{"id":2708,"date":"2025-06-29T12:35:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-29T16:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/masfec.org\/?p=2708"},"modified":"2025-06-29T12:35:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T16:35:18","slug":"working-with-interpreters-in-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/masfec.org\/es\/working-with-interpreters-in-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Working with Interpreters in Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2705 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/masfec.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/iStock-2133122364-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"speech bubbles in multiple colors with Hello, Hola, Hej, Hallo to represent interpretation\" width=\"343\" height=\"206\" \/>Federal law requires that schools must communicate with parents and caregivers in a language that they understand. Guidance clarifies that schools may not rely on students or their siblings to provide interpretation. To meet these legal requirements, schools may need to work with interpreters who can facilitate communication between families and staff.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>The following are a few best practices for working with interpreters in a way that also treats multilingual families with dignity and respect.<\/strong> <\/em>They are also essential for ensuring that interpretation services meet the needs of both families and staff.<\/p>\n<p>1. Get clarity around dialects. Almost every country has populations that not only speak different languages but also many different dialects. Before contacting an interpreter, ensure that you know the exact language that the family needs.<br \/>\n2. Only hire trained interpreters. It might be tempting to use colleagues, family members, or other members of the school community to provide translation assistance during meetings. Not only does this violate the guidance in federal law but also ignores the fact that interpretation is a skill that involves cultural awareness, linguistic skills, and sensitivity. Many school districts have an interpretation department that can pair you with the language and cultural expertise you need.<br \/>\n3. Whenever possible, meet with interpreters ahead of time. Ask interpreters to come to meetings at least 30 minutes early. Use this time to clarify the purpose of the upcoming interaction, review any relevant forms, and emphasize the information you need the family in question to understand. If possible, strategize the best ways to ensure that families leave the meeting with the information and resources they or the school needs to best serve their students.<br \/>\n4. Let the interpreter know if the conversation may be difficult. Remember that both families and interpreters may have experienced personal traumas that make certain discussions difficult or triggering. Let the interpreter know about these potential triggers ahead of time, not only so they can prepare themselves but also so they can advise you on the best way to approach the family.<br \/>\n5. Maintain eye contact with the family, not the interpreter. Remember to address questions and information directly to the family, not to the interpreter. Doing so acknowledges that you are in conversation with the family and not the person contracted to ease communication.<br \/>\n6. Speak slower, not louder. The family you are communicating with may have some level of English, but may not be able to think or speak in English. Therefore, make sure you are communicating in a way that helps them understand as much as possible. This does not mean speaking louder, but rather speaking slower and more articulately.<br \/>\n7. Avoid jargon. Speak in clear, direct language. Not only does this help the interpreter, it also allows family members to pick up on as much English as they can.<br \/>\n8. Lean on the interpreter\u2019s expertise. Remember that interpreters are not just experts in language. They are also experts on culture. If you are not sure how to broach or frame a certain subject, ask interpreters for their ideas. This can happen ahead of time or during the meeting itself.<br \/>\n9. Be attuned to nonverbal language. If you notice the interpreter or the family using body language, respectfully and politely ask them about what you notice. Sometimes picking up on nonverbal cues will help you sense how people in the room are feeling, which can in turn give you the opportunity to dispel tension, address misconceptions, or build trust.<br \/>\n10. Debrief with the interpreter after. Ask the interpreter how they felt the session went. Ask for feedback about how you can work together more effectively in the future. Building relationships with interpreters not only benefits you, but also families in the school who may feel more comfortable speaking with a familiar face.<\/p>\n<p>For more resources and information, visit our friends at <a href=\"https:\/\/naetisl.org\/\">NAETISL &#8211; National Association of Educational Translators and Interpreters of Spoken Language<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You can also download our <a href=\"https:\/\/fcsnspneeds-my.sharepoint.com\/:w:\/g\/personal\/crussell_fcsn_org\/EfbB75WeWfdNvor9WNBFge8B5pjWkkBqF0i1sXBqtvzXfA?e=YoEMRC\">checklist for working with interpreters in the school setting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Federal law requires that schools must communicate with parents and caregivers in a language that they understand. Guidance clarifies that schools may not rely on students or their siblings to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"iawp_total_views":7,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[35,16,144],"tags":[205,217,191],"class_list":["post-2708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ell-edu","category-educator-resources","category-tips-and-tools","tag-interpretation","tag-interpreter","tag-multilingual-learners"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.6","language":"es","enabled_languages":["en","es","pt","ar","zh","vi","ht"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"es":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"pt":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ar":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"vi":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ht":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"yoast_head":"<!-- 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