A microprocessor (1) based electronic teaching aid which enables a student viewing a display (9) containing text material being studied to designate any word or portion of text for definition or for vocalization by synthesized speech techniques wherein the reading material being studied is supplied in the form of a programmed Source ROM (3) which contains pointers to the start addresses for the words of the reading material with reference to an internally provided dictionary (2 and 2'). A program causes the creation of the text display responsive to the Source ROM data (4), and includes techniques for being able to define and vocalize any selected word.
