Help me give my students technology that will support them as they communicate across languages and build a supportive transnational community.
FULLY FUNDED! Dr. Walsh's classroom raised $783
This project is fully funded
My Project
The pandemic greatly limited our students’ opportunities for peer-to-peer interactions. We find that our students are often more hesitant to interact and share ideas and opinions with peers than in previous years. This challenge is further exacerbated by the fact that Overland High School is one of the most linguistically diverse high schools in Colorado. Students in my classes come from over 20 countries and speak over 10 different languages. Our students often sit in groups with classmates who both speak their language and classmates who do not speak their language. This requires both teachers and students to be creative when it comes to communication. While the emphasis in my classes is always on developing students’ oral and written English, there are times when facilitating rapid and accurate communication takes precedent. Building community requires communication.
Luckily, electronic devices are increasingly capable of augmenting our ability to communicate across languages.
Handheld devices like the Samsung tablets I am requesting can translate documents and spoken language in real time. While students’ phones can perform this work adequately, phones also present a tempting distraction. Instead, I would like to provide them with tablets that can be placed at tables and passed between collaborating students. These devices will support the free flow of ideas and help students build supportive relationships with peers who have vastly different experiences than their own. Thanks for your support!
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Dr. Walsh and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.