Embedded Files
Are you interested in getting your hands on a free copy of The Interpreter? Scroll down to the bottom and click on the link.
Are you interested in getting your hands on a free copy of The Interpreter? Scroll down to the bottom and click on the link.
Purpose of this Website
Purpose of this Website
The Youth Advocacy Department of SDUSD is interested in building school spaces that are affirming and inclusive for all of our students. This is a team effort. And the effort lives in places where students themselves can be agents of positive change. . .but it is not easy work. Sometimes it is the hardest work there is because it often requires great courage in challenging and resisting existing social and systemic paradigms.
This book--The Interpreter--is a narrative about a student we educators ALL had at one time and continue to have. This is not an unfamiliar topic to ANY teacher, counselor, principal, school nurse, or school office clerk. That youth who provided a bridge to communication for a member of their family who didn't speak a language that we speak. These students make the world go-round at our schools, whether it's interpreting at parent conferences, explaining an unfamiliar math concept to a family member trying to help a younger sibling with homework, or helping translate a field trip permission slip that needs a guardian signature. These youth step forward into that role and are often given little [if any] acknowledgement for their service by the people who rely on them most. . .the school staff and sometimes their own families!
This book peels back the curtain a bit into a day in the life of many of our young communication specialists and really gives voice to them in a way that finally recognizes them for the true labor and expertise they are providing. It is our hope that this book becomes required reading and will shine a long-overdue spotlight on these young people that affirms them for the salient role they play in the critical mechanisms of communication that schools so desperately rely on in order to remain functional.
Another more nuanced layer to the narrative in The Interpreter involves an examination of the broader topic of "speech." A reading of the book prompts questions about WHY the main character Cecilia DOES work so hard to make sure that the voices of the people in her life are heard. And are there implications in current society for voices and narratives that are silenced or ignored?
Please note: If you are an educator in SDUSD and would like to CLONE the already-prepared Google Classroom, please email a quick request to Mick at mrabin@sandi.net. If you are not in SDUSD, it is not possible to do the clone process, but you will find the pathway and all the components below. I've created a step-by-step job-aid for creating this G-Classroom from all of those components in the YouTube video--March Archives: Overview and Tips--directly below. Although the job-aid was created for March, you can apply all the same ideas toward the use of the components on ANY of the NTA sites.
Pathway
Pathway
STEP 1: Foundational Discussion
We recommend that educators check in with their classes to discuss what they know about these terms:
communication
language
translate
interpret
bilingual
service
benefit
paraphrase
What are some circumstances where students have engaged in communication that involves more than one language? Have they ever interpreted for another person? When?
Have they ever seen a classmate interpreting between one person and another? What topic was being relayed in that conversation? If they had to paraphrase the topic in the same language, how difficult would that be (scale of 1-10). What about paraphrasing the topic in a different language than the source? How would they rate the difficulty of THAT task? Have there ever been moments where no interpretive service was provided? What was the outcome?
This book also begins to explore some of the negative effects that child interpreters often grapple with. While society often frames this role as just a "reality" for young family member, there are hidden responsibilities and pressures on minors that hold potentially harmful implications for the family members, the organizations and individuals with whom they're interpreting for family members, and for the interpreters themselves. Policies and legislation have even been passed that limit how much different systems can rely on non-professional interpreters.
An extension discussion with the class could revolve around why "speech" is important in the first place (with a broad definition that would include people who convey their ideas in non-verbal ways such as through writing or ASL). An educator might ask their students why it is important for people's voices to be shared (again, including non-verbal voices). Are there times when a person may say something that we might disagree with? Are there times when WE might say something that others disagree with? Do we still have the right to be heard? In their opinions, do the students think there's a limit to the right to be heard?
STEP 2: Read and discuss the narrative of your book selection with your class
Additionally, we encourage educators to frame the reading of any of these texts around topics and themes that relate to the identities and experiences of the students themselves (and of their peers).
Here is a short list of topics and themes that arise in these texts that examine the human experience.
Choosing ONE of the themes from the above list, create a simulated text discussion with your reading group. I have created a text discussion using the value of each human being as the guiding theme for a specific segment of the text.
STEP 3: Watch the video interview "One Book, One San Diego Author Event with Olivia Abtahi and Monica Arnaldo discussing their book--The Interpreter--with moderator TBA.
The total run time is 1 hour and 1 minute.
STEP 4: Plan for an online discussion with your own class, another classroom from your school, or a partner school. Some platforms to choose from include [but are not limited to] Google Classroom and Flipgrid. For student response samples of what teachers have done with both GClassroom and Flipgrid, please visit our sibling site: The March Archives. You'll find sample student work under "Additional Resources" (about 2/3 way down toward the bottom of the page).
This Google Classroom is designed to allow teachers from different classes/schools to facilitate collaboration and communication about student allyship, culturally responsive curriculum, and youth voice and empowerment. Before engaging in this culminating classroom discussion, all students should have A) read The Interpreter B) viewed the primary source video "One Book, One San Diego Author Event with Olivia Abtahi and Monica Arnaldo" (above) and C) discussed and reflected on the reading/viewing of A) & B) with their classmates.
You are welcome to clone this class and share as you see fit within SDUSD. (Scroll up to directly above "Educator Pathway" for cloning instructions or--if you're not an SDUSD educator) a job-aid on how to build your own.
Please note: Educators may need to go to "Stream" section of the General settings (below) and select "Students can post and comment" if it's not selected in the general settings.
TMF Q&A Template
To the right of "1. The _____________" title, you can see three dots. If you hover right under those three dots, another three dots appear and one of the options is to "Edit" which will allow you to add more to the description.
Classwork #1 The ___________________
Classwork #1 The ___________________
1. In the "Question" section of your "Classwork" tab, paste this:
1. ____________________ Prompt: The ____________________
"Sometimes people do things for other people and because they are family or because they are close to us, we don't let them know just HOW valuable that thing is. Is there a way for you to let a person know that they matter? Is there a way for you to let that person know that you see them and that you see the thing they do as a having value to you and others that count on them? How would you let them know that they matter?"
2. In the "Instructions" section, paste this:
Synthesizing what you read in The Interpreter, viewed in the "One Book, One San Diego live event" video, and your own life experiences, view Olivia Abtahi's prompt (below) and compose a unique post.
Additionally, please respond to at least two other students' posts. Be sure to use academic language, proper punctuation, and respectful dialogue.
Attached is a discussion rubric and expectations for facilitating online communication.
Click on the above "Letting People Know That They Matter" video, open it in Youtube, copy the URL, and paste it into your Google Classroom.
Classwork #1 The ___________________
Classwork #1 The ___________________
1. In the "Question" section of your "Classwork" tab, paste this:
1. ____________________ Prompt: The ____________________
"Is every voice in your family or in your friendship group or in your community given the same value? Are there reasons why some people's voices are heard more clearly than others? Cecilia works very very hard to make sure that everybody's voice is heard loud and clear by interpreting for them. Why is it important for all people's voices to be heard in "The Interpreter?" Are there ways for you to make sure that people whose voices are often ignored or silenced be given a chance to be heard? Does a person who says something you disagree with have a right to be heard also? Is it important for YOUR ideas to be heard even if others disagree with you? Are there respectful ways to show that you disagree?"
2. In the "Instructions" section, paste this:
Synthesizing what you read in The Interpreter, viewed in the "One Book, One San Diego live event" video, and your own life experiences, view Monica Arnaldo's prompt (below) and compose a unique post.
Additionally, please respond to at least two other students' posts. Be sure to use academic language, proper punctuation, and respectful dialogue.
Attached is a discussion rubric and expectations for facilitating online communication.
Click on the above "The Benefit of Unity" video, open it in Youtube, copy the URL, and paste it into your Google Classroom.
Additional resources:
Additional resources:
Artful Readaloud and Reflection Guides for Adults to Use with Students for The Interpreter
Free PDF guide compiled by Artful Belonging Studio. Contains some discussion prompts, preemptive responses to predictable questions from young readers, and some ideas for generalizing the book talk and connecting it to things that are salient in the life of all youth.
THE INTERPRETER - Bilingual Read Aloud with the Author | Brightly Storytime
YouTube video of the author, Olivia Abtahi, reading her book, The Interpreter. This is an English/Spanish readaloud. Great way for youth to re-read through the book again after classroom discussion. Words are highlit as she narrates it so it's easier to follow along.
Translators: A Documentary on YouTube
Powerful documentary about real-life youth/minor translators who have an incredibly critical role in their immigrant family experience. It explores many of the concerns and issues that these young people face. A strong reference that helps inform educators and the students they serve. A non-fictional profile of 3 young people and the issues they must grapple with.
Artful Reflection Activity for Kids - The Interpreter - English_Spanish.pdf
Free graphic organizer and prompt for youth to express themselves through art as related to the theme of pride in oneself. Page 1 in English and page 2 in Spanish.
Guide To Inspiring Young Changemakers
Free PDF guide compiled by FirstBook. Has video and curricular tools, activities, & tips that are deliberately student-centered. A good educator resource for inspiring your students to roll up their sleeves and engage in shifting paradigms.
FREE copy of The Interpreter
OK, if you're here for your free copy, you'll have to jump through this here single hoop (while supplies last):
1. Register for a free copy of The Interpreter that I'll send you through school mail (while supplies last). Visit the link to this G-Form and fill it out.
Report abuse