Google Translate

This past week in Rye Neck, I had one of the greatest experiences since I left the classroom.

Google Translate

A new student was just starting school on Thursday and she spoke no English (only Japanese).  In this Third Grade class there are many students that speak Japanese, but to rely on them the whole day would be very difficult.  When the student was introduced to the class the ESL teacher was with her in the morning, but I asked the main teacher, "What if we tried Google Translate?"

We started with a few short phrases which we were able to have the computer read aloud to her.

She then said "Thank you" in English and was smiling ear to ear.

Later in the day I wrote:

To describe her picture.  She once again said thank you and was so excited.

For the rest of the year, that student will be empowered with an iPad with the Google translate tool on it; therefore she can speak in Japanese to the app and it will write (or speak) in English to the class, and visa versa for the class and this student.

Using technology to empower students is the purpose of the tool! This is just one example of how we can use a different Google tool to assist with students who's native language is not English.