FAMILIES | TalkingPoints - Parent-Teacher Communication

TalkingPoints is a convenient application that enables communication between parents and their children's teachers and school. Using this free app, users can exchange messages in their preferred language as TalkingPoints translates them into English for teachers. By engaging with the app, parents can stay connected and participate in their child's educational journey by communicating and working together with educators and the school. If assistance is required, users can contact us through email or access support within the family app.

All available languages

At TalkingPoints we are working hard to reduce the language barrier for non-English speaking families of diverse backgrounds. We are currently offering message translation in more than 150 languages on our platform.

7 Best Practices for Writing for Families

Determine 7 best practices for how to consciously write for comprehensible translations, and essentially support student success!

Updated over 4 months ago

When writing for a diverse audience, some expressions do not translate as intended. Since the original text serves as a base for content in other languages, it's important that the message in the original language is written as clearly as possible. To avoid confusion and mistranslations, here are some tips to keep in mind when writing for a diverse audience.

1. Write Short, Simple Sentences

Writing long sentences in English will complicate the translation process. Not to mention, with the varying literacy levels of families, complicated texts increase the chance of confusion. For these reasons, we have the readability flag feature, which notifies teachers when a sentence is likely too complex for non-English speakers.

2. Use Proper Grammar

Please ensure correct grammatical structure and proper punctuation! Small errors can lead to incorrect translations and cause confusion. See examples of common mistakes below:

Run-on Sentence: Johnny was late today, what time did he leave for school, did you know that he has been late three times this week already.

Correction: Johnny was late today. What time did he leave for school? He has been late three times this week.

Lack of capitalization: Hi all--please remember that we are joining st. paul middle for the excursion to the Museum of Natural History tomorrow. We will meet in the downstairs lobby.

Correction: Hi all--please remember that we are joining St. Paul Middle School for the excursion to the Museum of Natural History tomorrow. We will meet in the downstairs lobby.

3. Avoid Specialized Language

Idioms- Idioms such as “beat around the bush” may have a clear meaning in English, but most likely will not in other languages.

Acronyms- these abbreviations will most likely have different letters for the words they represent in other languages. It is best to spell these words out for accurate translation.

Professional Jargon and Colloquial Terminology- Medical, legal, and other professional jargon, regional phrases, and figures of speech rarely translate with equivalency. It's best to use clear, simple language to avoid misunderstandings.

4. Decide What Will Stay in English

Some information needs to stay in English. Although we recommend keeping this to a minimum (no more than twice per message), utilizing curly braces will keep texts from being translated. Here are some examples below:

Place names: "During the field trip, we'll stop at {Boston Common} for a break, before continuing on to {Old North Church}."

Addresses: "If you'd prefer, you can mail the signed form to {1234 Summer Street, City State Zip}."

Homework assignments: "Tonight, students should complete the {Silly Synonyms Worksheet}."

People's names: If they represent common words, put them in brackets. "Hi, my name is {Joy Summer}, I will be your child's 4th-grade teacher this year."

Good news! Many common educational terms are included in our TalkingPoints Ed 101: Defining US Educational Terms for Families feature. This feature identifies US educational terms for families if they appear throughout messages. Simplifying these terms increases the accessibility and understanding of shared information between teachers and families.

5. Use Direct Language

Words with multiple connotations can be confusing or offensive in other languages. Avoid words with various meanings and use direct vocabulary to describe situations. See the example below:

Vague Wording

Jenny was acting silly in class today and distracting the other students.

Jenny made a silly drawing in class today and everyone loved it!

The word "silly" has multiple meanings, such as funny or rambunctious. Use a word that directly describes Jenny's actions.

Correction

Jenny was disruptive in class today and distracted the other students.

Jenny made a fun drawing in class today and everyone loved it!

6. Use Visuals

A simple graphic can draw attention to expound upon what you're saying. Use visuals to increase comprehension and understanding of your messages!

7. Be Conscious of How International Dates are Formatted

In the U.S., dates are written as the month, day, and year.

Example: 09/07/2021.

In other countries, dates are written as the day, month, and year.

Example: 07/09/2021

For universal accuracy, it's best to spell out the name of the month and then put the date. If space is tight, use an abbreviation for the month.

Example: September 7, 2021, or Sep. 7, 2021