As established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations, \u201cparents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children\u201d and every child has the right to education. But what happens when students and their parents are immigrants who do not command enough English to accurately convey their needs and ask questions? Most parents want to help their children succeed and are willing to participate in their educational growth, but it becomes complicated if there is a language barrier. It takes a little bit of time for English-learning families to reach a level of English proficiency that would make them bilingual.<\/p>\n
While the United States continues to become more linguistically and culturally diverse, providing services in languages other than English in educational settings has become a necessity, and it is also required by law. \u201cIf you\u2019re a school which receives state and federal aid, this is an issue for you to pay attention to.\u201d (Evans) The needs of students and families with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) must be covered. Studies report that 22% of the total population in the United States speaks a language other than English at home. According to the National Center for Education, there were 5.1 million students who were English learners (ELs) in the fall of 2019 compared to 4.5 million students in the fall of 2010. The percentage of bilingual or multilingual students increased in 42 states and the District of Columbia, and it was higher in urbanized areas.<\/p>\n
Clear and reliable communication is imperative for the development and learning progress of a child. If an educational institution does not have sufficient bilingual or multilingual personnel to ensure that parents and students understand and meet educational requirements, the academic process could be a challenge. An effective and well-known way to support non-English-speaking families is providing interpreting and translation services from K-12 and beyond. Hiring individuals with the right skill sets in terms of language and cultural proficiency makes a huge difference in the lives of English-learning families.<\/p>\n
With years of experience as an in-person Spanish Speaker Interpreter for parent-teacher conferences and back-to-school events in different schools and states across the country, I can attest to the benefits experienced by everybody involved. I have seen the happy faces of parents when a teacher praises their child\u2019s behavior and witnessed a child\u2019s joyful expression when the teacher describes their good academic performance and achievements. These moments are priceless. Additionally, another important task for interpreters is acknowledging and explaining to the teacher or staff members the cultural differences that might lead to misinterpretation. A behavior that for one culture is synonymous with demonstrating respect for another culture could be synonymous with rudeness. Upholding the ethical standard of confidentiality during the process of interpretation also makes parents feel comfortable; affording me the ability to create a safe space for the development of a bond of trust between the parents and the teachers. This outcome is very gratifying for me as well. However, I recognize that my most vital role has been to provide parents with the necessary tools in their preferred language, empowering them to engage in the educational community and help their children improve academically if they are having trouble with any subject.<\/p>\n
There are different types of language support services in school districts nationwide, from American Sign Language (ASL) and Over-the-Phone Interpreting to the translation of official documents, to mention a few. Access to these tools and resources allows us to move forward in serving an increasingly diverse student body, and our schools and learning centers must continue to adequately secure staff with the bilingual and multilingual language proficiency needed to help facilitate the process of learning.<\/p>\n
If you are a bilingual or multilingual professional who wants to measure the proficiency of your linguistic skills, do not hesitate and contact Language Testing International (LTI). As an exclusive licensee of ACTFL, LTI offers ACTFL-credentialed language proficiency certifications in over 120 languages, and their assessments are remotely proctored. I did mine from the comfort of my home!<\/p>\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n Evans, Jordan. Limited English Students: \u201cHow Schools Can Help\u201d. Language Network. Jun 11, 2018. https:\/\/www.languagenetworkusa.com\/blog\/limited-english-students-how-schools-can-help#:~:text=Some%20Facts%20About%20LEP%20Students%20in%20the%<\/a><\/p>\n