Every C-Pen in our range reads in Australian English, but pens start with a British English voice. To switch, go to Settings > Run Wizard and choose Australian English. The same wizard changes the reading language. How many languages you get depends on the model: the Reader 2 reads four, the Exam Reader 2 more than ten, and the Reader 3 five offline and more than 40 online.
Set the Australian English voice
- Go to Settings and choose Run Wizard.
- Step through to the voice setting and choose Australian English.
- Finish the wizard.
- Scan a line of text to check the voice.
Change the reading language
The reading language tells the pen which language the printed text is in. If it's wrong, the pen misreads words.
- Go to Settings and choose Run Wizard, or open the language setting in Settings.
- Choose the language of the text you are about to scan.
- Scan a line to check.
Switch back to English when the student returns to English text.
Languages by model
| Model | Reading languages | Menu languages |
|---|---|---|
| C-Pen Reader 2 | English (Australian, British, American and Indian voices), Spanish (European and Latin American), French (European and Canadian), Italian | English, French, Spanish, Italian |
| C-Pen Exam Reader 2 | English (Australian, British, American and Indian voices), French, Canadian French, German, Italian, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Flemish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese | English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian |
| C-Pen Reader 3 | Offline: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German. Online: more than 40, including Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Hindi, Korean, Japanese and Indonesian | English, French, Spanish, Italian, German |
The Reader 3 also translates to and from English when online (see reading pens for EAL/D learners). For online languages, connect it to Wi-Fi first (see connecting to school Wi-Fi).
Spoken menus
All three models can read their menus aloud, which helps users who find the small screen hard to read. On the Exam Reader 2, spoken menus are on during the setup wizard and off by default afterwards. Turn them on in Settings if the user needs them.
Languages in exams
Some exam authorities only allow a reader to read in English. NESA, for example, says a reader reads only in English, including in language exams. Check your authority's rules before setting another language for an exam (see reading pens in Australian exams).
Frequently asked questions
Can a C-Pen read with an Australian accent?
Yes. All three models include an Australian English voice. Pens start with British English, so choose Australian English in Settings > Run Wizard.
How many languages does the C-Pen Reader 3 support?
Five offline (English, French, Spanish, Italian and German) and more than 40 online, including Vietnamese, Punjabi, Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Can the Exam Reader 2 read Mandarin or Cantonese?
Yes. The Exam Reader 2 reads more than ten languages, including Mandarin and Cantonese. Check your exam authority's rules before using a language other than English in an exam.
Why is my C-Pen reading words wrongly?
Check the reading language matches the text. A pen set to English will misread French text, and the other way round.
More C-Pen guides for schools and therapistsSetup help, exam provisions, funding and model comparisons in one place.
