Using Live Captions at the meeting/assembly

[Brandon]

Although it's marketed as a feature for deaf and hard of hearing, I’ve found turning on Live Captions on my iPhone helps me get more out of the meeting.

 

Anyone else using this (or the android equivalent “live transcribe”) to help with their learning style?

 

Basically it types out in near-realtime everything being said so you can read it on your phone or tablet screen. It also lets you look back at what was said earlier — no more asking your neighbour “what verse was it?”

 

I use it also at the Spanish meeting as I am still learning the language and sometimes misunderstand a word when spoken, but seeing it written jogs my memory of the meaning. 

Edited July 5 by Brandon

[dljbsp]

I really appreciate this idea — it fits well with something that’s been scripturally encouraged for a long time. Psalm 1:2 describes the righteous one as reading God’s law “in an undertone,” which implies more than just skimming or hearing — it’s engaging the mind deeply. Using captions while listening seems to echo that same method. You’re hearing andreading — two senses reinforcing the same message.

 

Interestingly, science has confirmed that this method is genuinely beneficial. It’s called dual coding — using both auditory and visual channels at the same time — and studies show it improves comprehension and memory. Once again, while science doesn’t prove the Bible, it supports what the Bible has taught all along.

 

I’ve also noticed something else that seems to fit: when I try to explain a point to someone else — especially out loud — I often understand it better as I’m explaining it. That’s a recognized learning method too — they call it the protégé effect. Teaching helps the teacher learn. And really, isn’t that how it works with the scriptures? We read them aloud, we hear them, we see the words — and then when we try to teach the truth to someone else, it often becomes even clearer to us.

 

I remember a specific example from just a few years ago. I had always pictured the great tribulation mainly in terms of how it would affect Jehovah’s people. But it wasn’t until I was preparing to teach it — really working through the scriptures and explaining it to someone — that it finally clicked for me that the great tribulation affects everyone on the planet. That shift in understanding came because I was trying to explain it.

 

So I can really see how tools like Live Captions or Live Transcribe aren’t just for accessibility — they could support a more effective way of learning for many of us.

[Roxessence]

2 hours ago, Brandon said:

I’ve found turning on Live Captions on my iPhone helps me get more out of the meeting.

Brother, I’m curious as to how this works for the meetings as it’s basically a FaceTime App.   Obviously I haven’t tried it yet but I’m at our convention this weekend & thinking I might just give it a shot tomorrow!

Thanks for any insight.

2 hours ago, dljbsp said:

when I try to explain a point to someone else — especially out loud — I often understand it better as I’m explaining it. That’s a recognized learning method too — they call it the protégé effect

David, I’ve often wondered about that same thing - never realized that there was an Actual name for it!

Cool beans! 😊

[bvr]

Windows 11 have live captions built in. And I used it a lot.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-live-captions-to-better-understand-audio-b52da59c-14b8-4031-aeeb-f6a47e6055df

[dljbsp]

If you use voice memo on a iphone or ipad, though you are actually recording the meeting, it can transcribe it, not perfectly, but without Internet access.

You do need to know how to use it in order to click the transcription icon which look like " 
 

 

[Brandon]

14 hours ago, Roxessence said:

it’s basically a FaceTime App

No, it’s completely unrelated to FaceTime. I mean yes it can also be used in FaceTime but it is an accessibility feature. It can be enabled in settings and/or added to your control centre to easily be toggled on and off at will (the latter is how I use it).

 

there is no “live captions” app

it works on older iPhones too although the quality may vary. My mom has an iPhone XR and she has the option but I find the transcription more accurate on iPhone 12 and newer

Edited July 6 by Brandon