Localization in Education Translation

You know the importance of translation in K-12 education.

It’s legally required for parents with limited English proficiency to have the same meaningful access that English-proficient parents have. If you’re anywhere near a classroom, you want your students to succeed and you know that students succeed best with parental support.

The key to getting that support? Good communication. Sometimes it requires translation.

You may be much less familiar with the localization piece of translation.

Localization

Localization is customization to a specific place. It’s the cultural aspect of translation. It is frequently discussed in business translations, and often overlooked in education translation.

Consider Spanish or French. Both of these languages are spoken in several countries. While there is some crossover in language usage, each country has its distinct culture. Sometimes certain nouns and slang may be completely different. Idioms and other expressions will also differ. These language differences matter in translation.

For example, “avocado” is translated into Spanish as “el aguacate” or “la palta” (South America) depending on the region. “Apricot” is even worse with three different translations: “el albaricoque”, “el damasco” (South America), and “el chabacano” (Mexico).

Localization and Education

Localization matters in education because culture is part of education.

Consider how holidays, food traditions, and more are different across the world. Now, think about how much culture is in your curriculum.

Do you read stories about Halloween? Do you do math problems about Thanksgiving meals? Do you do holiday celebrations in your classroom?

These cultural references help your students stay engaged and excited about learning. But, they could be disengaging for the English language learners in your classroom if they haven’t experienced those cultural celebrations. Your students (and their parents) would benefit from more cultural context alongside communication about academic benchmarks and progress.

As you review your curriculum, workbooks, and textbooks, consider using materials that are available in translation. Choosing these materials over untranslated ones will make it that much easier for LEP parents to support their kids at school.

In addition to incorporating localization into translation and incorporating translated materials into your curriculum, you can take a global perspective by including stories and math problems about holidays, traditions, and food in other countries.

Translation and Localization

Find a translation provider experienced in education and is familiar with localization. These companies work with native speakers and have a global network of translators. Your translation provider can connect you with translators who can identify when additional cultural context is necessary and incorporate it in their translation.

Beyond working with a translation company familiar with localization, you also want to ensure that it has a sufficient proofing process in place to prevent translation errors. Having several translators working on the project ensures a high-quality finished product.

Zab Translation Solutions uses a three-step process for ensuring a high-quality translation:

1. 1) Edit and Review: Our team conducts an initial review to catch errors and make any necessary edits after the translation is completed.
2. 2) Formatting: Our team puts the translated text into the original file format that was submitted.
3. 3) Final Proofing: Our team completes one final linguistic review of the translation in context to ensure all of the details are right.

A thorough translation process ensures you’re putting your best foot forward as you’re supporting your students in the classroom and working with parents. Localization will also make your classroom materials more accessible to English Language Learners and help them succeed.