the educator mag May 24 (1) - Flipbook - Page 20
How pocketalk is helping uk schools
overcome language barriers
There are currently 1.7million students within the UK’s school system who have English as an
additional language (EAL). And whilst this has created the richly diverse modern UK that benefits
us all, it can also bring challenges when it comes to communication and learning in the classroom.
The learning experience for both children
with EAL and other students is greatly
impacted if communication is prohibited.
For EAL children an inability to
communicate leads to difficulties with
learning as Save the Children research
found, but also makes it difficult for
friendships to be cultivated and maintained
and can lead to feelings of isolation and
exclusion during an already difficult
transition period.
how words are pronounced too.
In the US, Pocketalk has helped over 500
school districts, leading to reduced
translation costs, better efficiency and
removing pressure on the teaching staff.
Pocketalk is now helping the UK education
sector improve its translation and
communication offering.
Language barriers also impact the other
students, as resources are often diverted
to help aid EAL children with learning and
communication. For school staff the
additional pressure on often already
strained resources can create even more
pressure.
A Year 1 teacher, Mrs K W, used the Pocketalk
to help in her lessons with children who
speak Telugu and said:
“Pocketalk really is like having a translator in
your pocket!! Having children in my class who
are predominantly English speakers has been
the norm for me most of my teaching career.
Until recently, children who spoke English as
an additional language were uncommon in
the county where I teach.
Schools often have access to in person
translators, however these can put pressure
on already tight budgets and can be slow to
implement. Some settings may be fortunate
enough to have staff members who can
act as the translator, but this is becoming
increasingly challenging with the number
of languages spoken in schools.
“In September 2023, I was given the privilege
to teach children who spoke Telugu as a
first language within a whole class setting.
Although I was able to adapt my teaching
style and resources, I found myself still making
more gestures and waving my hands around
worried about the children’s frustrations with
my lack of knowledge.
However, technology can now unlock
conversations that were not possible before.
AI powered solution, Pocketalk, is the
global leader in connecting the world and
facilitating communication that mimics an
authentic communication experience.
“I found Pocketalk and things changed. Being
able to use a handheld device so quickly and
effortlessly was a lifesaver on many occasions.
I was able to move between both languages
effectively and keep the flow of the lesson
well whilst being fully inclusive. The easy to
use system allows me with one button to
simply translate using speech into 84 different
languages. Even my North Eastern accent was
no challenge for the Pocketalk to detect and
translate!
Pocketalk’s GDPR compliant handheld
translator uses the world’s best translation
engines allowing for conversations in 84
different languages at the touch of a button.
It’s easy to use, quick and accurate and
even understands regional dialects, lesser
spoken languages and slang. What’s more,
it’s a solution that children can directly use
with their teacher, school staff or classmates.
It can also aid English learning as the child
can see the written translation and also hear
“It also stores the previous spoken sentences,
so you can quickly use high frequency words
and phrases. The clarity of the voice was so
clear that my children thought I was on the
telephone with someone from their home
country!
I would certainly recommend Pocketalk for
use in schools for all of the reasons above but
because of the ease of use more so. Thanks,
Pocketalk, you’ve managed to encompass an
on the go translator for my class!”
As well as the Year 1 EAL students
benefitting, so too did other students and
Mrs K Morris, a nursery teacher in the North
East Primary School said:
“Pocketalk is a valuable piece of equipment for
schools! I feel that every school should have
one or more of these handy little
devices. As schools are becoming more diverse,
Pocketalk is managing to break language
barriers and provide schools, parents and
children a way to communicate effectively.
“No need to read the instructions, the easy to
navigate display is self-explanatory, quickly
switching from one language to another.
The speech recognition tool quickly recognises
spoken language and I have not yet had to
repeat myself. It is delightful to see the smile
and realisation on a young child’s face when
they hear their home language spoken in
school. Every teacher should have one!”
Pocketalk recognises that the best result
for schools and teachers using the device is
the joy of the EAL student who finally feels
heard in the classroom. To this end, on the
back of a successful Partner Programme
in Germany, Pocketalk is launching its UK
School Partner Programme for early learning
settings, primary and secondary schools, to
overcome language barriers in the
classroom.
Pocketalk, is inviting schools to nominate
their setting for the opportunity to try up
to 10 Pocketalk devices in school, free of
charge. By sharing their experiences, these
schools will contribute to making change
and building a more inclusive educational
community. Find out more at
https://www.pocketalk.com/en_gb/
