Leaning Composition Using Dictation

Date:  Sep 19, 2015

Dictation

Stupid me!  I went and buy a dictation app from Apple Store (i.e. Dragon Dictation) where Apple IOS itself has the most powerful dictation feature of all.  HaHaHa….

My previous posts on Learning Composition using Dictations...

“Updates: Chinese Composition & Jay”:  http://miniliew.blogspot.ch/2015/09/updates-chinese-composition-jay.html

“Learning Chinese - Composition 作文”：  http://miniliew.blogspot.ch/2015/08/learning-chinese-composition.html

“Learn Chinese Compositions”:  http://miniliew.blogspot.ch/2015/05/learn-chinese-compositions.html

 

Why Do We Need Dictation For Our Kids

Learning how to write words is one thing they have to learn in school.  But learning “what to write” is more important.  Sometimes, if the kids is doing both at the same time, learning what to write and at the same time, learning how to write, that will waste a lot a lot of the time, and the impact is great.  Somehow, they will develop a blockage and fear in learning Chinese.

So, to make learning Chinese fun!  Especially when doing Chinese composition, we need a better way to teach our kids.  So, we do what we do the best, divide and conquer.  First, teach them, how to form correct sentence in their mind.  And once they figure out what to write, they simply “speak it out” and the Dictation software function will transform your speech into writings.  They can correct it all the time, by simply saying it out.  Like this, they don’t have to slow down by figuring out how to write.  That is another task.

By doing this exercise, it also correct their Chinese speaking, and so to make them more accurate when pronounce the words.  Later you will see that the dictation do sometimes record wrongly what I said because I was not speaking so clearly.  

 

How to Turn Dictation On

I think both IOS8 or IOS9 has this.  For Android or other OS users, you have to find yourself a way that is equivalent to using Apple iPad or iPhone.  Sorry.

Go to Settings -> General

Go to "Keyboard"

Under DICTATION, “Enable Dictation”, that’s it.

Now, you might want to turn on Predictive too.  Just in case you say something not clear and the dictation software can predict what you are really trying to say.  

Sometimes, some parents may think it is not good as the kids might not learn their mistake if the computer is doing all the correction for them.  Up to you.

So, launch Notepad or Word or Pages, etc.  And start using dictation by pressing the MIC button.

And you can change the language the same way.  By pressing the Globe button.

 

Videos

This is how you setup.  

And see me in action.  Speaking to the iPad and the dictation carefully jot down what I said.  I am impress with the accuracy.

Oh ya… You can toggle into English keyboard with English dictation too.

So far, I have been having a lot of positive results from teaching Jay Jay how to write compositions.  He is getting better in terms of forming the correct sentence with correct syntax, instead of direct translations from English and direct jot down from speaking.

Hope you have fun with your kids too.

Learning should be fun!