Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Technology and Learning Key in Healthcare and Education Industries

Hi, Friends,


Thanks for tuning in to my second blog post. Last week we contemplated difficulties that arise when patients and their healthcare professionals do not speak the same language. Leslie made a great comment to my blog last week about young children who must translate for their parents, even at the doctor’s office. Leslie wasn’t the only one thinking about this. This week Jennifer Colton writing in, “When Children Have to Translate for Their Parents,” talks about the positive sense of empowerment children feel in these situations but also the burden forced on children who are not developmentally or language ready for this kind of translation. 

Behavior science refers to these children as “language brokers.” For children, the job of translating can increase their confidence and make them proud of their abilities. The task can also leave children feeling confused and unsure when they must translate words and information they don’t understand.

Also on the translation theme, did anyone else see this week’s article by Alex Zimmerman on Chalkbeat? I know we’re deviating from our healthcare theme here but follow me on this…it’s too important to pass over this piece of news. In the article, Zimmerman goes on to explain the civil rights lawsuit filed this week against the New York City Department of Education. The suit alleges that the DOE failed “to provide interpretation, including for communication about special education services, lead contamination in schools, bullying, and even serious medical conditions” (Zimmerman, 2019).
Clearly, the example from the New York City Department of Education shows that non-English speakers are at a disadvantage when it comes to advocating for their children at school. Another similar example that came to light in the world of healthcare this week involves minorities and transplants. Camilla Nonterah from the University of Richmond shared her findings in, “Minorities face more obstacles to a lifesaving organ transplant.” Nonterah identifies several causes of this healthcare disparity. Poverty, literacy, and implicit bias from healthcare providers all contribute to the low transplant rates for L2 and minorities.
I believe the easiest way to fix this national dilemma in all industries involves the use of technology and education. Mobile translation devices used in the healthcare industry would have value for L2 parents at teacher conferences and for other school related matters. Educating not just the L2 but all teachers, school administrators, and healthcare workers is a large, expensive task but one worth investing in. The cost for schools and hospitals may seem high but it’s a small price to pay for helping others and furthering society.


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1 comment:

  1. LZamperiniJune 12, 2019 at 6:13 AM

    Cindy,

    I can totally relate to Leslie's comment from last week about children translating for parents. I have had more than one parent teacher conference done this way! One was preferred by the parent that their 6th grade child translate for the 1st grade student. Others have been because a translator was not able to make it or something unexpected came up. You can see the pride on the child's face as she translates for her mother, however, I can't help but wonder if everything is being translated appropriately. In the event something was not, I am always slightly fearful it will come back to me later and there will have been no other adult present as a witness. I only say I was afraid of that because some things do not translate the same from English to Spanish and I never want to offend a parent. At the same time, it was definitely really awesome to see how the older child had blossomed learning the English language and they were translating!

    I had never really thought about the barrier at a medical office until this last summer. A friend of mine and her husband were in Switzerland and he sliced his on a piece of glass. He needed to have a surgery because he sliced a nerve. It was a very nerve wracking experience because they too, had to have a translator. This was only one experience for them, I can't imagine having that feeling every time you go to the doctor!

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