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of 6— Set Up Your ElevenLabs Account
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll be using ElevenLabs to turn any text you write — dialogues, short stories, announcements, instructions — into high-quality audio that your students can listen to as listening practice. Instead of recording yourself (requiring quiet space, equipment, and editing) or being limited to scripted ESL recordings, you can create listening activities from any topic you teach. For language learners, diverse listening practice is essential — this makes it achievable.
What you'll need
- A free ElevenLabs account at elevenlabs.io
- Text to convert — a dialogue, passage, or set of phrases you want students to hear
- A way to play audio in class (computer speakers, phone, or Bluetooth speaker)
- Time needed: 15 minutes to set up; 3-5 minutes per audio after that
- Cost: ElevenLabs free tier includes 10,000 characters/month (about 10 minutes of audio); Starter plan is $5/month for more
How-To Guide: Create Listening Practice Audio with ElevenLabs
Step 1: Set Up Your ElevenLabs Account
- Go to elevenlabs.io and click Sign Up
- Create a free account with your email
- You'll land on the main ElevenLabs dashboard
What you should see: The Text to Speech interface on the main screen, with a large text input area and a voice selector.