Language interpreters can work in a variety of different fields ranging from healthcare, to  law, to education and beyond. For bilingual adults who aspire to work in education, our community interpreter certificate training program could turn those dreams into reality. The term community interpreter refers to someone who bridges the gap between a Limited English Proficient (LEP) person and the community they find themselves in. Imagine for a minute that you have to leave the United States and move to Japan- you would rely on a community interpreter to help you find housing, a job, go through the foreign resident registry and more. Community interpreting allows bilingual adults find work to help the most disadvantaged populations, and while it is unfortunate, the children who find themselves in those circumstances are too often overlooked. For a language interpreter who works in education, many of the students they work with are from foreign countries whose parents may also speak little to no English.

Here's 3 reasons why every school needs a language interpreter...

1️⃣ Language interpreters help immigrant families & their children

In 2017, it was reported that 67% of immigrants 15 and older could speak little to no English; classified as LEP (Limited English Proficient). As of 2021, there are an estimated 18 million children (under 18 years old) who are living with at least 1 immigrant adult in the United States. Often times, children are arriving to United States unaccompanied by an adult. It is for these reasons and so many more that a community interpreter can be a life-saver for children, their parents and schools by bridging the gap between them. Community interpreters often do this by assisting in acquiring resources like:

• Obtaining housing
• Getting financial support
• Registering for food stamps
• Registering for health insurance
• Securing education for children and jobs for adults
• Access to clothing, housing and food if children are unaccompanied by an adult

2️⃣ Language interpreters improve the classroom

It can be intimidating enough for a child to start learning at a new school, and make new friends. For children who don't speak English but attend school in the United States, they can become overwhelmed and may not feel secure enough to learn new information in such a new setting. Certified community interpreters can provide a lifeline to children and their families by going to school with them for things like:

• Classroom lesson interpretation
• Translating documents and forms for children and their parents
• Relaying information during meetings and parent-teacher conferences
• Providing extra help for students with special needs or an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or for learning English

3️⃣ Existing school administrative staff can become language interpreters

For schools that have a limited budget, a fantastic option is to enroll school administrative staff in our community interpreting training program. Bilingual school administrators can save their schools money, learn a new skill and could even use their certification as a pathway to a promotion by enrolling in our 7-week online community interpreting training program. Like all of our courses, we provide 100% remote learning, through LIVE video chat lessons with expert instructors who have years of professional, real-life experience in the field.