Table of Contents
Interactivity > Dictation
A page that presents a text box that the learner types into while listening to an audio file. Learners can compare their text with a model answer revealed by clicking on a button. As the demo below shows, you can present a series of text boxes each linked to a different audio clip.
Example demo
or view at Xerte Page Types > Interactivity: Dictation (opens in new tab).
Editor Interface
Top Level: Core Properties
| Property | Description | Type | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page Title | Text that appears in header of published page | Text | |
| Page Text | Content that appears in the left pane or at the top of the page (depending on Panel width) | Text+ (Toolbar) | Use this to give the context or instructions for the task. Other content (e.g. images, audio, video) can be embedded here. |
| Panel Width | Dimension of the right panel (which includes the Question, the Check button and the Feedback) Choose from {Small/Medium/Large/Full}. | Drop- down | Full puts all the content in one pane. Experiment with this setting to take account of dimensions of content in each panel. |
| Randomise | This randomises the order in which the audio clips are presented | Tick box |
Top Level: Optional Properties
Page-specific
| Property | Description | Type | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Answers | This marks answers as either correct or incorrect | Tick box | |
| Timed Text | This enables you to add a Timed Text xml file associated with an audio file. By default, this appears in the left pane, and is always available on the page. | Link to Media Browser | |
| Tracking Score Weight | Allows the task on the page to be weighted relative to other scored pages in the project. | Number | See the Tracking and Weighting page for more information on weighting. |
General
Top Level: Language Options
| Property | Description | Type | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show Button Text | The text on the button that reveals the model answer. | Text | Default - “Show Answer” |
| Show Button Text when tracked | This button is displayed if the project is tracked | Text | Default - “Submit”. Tracking allows the learners' responses to be reviewed by an instructor (e.g. in a VLE/LMS) Refer to the Tracking and Weighting page for more information. |
| Correct text | Displayed if the learner's response is an exact match with the Answer text, and if Mark Answers has been selected and ticked from Optional Properties | Text | Default - “Correct!” |
| Incorrect text | Displayed if the learner's response is not an exact match with the Answer text, and if Mark Answers has been selected and ticked from Optional Properties | Text | Default - “Incorrect.” |
| Next Button text | The text on the button taking the learner to the next task and audio clip. | Text | Default - “Next” |
| Restart Button Text | The text on the button that allows the learner to attempt the whole page again. | Text | Default - “Restart” The Restart button only works after all the clips have been worked through. |
| Clip {i} of {n} | This shows learners which clip they are attempting | Text | Default - “Clip {i} of {n}” |
| Answer Field Hidden Aria-Label | Hidden label for screen reader so that the text entry is labelled and spoken to the user. | Text | There is a Tooltip for this. |
Click on New Sentence to add the first audio clip and task.
Sentence: Core Properties
| Property | Description | Type | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prompt Text | This is where you add a prompt or question, related to an audio clip. The learner listens and types a response into a text entry box. | Text+ (Toolbar) | In addition to text, other content (e.g. images) can be embedded here. |
| Label | You may not need to edit this. This label is only displayed in the authoring interface and on a Results Page (if you include one in your project). | Text | |
| Audio File | Add audio clips here. | Link to Media Browser | The Import Media icon takes you into Media Browser, into which you will have to import the audio file (if you have not already done this. |
| Answer Text | This is where you add the “model answer”. | Drop-down | In addition to text, other content (e.g. images) can be embedded here. |
Further information
The Dictation page offers many other possibilities beyond dictation. For example, you can require the learner to type in a response to a question that they hear in the audio.
By using Gap Fill: Fill in Blank with embedded audio, you can produce a similar effect to Dictation, but with more flexibility over design.
If you choose Mark Answers from the Optional Properties, the learner responses need to be an exact match with the Answer Text; in this case, it is advisable to set tasks requiring a response of only one or two words.