Why is Translation Important in the Education System?

by Target Language Translation Services

- July 21, 2021

Education translation converts written language from a source language to a target language to assist educational institutions in offering students and families meaningful written communication to further academic progress. Primary and secondary educational institutions, as well as higher education institutions who serve ELL, LEP, refugee, and international students will need to communicate with students and/or guardians verbally, as well as through written materials and correspondence. When working with students, parents, and guardians with limited-English proficiency, language interpretation and education translation are significant aspects of providing equal opportunity for students to progress academically.

Furthermore, the purpose of education translation is more than conveying words. It’s about capturing the heart of a person too. There are intricacies woven into the way we communicate with each other, especially in terms of cultural meanings and differences. Oftentimes, small nuances such as colloquialisms or slang can get missed. These small variations in translation can make a big difference.

Therefore, whether an educational institution is public or private, you need an professional education translation partner who understands the specific translation needs of education, and who can meet the demands of your institution. When various education programs are translated precisely and with the utmost professionalism, students are able to better understand and retain many educational concepts.

The Benefits of Education Translation

1. Clarity of a child’s academic progress and personal development

Education translation facilitates effective communication between the kids and their teachers, school mates, and neighbors back at home, which also helps their parents and guardians to keep track of their children's academic progress, way of life, and their academic needs.

2. Engaging Parents in Their Children’s Learning

Many non-English speaking parents feel the barriers created by language. Often, they are left feeling powerless and frustrated, unable to help their children on a basic level. However, when parents are active, students are almost always more successful in their educational careers. Having a translator for parents who are non-English speaking gives them a chance to be regularly engaged in this important portion of their children’s lives.

3. Better student-teacher relationships

The interpreter has the ability to understand and comprehend the learning needs of the kid, so he cleverly deciphers the complex information that the teacher provides, eventually breaking any possible tension that could be building between the learner and the teacher, even between the kid and the community around him/her and between the parents and the school administration.

4. The success of the Students

Teachers provide students with important concepts for application throughout their lives. For students who are non-English speaking, or who speak English as a second language, language can quickly become a barrier. It is vital to offer these students the necessary and simultaneous translation to set them up for success. Students need to be able to understand what is being taught, and teachers need to understand the questions students are asking.

Types of Education Translation

Elementary and Secondary Education Translation

Education language services for multilingual educational materials for students and parents with limited English proficiency are often needed by Elementary and Secondary Education (preschools and grades K-12). Education translation is a highly professional task that requires accuracy, detail, and knowledge of specific terminology. When looking for a language services partner, be sure to understand the translation company’s proficiency in interpreting and translating for education institutions. At Target Language Translation Services, our translators are subject-matter experts, which indicates we only hire the most qualified translators, who go through specialized training in order to meet the unique set of skills, knowledge, and experience to guarantee proficiency in education translation.

Common Translated Documents Required for Elementary and Secondary Education

• Diplomas for elementary, secondary, and High School

• Term papers

• Academic Records

• Teaching materials

• Early development and education materials

• Community Notices and Bulletins

• Report Cards

• Standard Letters

• Standard Email Communication Notices

• Testing Materials

• Brochures and Pamphlets

• Student/Parent Forms

• Legal Documents

• School Bus Schedules and After School / Extracurricular Activities

• Enrollment Information, Course Descriptions, and Class Schedules

Education Translation for Higher Education

Nowadays, interpreter and translation services in higher education help educational institutions respond to the educational needs of students in order to prepare them for their academic studies and professional careers. Target Language Translation Services’ expertise in higher education language services comes from years of successful partnerships with public and private educational institutions.

Commonly Translated Documents Rquired for Higher Education Institutions

• Diplomas of professional education and higher education

• Academic references

• Academic publications

• Campus Information and Student Services

• Financial Aid Information

• Enrollment and Registration Information

• Brochures, Marketing, and Pamphlets

• Course Descriptions and Class Schedules

• Legal Documents

• GPA and Transcript Request Forms

• Testing/Lecture Materials

• Community Notices and Bulletins

Machine translation vs Person to Person Translation

Education Translation by Computer Programs

Computer programs translate word for word, but they can become confused by idioms, complex phrases and sentences leaving the final translation incomplete or extremely inaccurate especially when trying to describe more complex subject matter that you might find in an educational setting.

Person to Person Education Translation

Utilizing a professional translation service, whether in-person, through a video conference or over the phone will ensure that idioms and colloquialisms aren’t missed. It will also ensure that the correct tone or respect is shown in any given circumstance.

This means that even non-verbal communication is achieved. Eye contact, as well as body language, is very important. Because of this, schools can now offer an amazing service for their students and the student’s parents while also making sure that every important aspect of the curriculum is being understood.

With over 10 years of providing education translation services, Target Language Translation Services understands the needs of educational institutions and provide our customers with the highest quality of service.

If you need to know more about the language support needs of students in K-12 and higher education settings, please contact us.

This article is reprinted from ARGO TRANSLATION, TELELANGUAGE and Education.

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