Implementing Over-the-phone Interpretation Service in School - prepared by Donna Salerno, P.S. 748

P.S. 748 - Brooklyn School for Global Scholars

Every staff member in our school was given an over the phone translation “How To” card. It is also displayed in the main office by the phones, and also at the school safety desk. Teachers use over the phone translation during parent teacher conferences, and also use it during parent engagement time. We adapted a best practice from PS 186, which was having all classroom phones unblocked. This was done to ensure that teachers have the ability to call parents from the privacy of their classrooms from school phones instead of using their personal phones.

We also leverage our school staff to help us to communicate with our families verbally, and in writing as well. We have staff members that speak and write in Arabic, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Urdu and Italian. We also have a handful parents who have stepped forward as ambassadors in their community to assist with translations as well. We will continue to work hard to ensure that we meet the needs of our diverse, multilingual school community.