The Readable Banner is a scrolling, multi-word context window with the current word highlighted, synchronised with text-to-speech audio. It appears when the Readable toolbar is docked at the top of the screen — the area to the right of the toolbar buttons becomes the Banner, showing the words being spoken in real time.

Readable Banner docked at the top of the screen, showing the line 'Recent research suggests students perform significantly better' in yellow text on a black background, with the current word 'significantly' underlined.
The Readable Banner shows the words being spoken in real time. Word being read is underlined.

The Banner gives you a second view of the spoken text, in the font, size and colour scheme of your choice. The original document continues to be read and underlined as normal — the Banner is an addition, not a replacement.

Video help

A walkthrough of the Readable Banner in action, along with its settings. The video only contacts Vimeo once you press play.

The Readable Banner in action, plus how to set it up

What the Banner shows

While Readable is speaking, the Banner displays:

  • The current word being spoken, prominently highlighted
  • A small amount of context — typically the surrounding sentence or a configurable word count
  • Smoothly scrolling text that keeps up with the speech

The font, size, colours and word count are all configurable — see Banner Settings.

If you prefer a particular font for reading — for example OpenDyslexic — the Readable Banner can present the flow of words in that font, regardless of the original font used in the source document or web page.

When the Banner appears

The Banner is automatically shown when:

  • The Readable toolbar is docked at the top of the screen, AND
  • Readable is currently speaking text from any source

When speech stops, the Banner clears. When the toolbar is undocked or moved to a side, the Banner is hidden — there is no horizontal space for it.

Why use the Banner?

  • Different presentation, same source. The original document keeps its original styling — the Banner shows the same words in your choice of font, size and colour.
  • Larger text without changing the document. Even if the document text is small, the Banner can show the spoken word large and clear. No need to change the document's zoom or font settings.
  • Higher contrast. Customise Banner colours independently from the document — for example, large pale-yellow text on a dark navy background, regardless of how the document is formatted.
  • Distraction reduction. Some users prefer to look at the Banner — a clean, single-purpose text display — rather than the busier original document.

Setting up the Banner

  1. Open Settings from the Readable toolbar, go to the Toolbar tab, and set Position to Dock — the toolbar moves to the top of the screen
  2. The area to the right of the toolbar buttons automatically becomes the Banner
  3. Speak any text — via Play, Hover, Ctrl+Space or any other method — and the Banner activates
  4. To customise font, size, colour, word count and scroll behaviour, go to Banner Settings

Research & further reading

Words in context, by design

The Readable Banner shows a moving window of words — the spoken word highlighted, with the words around it. Showing words in context is what established reading research supports.

Presenting text as a window of words is a deliberate design choice. Because each word stays among the words around it, the Banner preserves parafoveal preview — the reader's natural glimpse of the words coming next, which is central to fluent reading. Showing a single word at a time is possible, but it is not what the Banner is for: stripped of that surrounding context, single-word display fits only narrower uses, such as early or targeted reading practice.

The Banner is a thoughtfully designed reading aid grounded in well-established reading science. It is built to support reading where helpful, providing a consistent view of any underlying text from the computer. Further reading in the links below.

▶ View the research (3 sources)
Multi-word vs single-word

Scrolling, windowed text produced better overall comprehension than single-word rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP).

Akthar, F., Harvey, H., Subramanian, A., Liversedge, S. & Walker, R. (2021). A comparison of reading, in people with simulated and actual central vision loss, with static text, horizontally scrolling text, and rapid serial visual presentation. Journal of Vision, 21(12):5.
https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.21.12.5

Foundational

Establishes parafoveal preview — processing words to the right of fixation — as a major contributor to fluent reading.

Schotter, E. R., Angele, B. & Rayner, K. (2012). Parafoveal processing in reading. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 74, 5–35.
https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-011-0219-2

Foundational

Classic moving-window experiments: the reader's useful visual span runs roughly 3–4 characters left and 14–15 right of fixation — the basis for showing upcoming words.

McConkie, G. W. & Rayner, K. (1975). The span of the effective stimulus during a fixation in reading. Perception & Psychophysics, 17, 578–586.
https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03203972  ·  See also McConkie & Rayner (1976), https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335168