick from a variety of interesting voices!

Speechify for Grading Without Burning Out

You can also use this tool to help with another common task you may tend to avoid: grading.

You can upload student work or listen to dense documentation pdfs.

Learn more about how neurodivergent teachers can use Speechify for grading.

How Teachers Can Use Speechify for Meeting Prep

Given how little time you have to accomplish most things at work, meeting prep help is a great idea.

When you're running late and haven't had a chance to read the 10-page agenda, you need to get creative.

Read How to Use Speechify for Meeting Prep

Professional Development Reading with Less Dread

Are you in a focus group at work and you're supposed to read a certain text?

You can scan the pages into Speechify with your phone, and turn that stack into background audio.

Take a picture and upload the images, and that's it.

Listen on your commute, during lunch, or while you load the dishwasher.

It’s perfect for teachers who want to want to meet expectations, but can’t find more hours in the day.

Is Speechify Free and Safe to Use?

Speechify helps you power through long emails, but be careful with privacy.

Some tips:

• Don’t upload emails with sensitive information.
• Stick to documents you wouldn’t mind being seen in public.
• Use copy and paste for public-facing or work emails.
• For sensitive content, scan offline pages instead.

Speechify has been safe in my experience, but you should still be mindful of what you share with any app.

I've only used it for personal (and business) content; not student information.

Always check with your tech integration team to get the current app recommendations for handling student data.

Read Is Speechify Free and Safe to Use?

Speechify: Free vs. Paid Account

Wondering if you should pay? Here’s a simple side-by-side comparison:

Feature	Free Version	Paid Version
Voices	Basic	Premium, many accents and styles
Languages	Limited	Many languages
Speed control	Basic	Fully adjustable
Scan/upload limit	Restrictive	Unlimited
Advanced controls	No	Yes

The paid plan isn’t cheap, but if you’re using Speechify daily, the time you save adds up fast.

You get more voices to pick from, different languages, and better speed control.

Use this link to sign up for your free Speechify trial today.

Speechify for Teacher Self-Care

As much as some of us (ahem, me) like to ignore this, the fact is that we can't do it all.

There's so much that we simply cannot control.

Yet it's also still true that we need to take care of ourselves.

Whether that means going on a walk, touching grass, or taking three deep breaths.

Read more about how you can use Speechify for teacher self-care.

New Features: Podcasts from Your Reading?

Speechify keeps getting better.

They’re rolling out a podcast feature that turns your reading into a show, with real voices and even two people debating or interviewing each other.

It’s like putting your homework or newsletters on the radio.

This makes keeping up with dense reading a lot more fun and keeps things fresh for busy educators.

Read more about Speechify AI podcast for teachers.

Real-World Example: Speechify for Emails

Let's say you’ve got a long, very dense email from your district.

As intriguing as it might be, you may not have the time or energy to sit down and read it in one go.

Instead of reading every line, you press “Listen” and Speechify reads it to you.

Sometimes, things might glitch (as all tech does), but for the most part, it works well and saves time and stress.

Read How to Use Speechify for Emails as a Neurodivergent Teacher.