Systems and methods for protocol for animated read along text

A computing system for displaying emphasized text based on reading pace, the computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processor to:
• display a line of text having a plurality of words, wherein each of the plurality of words in the line of text is displayed in a first state when each of the plurality of words in the line of text is not yet spoken by a user;
• receive, from an input device, audio signals representing a user's voice as the user begins to speak the line of text having the plurality of words;
• determine a first pace at which the user reads based on identifying words spoken in the audio signals, wherein the first pace corresponds to at least one of when the user i) is speaking the word or ii) has completed speaking the word;
• compare the determined first pace to a second pace at which the user is expected to speak the words;
• and
• successively visually emphasize each word of the plurality of words at the first pace in at least one state that is successive to the first state, wherein successively visually emphasizing the each word of the plurality of words in the at least one state comprises;
• displaying each of the plurality of words as transitioning from the first state to a next successive state that is successive to the first state to being at least one of:
• (i) outlined, (ii) heavier-weighted text, or (iii) plain text;
• and
• successively displaying each of the plurality of words as transitioning from the next successive state to another successive state different than the previous state,
• wherein the first state corresponds to a degree of opacity that is less than 100 percent, and the visually emphasizing the each word of the plurality of words from the first state to the second state includes incrementally increasing the degree of opacity of the words or increasing the size or weight of each letter of the word and then subsequently decreasing the size or weight of the letters.