The trouble with buying reading pens...

…it’s a weird start for a blog all about why you should be buying reading pens to support your learners, but hear us out: sometimes it can be an arduous process. Especially if you’re ordering a text-to-speech support for the first time or just looking for reliable, speedy results because the stakes are so high for your readers, things can get confusing quickly. You’ll be looking at a whole range of options, ranging from discount picks and functional all-rounders to top-of-the-line pen scanners… and even some extremely overpriced reading support solutions.  

It's a maze. And there are a lot of pitfalls— just a quick Google search for ‘reading pen’ reveals that there are units retailing out for the average price of a coffee and a sandwich that claim to be able transform learning at the touch of a button. Spoiler: these are more than likely to leave your students more stressed and more confused than they might have been before thanks to poor user experiences, badly-translated interfaces, and extremely limited functionality. That’s especially damaging when the learners you’re supporting have Specific Learning Difficulties like dyslexia, are Autistic, or if they've come to learn in English from another language background.

We know that the pressure and the scrutiny of buying reading support can get intense, because these solutions must justify the education budget they take up. Teachers have targets too: we know that you want the best for your learners, and that you’re facing your own challenges because pandemic reading loss, budgets, and timeframes mean that you need to get it right first time.  

...That’s where C-Pen Reader 3 comes in. 

Introducing a reading pen designed for reading progress! 

C-Pen's Reader 3 is a brand-new text-to-speech reading pen.  

In a marketplace dominated by faceless tech developers shipping cheap cash-in reading support solutions, C-Pen pride themselves on developing their support in collaboration with educators. The latest evolution of the Reader family of text-to-speech learning supports, C-Pen Reader 3 is packed with ways to boost reading skills and confidence.  

It’s still as simple as scan, listen, understand… but it’s also so much more. It’s a complete support solution for reading progress, with different ways to revise, read, practice and learn! 

Packed with tools to get everyone reading with confidence 

✅Reach for reading independence  

Watch reading confidence soar as students independently tackle texts using Reader 3’s clear text-to-speech voice. 

✅Instant dictionary definitions  

Built-in dictionaries provide definitions of any word scanned to boost understanding and expand vocabularies. 

✅Save text and audio  

Save what they scan, and record voice notes for revision in C-Pen Reader 3’s internal memory. 

✅Practise to perfection 

Improve confidence and gamify literacy skill growth with word exercises, spelling assistance, pronunciation practise, and more! 

✅Read in other languages 

Scan offline for reading and pronunciation support, read in 5 embedded languages, or connect online for translation support in 40+ more!  

✅Navigate with ease 

C-Pen Reader 3’s app-based, touchscreen menu makes it as easy to navigate as a smartphone or tablet, even for young learners or those with limited English proficiency.  

✅Read wherever, whenever 

One charge means enough power for an uninterrupted day of scanning, and learners can benefit from Wi-Fi-free text-to-speech support wherever the need to read arises. 

Embarking on your reading journey with C-Pen Reader 3… and without.  

Congratulations! You’ve decided use text-to-speech reading pens to take control of reading needs in your classroom. It’s the first step on an exciting and empowering journey for educators and students alike—but when you haven’t got the support or the tools you need, we know how easy it is to get lost on those journeys.   

That’s why we’ve mapped out what an average term might look like with reading support from C-Pen versus a text-to-speech reading pen from somebody a little less reputable, to help you decide on which scenario you’ve got the bandwidth for this school year. 

Finding support that works     

❌ Without C-Pen Reader 3: Everything’s a gamble when you buy online, especially when you can’t get your hands on the tech until after you’ve made the financial commitment. Businesses might have expertly crafted sales pitches and discount pricing… but that’s not usually a solid indicator of device quality, especially if they’re at the lower end of the scale. What happens when your reading pen arrives in school and it’s not up to the task, or younger learners find the user experience too stressful? That’s when devices get abandoned and reading progress falters. 

✅ With C-Pen Reader 3: Wouldn’t it be nice to get a reading pen into your students’ hands to see how well they respond to it before parting with your budget? With C-Pen Reader 3, you can: we know how important it is to see the results for yourself, so Scanning Pens offer a 30-day FREE trial to schools, colleges and other education settings so that you can try before you buy.

Making the right choices for your setting  

❌ Without C-Pen Reader 3: Check the website. If you’re in touch with other educators with reading pen experience, you might be able to reach out and see if they’ve heard of your model. If you’re dedicated, there might be reviews and comparisons online, but make sure you’re trusting independent influencers and not people affiliated with the brand that’s coming out on top. And that’s about it: all the legwork is on you, and if your setting has tiered or complex needs, then it’s largely left to you to fathom it out. 

✅ With C-Pen Reader 3: When you buy C-Pen Reader 3 from Scanning Pens, we’re with you every step of the way. You can buy direct, or you can call and email us to talk all things reading support, discuss your needs and get the ball rolling. The first thing we can guarantee is that you can always speak to a human, and the second is that that particular person is going to be one of our expert team who are in schools just like yours.

We’ve also got a dedicated education department for any more complex questions about what it is that you’re looking for, tips on the implementation process, or how to get the most out of the reading supports that you’re purchasing—and that’s all for the price of a pen, with no subscriptions or appointment charges. 

What you get for what you pay   

❌ Without C-Pen Reader 3: You get what’s in the box. A reading pen, a user manual, and if you’re lucky, a pair of earphones. If they’re feeling generous, there might be a customer support email address (might). And if you’re very lucky, they could also have a product information section of their website or how-to blog, where you can sift through five-second AI-generated blogs to your heart’s content. 

✅ With C-Pen Reader 3: We’re big on resources and data. We know that successful implementation relies on structure, support, and being adaptive to learner needs; and we know that when these bases are covered reading progress can go from just about fine to totally fantastic.

That’s why when you buy C-Pen Reader 3 from Scanning Pens, we’ll give you access to all our resources to help you boost learning progress, implement with ease, monitor the situation, and troubleshoot. And all our resources are educator-created too, by edtech experts with decades of teaching experience across all kinds of settings, who’ve seen it all before and know exactly what to do to help you hit your targets. 

So much more than just text-to-speech…    

❌ Without C-Pen Reader 3: Scan the page, listen to the audio feedback. It’s simple… but only when it works. Too bad if learners don’t know the definition of the word, though, or if they need retention support, or to work in their home language to boost their understanding—that’s a job for their class teacher.  

✅ With C-Pen Reader 3: When you’re struggling to attain reading fluency, independence is everything. Nobody likes feeling like they need an adult holding their hand the whole way, and no teacher has enough time to support everyone with reading needs in their classroom anymore. But C-Pen Reader 3 is jam-packed with a full suite of learning tools that teachers asked for and presents them in a way that’s accessible to learners with additional needs or language differences.

From word practice mode, scan-to-file functionality, voice recording, translation, dictionary definitions and a fully customizable scanning experience across language, accent and speed, learners can scan their own way and build their skills and revision banks independently. It’s everything they need on one pen, and accessible for all… meaning that students can rescue themselves.  

Support for language-learning  

❌ Without C-Pen Reader 3: Whether learners are studying another language as part of the curriculum or if they come from a background where English isn’t their chosen language at home, working in words that they’re not used to is never the easiest thing. Being able to scan and read in English is of huge benefit to anybody developing literacy or who needs a progress boost, but if learners need support in MFL, or if they have EAL, they’re out on their own. 

✅ With C-Pen Reader 3: Language-learning? Support sorted: scan offline for reading and pronunciation support, read in 5 embedded languages, or connect online for translation support in 40+ more! Whatever they’re studying, C-Pen Reader 3 is designed to break down language barriers and create a confident and functional environment where learners have access to everything, they need to build their skills in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Mandarin, Polish, Arabic, Russian…  

Getting it right with your reading pens: the Scanning Pens guarantee 

There are a lot of cheap and risky options out there when it comes to reading pens. Getting it wrong can risk learners building a wall between themselves and the support they need to achieve their goals, losing their confidence, and losing out on so much progress and potential.  

At Scanning Pens, we’re reading pen experts—we see what tech we provide can do every day in the schools and colleges we work with, and we don’t recommend reading tech we don’t believe in. 

We recommend C-Pen Reader 3 because we know that it’s been developed by the most educator-focused reading pen creators out there, and because our own research demonstrates time and time again that C-Pen devices have incredibly powerful effects—and when paired with our free resources and guidance, that learning progress becomes unstoppable. 

You can find out more about C-Pen Reader 3 at its home at Scanning Pens.  

But we’re a chatty bunch, and if you want to speak to one of our reading support experts about supporting the reading needs in your district, school or classroom, we’re always happy to explore in-depth solutions for your setting.  

📧 Drop us a line: usinfo@scanningpens.com 

☎️ Give us a call: +1 727 316 8101