What Is DictationEasy? A Guide for Parents

2026-03-26

If you have a primary school child in Hong Kong, dictation tests are a weekly reality. Chinese, English, and Putonghua — the tests come thick and fast, and preparing for them takes time and patience.

DictationEasy (自助默書易) was built to make that preparation easier — for both children and parents.

What does DictationEasy do?

In short: it reads out your child's dictation word list, so they can practise writing at home without needing you in the room.

Here's how it works:

Scan or type the word list — take a photo of the dictation slip from school, or type in the words/sentences manually. The app's OCR feature reads the text automatically.
The app reads it aloud — using text-to-speech, DictationEasy reads each word or sentence in the correct language. It supports English, Traditional Chinese (Cantonese), Simplified Chinese, Putonghua, Japanese, French, Korean, and Spanish.
Your child writes — just like in the real test. They hear each item and write it down on paper.
Check together — after the session, compare your child's answers with the original list and note any errors.

That's it. No complicated setup. No monthly subscription required to get started.

Who is it for?

DictationEasy is designed for primary school children — typically ages 6–12 — who have regular dictation tests at school.

It's particularly useful for:

Families where parents aren't confident in their English or Putonghua pronunciation — the app reads aloud with correct, standard pronunciation so your child hears the words properly
Busy parents who can't always sit with their child for the full practice session
Children who learn better independently — older primary students can manage their own practice using Teacher Mode

What's free and what's paid?

The free version includes:

Scanning word lists with OCR
Text-to-speech playback for all supported languages
Basic practice mode

The paid version (one-time purchase or subscription) unlocks:

Teacher Mode — set the number of repetitions and pause length, then let the app run automatically while your child practises without touching the phone
Adjustable playback speed
Repeat controls

Most families find the free version useful to get started, and upgrade once they see how it fits into their routine.

Is it safe for children to use?

Yes. DictationEasy is a simple practice tool — there's no social component, no advertising, and no in-app purchases targeted at children. It's designed to be used under parental setup, with the child using it for focused practice sessions.

How is it different from just reading the words yourself?

A few key differences:

Consistent pronunciation — the app's voice is always accurate, unlike parents who may mispronounce words
Pacing — you can set the speed and gap between items so it matches your child's writing speed
Independence — your child can run a full practice session without any adult involvement