Collaborating with Interpreters and Families

Communicating with families is key in sharing information between home and your school. Some families need an interpreter to best understand you. There are different kinds of interpreters: sign language and spoken language. This tip sheet gives educators and other caregivers tips in working with interpreters. 

Do you need an interpreter?

• Determine whether a family needs an interpreter. Your program may require a parent information form when a child begins attending. This form may provide information about a family’s home language. 
• Some families who speak or sign another language at home may be multilingual and proficient in English. Ask the family what they need. 

Finding an interpreter

• Your school district or center may have access to interpreter services; begin your search there. If the child is receiving early intervention (EI) services, you may have access to interpreters through the EI system. Some community agencies provide interpretation services. Finally, area hospitals may connect you with interpreter agencies. 
• Some interpreters may support programs and families virtually through a video or phone call; check with agencies about possibilities.  
• If there are no other options, you may need to use captioning services to support communication. Many apps and computer software options caption conversations live. Contact Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services for a person to type captions for you. 
• Finding interpreter services will benefit families you work with in the future.  

Planning for meetings with families

• Schedule meetings at times that work for everyone. Plan for meetings to take twice as long when communicating through an interpreter. 
• Give relevant information to the family and interpreter before the meeting, especially if you are going to use specific educational terms such as speech development, motor skills, or developmental screening. 

Communicating effectively through the interpreter

• During the meeting, sit across from the family so you can see and speak to them easily without turning. A spoken language interpreter sits next to and slightly behind the parent. An American Sign Language interpreter sits next to whoever is speaking. 
• Speak directly to the family and make eye contact with them, not the interpreter. Use natural speech and positive body language. Say a few sentences and then pause to give interpreter time to interpret. 
• If you give the family something to look at, give them time to read it before paying attention to the interpreter again.  

Keeping the family informed

• Take time to summarize meeting points and the next steps. Confirm your next meeting date with the family and the interpreter. 
• Provide the family with a written meeting reminder in the family’s home language. Thank the family and let them know that you enjoy working with their child.