Learning Across Languages: Translation and Interpretation Access
Here are a few tools that you can use in your learning spaces to make communication more accessible, regardless of what language learners in your space may speak.
By Justina Thompson — June 22, 2023
The endeavor of higher education is all about exposing ourselves to new ways of thinking and working within the systems that drive our society. Students often find ways to build on what they learn in class through projects, presentations, extra-curricular activities, and even through engaging community members outside of the campus boundaries. Barriers to accessing college and higher education are vast and run deep. The responsibility to remove these barriers ultimately lies on the administrative leadership of individual institutions, but that doesn't mean students can creatively move with care in the meantime.
To be clear, this isn't suggesting that students themselves need to make the waves that will create the necessary institutional change. However, students should be thinking within and beyond their learning journeys about what access to knowledge looks like and how they can create careful spaces (spaces full of care) to embody them.
Language Translation and Interpretation at Colleges
Interpretation and translation are not new concepts. For reference, translation refers to written documents or text-based services, while interpretation focuses on verbal/audio-based services, especially in live settings. During new-student orientation or on campus visiting days, it may be common to find a banner or flyer that says 'Welcome!' In multiple languages reflecting the demographics of current and prospective students. The same might be true for informational flyers around campus safety and resources.
Beyond these resources though, the assumption in most places of higher education is that everyone has enough proficiency in English to learn and navigate their academics in that language exclusively. Even when exploring campus-based interpretation and translation services, 2 types of offerings were found. The first is a program run out of a specific department to connect undergraduate and graduate students studying other languages with community-based organizations to provide services.
The second was empowering students in their bilingualism by framing it as a professional asset in the current job market. However, the gap becomes apparent when we ask "What are the internal translation and interpretation services to support students?" While college is not meant to magically transform every student to have a unique set of skills, there is a connection needed between supporting students' power in languages other than English while navigating school and utilizing bilingualism as an asset for external partnerships and professional endeavors.
Curating Care-full Spaces
So while we've acknowledged the greater institutional barriers, we know that curating our own spaces of care, whether it be through community programming, extracurricular activities, or other engagements of the sort, is a space for students to reimagine what it looks like to support others communication with power. At the latest sustainability conference I attended, a commitment to Language Justice is what drove the work of the interpreters for the conference. They were committed to supporting folks engagement within the conference setting in the languages which they felt most powerful. Although students, attendees, or general learners may be able to navigate more than one language, it's important to ask what language will allow them to best relay their ideas and passions around any given topic. This is what encourages generative and strong spaces of learning in community and across experience and disciplines.
The physical logistics of language interpretation for live events can be foreign to some, so allow me to share imagery of how it played out in the conference. For the main plenary sessions, there was a table directly outside the main entrance with headsets. Those entering were informed ahead of time what languages would be spoken within the space, and if they would benefit from translation, they were encouraged to pick up a headset. The primarily language provided for interpretation in this setting was Spanish, so further examples will build on that.
To elaborate, the main plenary session might be held mostly in English, so any Spanish speakers who may benefit were welcome to pick up a headset so they could listen to live interpretation of the sessions. Additionally, if there was a Spanish portion, panelist, or speaker in the main session, English speakers may also be encouraged to pick up a headset so they can also follow along throughout the entire session. This approach reinforces those multilingual spaces, while requiring additional efforts, benefit all learners in a space and generally increase accessibility to the exchange of thoughts and information. In a main session, one which may utilize a panel, headsets may be used between panelists speaking in different primary languages to support understanding of and communication with each other. Utilization of the headsets in multilingual spaces supports simultaneous interpretation, meaning it happens at the same time.
The Break Down
For the introduction of the space and to the language interpretation options, consecutive interpretation is offered, which is where the speaker may start in Language A, and then either the same speaker or the interpreter will repeat the same message in Language B. This is a low/no-tech interpretation option that still allows multiple languages to have access to the space, however it usually doubles the amount of time needed for any given speaking portion. These are some of the pros and cons to weigh when considering the type of interpretation services your event may benefit most from.
As I'm sure this piece may be introducing some new ways of operating, attendees at the conference may not have been familiar with simultaneous interpretation services or prioritizing language justice and access in their learning spaces. To get us all on the same page, there were a few key tools we were all oriented with. These are tools that can be easily translated to other learning spaces as well, to ensure communication is clear for all engaged, even if not working across multiple languages.
Mics:
We've all been in a room where someone prefers to project their voice to the crowd rather than waiting for the microphone to reach them. Using the microphone, and encouraging others to do the same when provided as an option is a simple step that improves clarity of verbal delivery. This supports interpreters in the room, and engagement for folks who may have a hard time hearing.Speak Up:
Even when utilizing a microphone, folks with soft voices may not be projecting enough for the microphone to fully pick it up. In spaces of learning and engagement where a person may need to speak louder to be heard, a 'raise the roof' motion, or pumping hands above the head served as a communal signal in the space.Slow Down:
When folks get really excited or even nervous, their words can blur together into one fury of a statement. To notify the speaker, teacher, lecturer, etc. that you need them to speak a bit slower, consider the motion of pulling your hands apart in slow manner. Again, utilizing these non-verbal tools makes for easier flow in learning spaces to make them more accessible to all engaged.Repeat:
Lastly, sometimes there's a great piece or anecdote shared that you just happened to miss! Rolling your hands, like you might when singing "The Wheels On The Bus" can be a signal used to ask someone to repeat the last thing they said.Captions:
As we're seeing more virtual and hybrid events utilizing and sharing captions is a great way to increase accessibility online. When watching a movie or film, putting the subtitles on can generally help with processing information. If hosting an event in Zoom, encourage users who may find it helpful to enable closed captioning with the automated settings! You can even integrate live interpretation into Zoom meetings if you have a connection with an interpreter.These are just a few tools that you can use in your learning spaces to make communication more accessible, regardless of what language learners in your space may speak. Introduce them to all folks in the space so everyone's on the same page, and see how your spaces transform. Happy learning!
Justina Thompson
Justina "Farmer J" Thompson is the Farm Education and Volunteer Manager at Urban Creators, Philadelphia, PA. Justina intentionally attended school in Philadelphia so she could “connect her passion and experience to the ongoing environmental justice work in the area.” As a speaker, educational curriculum designer, program leader, and community organizer, Justina possesses extensive knowledge on urban farming inspired to work in the field of environmental justice from a young age.
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