A few years ago, my family moved halfway around the world, settling in a new country, with a new language, and a new set of customs. Suddenly, I found myself unable to participate in my children’s education — I, a career educator, who had aways been maybe a tad too involved...!
I couldn’t help with homework, I didn’t know the rituals of the annual projects and ceremonies — which meant my kids didn’t have what everyone else had — and I usually turned up wearing the wrong thing for the assemblies that I couldn’t understand. It wasn’t (and still isn’t) fun. It’s frustrating, and alienating.
In the US, one in five students speaks a language other than English at home, which means there are A LOT of parents who are experiencing the disorientation that I’ve felt. This is why translation is so important – it opens the gate to families who aren’t comfortable yet with English. It says, “Welcome! We want to be in communication with you! You matter to us.” Beyond a school newsletter, it can be used flexibly to communicate everything from assignments to events to IEPs.
A School Newsletter for Why Translation Matters
This school newsletter template provides you with a wealth of ideas about how to use our translation feature, along with really useful resources for supporting ELL students and families in our schools. Research shows that good parent communication is key to student success, making translation a win all around.
Here’s to teaching and learning that includes all families, even — and especially — the new ones.