To transcribe a classroom recording, get consent from the school first, then send the audio to the Potok bot on Telegram and export plain text. Files up to 2 GB cover a long lesson. The recording holds children's voices, so treat the text with the same care as the sound.
Transcribe a recording
Send your voice message, audio or video to @potok_now_bot on Telegram and the text comes back in the chat.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram
Files up to 2 GB · export to TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT · speaker labels and timestamps · about 30 languages
Key facts
- Consent from the school comes before the recording, not after. Ask the head teacher or follow the school policy.
- A full lesson makes a long file, but up to 2 GB fits a lesson with room to spare.
- Plain text is enough for lesson notes, and it is simple to share with a colleague or a student who missed class.
How to do it
- Check the school's policy. Ask the school whether you may record lessons, and what it requires from parents or staff.
- Tell the class. Say that the lesson is being recorded and why, in words the students understand.
- Record near the teacher. Put the device where the teacher's voice is clear. Students' questions are quieter, so repeat them aloud.
- Open the bot. Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram and attach the file. Use the Upload button of the mini app for a very large file.
- Export plain text. Choose TXT. It opens anywhere and is easy to trim.
- Remove personal details. Delete student names or any private details before you share the text.
- Store it safely. Keep the recording and text where only authorised people can reach them.
What the result looks like
[00:00] Speaker 1: Good morning. Today we continue with fractions, so please open your books.
[00:09] Speaker 1: Who can tell me what a numerator is?
[00:14] Speaker 2: It is the top number in the fraction.
[00:18] Speaker 1: Exactly, and the bottom one is the denominator.
Sample text written by us to show the layout of a transcript. It is not the output of the recognition engine and not a real recording.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Where it works | Telegram bot @potok_now_bot; large files go through the bot's mini app |
| File size | Up to 2 GB |
| Export | TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT, VTT |
| Speakers and time | Speaker labels and timestamps can be switched on |
| Languages | About 30 languages with good published results; a few more with warnings |
| Translation | The transcript is not translated into another language |
| Dictation | A separate Potok desktop app lets you dictate text into any program; it recognises Russian speech |
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Recording first and asking later | The school may have rules you break, and the recording may have to be deleted. | Get the written agreement before you press record. |
| Sharing the text with student names inside | Private details of children can spread beyond the class. | Replace names with initials or remove them before sharing. |
| Not repeating student questions | The teacher's answer makes no sense in the text, because the question is missing. | Repeat each question aloud before you answer it. |
| Treating the transcript as an official record | A wrong word can change what was said. | Mark the text as a working copy and check key parts in the audio. |
More
See the full list of languages, the tools and the glossary.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need permission to record a class?
Check with the school first. Rules differ by country, by school and by who is recorded.
Can a long lesson be sent in one go?
Yes. Files up to 2 GB are supported, and bigger ones use the Upload button of the mini app.
Which format is best for lesson notes?
TXT, because it is plain and opens in every editor. DOCX is handy if you want to format the notes.
Will the text tell students apart?
Speaker labels can be switched on, but they are numbers, so they do not give names.
What about private information in the recording?
Review the text, remove names and details that should not leave the class, and store the files safely.
Sources
Each source was opened by hand on the date shown. Pages change, so open the source if a detail matters to you.
- Lecture (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
- Text file (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
Try it on your own recording
Send your voice message, audio or video to @potok_now_bot on Telegram and the text comes back in the chat.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram