Google Translate Update

A NEW look at the improved

Google Translate App in the classroom

Stephanie Vogel

Imagine that you have to

read this!

Most of us would likely useGoogle

Translate

...easy peasy

BUT What if you were in

a classroom,

and you were the only one

who didn’t know how

to read this!

Still feel that it’s easy?

To the EYES of an ESL student.....

this....

looks like this....

Solution?

Other solutions?

As ESL students are busily translating,

their classmates have likely already moved

on to the next page or problem, and so the

knowledge gap keeps growing.

Time for a NEW SOLUTION

Chelsi, grade 8, in my classroom using iPhone with Google translate app to ‘read’ a paragraph about topic sentences.

Students scanned in the reading (as simple as taking a photo) in English and instantly read it in Spanish.

With the new update to the Google translator, students can instantly read printed materials in

another language.

This update was only launched on Jan. 14, 2015. and my students were already using it this week in school. The newcomers (in US for less than 2 months) were able to complete reading activities and participate in answering questions.

It was amazing to see how much confidence they gained and how much more they felt a part of things. Several subject area teachers remarked to me this week how smart these students were. They told me how they never realized it before because the students couldn’t communicate/participate. Now that they started using this app in their classes, they can show what they know.

I know that ultimately students have to learn English to truly gain a foothold here, but when a student first arrives and must perform in all academic areas at their grade level, it is a wonderful way to give these students a much needed boost.

Want to read/see more about it?

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