Language Support Services in an Educational Setting:

Framing the Profession to Maximize Access, Impact, and Intended Outcomes

Pre-WIABE ConferenceApril 11, 2014

byDominic James Ledesma Perzichilli

Three Frames

The Profession

School Districts

Statewide

Enterprises

Definition

Language support is the use of any necessary tool or resource to facilitate

communication where a linguistic/cultural barrier would otherwise exist (Ledesma 2010)

Examples: Interpretation, Translation,

Why is the mitigation of cultural and linguistic barriers important?

• Mandated by law• Moral imperative• Inclusive practice• Civility • Build stronger communities• The is a need

Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in Wisconsin¹

• US Census Bureau 2011 American Community Survey (ACS)

• Wisconsin’s total household population over the age of 5 was 5,362,567

• Out of the state household population, 177,233 identified as LEP

• Individual counties with LEP populations higher than the state estimate of 3.3%: Milwaukee (6.7%); Clark (4.5%); Dane (4.5%); Walworth (4.4%); Brown (4.2%); Kenosha (4.2%); Sheboygan (3.8%) and Racine (3.6%).

3.3%

¹Taken from WI Courts Language Access Plan

LEP Students in WI School Districts

• 2009-2010 Report on the status of bilingual-bicultural education programs in WI

• 361 of 425 districts had one LEP pupil

85% of the districts in the state

15%

Language Access in WIat the Enterprise Level

• Courts (Public)• Health Care (Public & Private)• Education (Public & Private)

Commitment to Language Access at the Enterprise Level

WI Court System1. Complex, precise, and

technical lexicon2. Compliance with Civil Rights

Act of 19643. Court Interpreter Program

and policy development since 1999

4. Language Access Plan5. Council on Language Access

(tools for certification)6. Consortium for Language

Access (shared resources)7. State & federal alignment8. Professional organizations

(ATA, NAJIT, etc.) for continued education

Brass Tacks Specialized training to

meet a “special need” Legal mandate Sustainable

certification program (Quality Standards)

Publication (The road map, handbook, and tool belt)

Task force oversight Coordination of

resources Buy in from external

stakeholder groups

Commitment to Language Access at the Enterprise Level

Health Care (e.g. GHC)

1. Complex, precise, and technical lexicon

2. Compliance with Civil Rights Act of 1964

3. LEP Coordinator (on-site)

4. National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC)

5. Local, state, and national professional organizations (ATA,UMTIA, etc.)

Brass Tacks Specialized training to

meet a “special need” Legal mandate Centralized

coordination of services and resources

Standards development for certification

Buy in from external stakeholder groups

Commitment to Language Access at the Enterprise Level

Public Education1. Complex, precise, and

technical lexicon?2. Accountable to comply with

Civil Rights Act of 1964?3. Need to develop standards

beyond the local level?4. Need for ongoing

professional development?5. Need for a task force to

address issues of language access?

6. Do professional organizations recognize education as an area of specialization?

7. Centralized coordination of resources and services?

Brass Tacks

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Sometimes? It depends.

Ownership of Language Support Services by Agency

Court Interpreting = WI Court System

Health Care (public) = Department of Health Services

Health Care (private) = In-house coordination by providers

Education (public) = ? ? ? ?

The Profession

Complex and Unique role of LSS in Educational Setting

Interpreter

The Public’s Perspective

Translator

(Oral)

(Written)

Language Support in an educational setting¹

Indirect Direct

Language support where a member of the staff can assist the student/parent in the target language

Taken from: Ledesma Perzichilli, D.J. (2011). Language Support Services in the Public Schools: A Framework for Including the Underserved Parents of Public Education. Concientización, 6(1&2), 12-22

Language support through the use of an intermediary resource or tool

LSS in an Educational Setting¹

Language Support

Indirect

Interpretation (Oral)

Translation (Written)

Direct

Bilingual Staff (Administrators, Teachers, Paraprofessionals)

Taken from: Ledesma Perzichilli, D.J. (2011). Language Support Services in the Public Schools: A Framework for Including the Underserved Parents of Public Education. Concientización, 6(1&2), 12-22

“Study”

(n.) “an investigation and

analysis of a subject, situation, etc.”

(n.) “a room used for studying,

reading, writing, etc.”

(transitive v.) “to give much careful or critical thought

to”

If the LSS profession had a motto, what would it be?

Context dictates everything.

Roles of the LSS Professional in Public Education

• Interpretation (Oral Linguistic Transference)• Translation (Written Linguistic Transference)• Cultural Brokering• Family/Community Liaison• Advocacy

Where and how does language support need to happen?

Parent-Teacher Conferences Family inclusion strategies

Behavioral intervention

strategies

District meetings

School letters to parents

School Emergency Plans

Health forms

IEP documents

Permission slips

Code of conduct

Curriculum

School policies

Handbook

School Districts

A Supportive Framework

School Districts

1. Adopt LSS Policy2. Set standards of quality (certification, code of

ethics, etc.)3. Standardize the integration and administration

of LSS practices 4. Task force oversight for issues related to

language access (e.g. localization, technical terms, tools, best practices, etc.)

5. Platform for ongoing development of technical skills

6. Promote the establishment and coordination of stakeholder groups

“Rethinking the Hierarchy”State

School Districts

The Profession

The Profession

School Districts

State

Final Thoughts

• Education matches the other two enterprises in size, scope, and mission

• Compared to other two areas, LSS practitioners in education play a very unique and complex role

• LSS is an integral service that is critical to the educational process

• Standardize and streamline practices that promote high quality communications and interactions

• Continue to build out the administrative framework that supports LSS at every level (school, district, state, and federal)

Join us in June at the WISACALD Institute!

Thank You!

djledesma@uwalumni.com