Department
Speech-Language Pathology
Format of Presentation
Poster
Research Category
Health Sciences
Description
In many classrooms across Mississippi, the number of English Language Learners, also known as ELL students, are increasing each school year. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has 12,000 ELL students just within our state. Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) must rely on a firm understanding of the culture, the case history obtained for the client, and assess normal communicative patterns of the client’s dominant language as well as normal patterns of the client’s second language acquisition. With this information in mind, it is evident that SLPs need to acquire a certain subset of diagnostic skills prior to engaging in language assessment with bilingual children. This current study is aimed to determine the possibility for SLPs to be accompanied by language interpreters in school systems across Mississippi with large populations of ELL students. This study will consist of two surveys. The first survey will analyze the number of verified interpreters working in Mississippi, or within a 30-mile radius. The second survey will evaluate the school’s SLP’s perception on the need for a Language Interpreter based on the number and languages of the ELL students in their school system. The goal for the research study is to show if it would be beneficial for each school system to have an interpreter, what languages need to be targeted for each individual school system, and if the possibility is even an option.
Recommended Citation
ledbetter, Maggie, "Language Interpreters in School Systems" (2024). Undergraduate Research Conference. 3.
https://athenacommons.muw.edu/urc/2024/posters-ii/3
Language Interpreters in School Systems
In many classrooms across Mississippi, the number of English Language Learners, also known as ELL students, are increasing each school year. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has 12,000 ELL students just within our state. Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) must rely on a firm understanding of the culture, the case history obtained for the client, and assess normal communicative patterns of the client’s dominant language as well as normal patterns of the client’s second language acquisition. With this information in mind, it is evident that SLPs need to acquire a certain subset of diagnostic skills prior to engaging in language assessment with bilingual children. This current study is aimed to determine the possibility for SLPs to be accompanied by language interpreters in school systems across Mississippi with large populations of ELL students. This study will consist of two surveys. The first survey will analyze the number of verified interpreters working in Mississippi, or within a 30-mile radius. The second survey will evaluate the school’s SLP’s perception on the need for a Language Interpreter based on the number and languages of the ELL students in their school system. The goal for the research study is to show if it would be beneficial for each school system to have an interpreter, what languages need to be targeted for each individual school system, and if the possibility is even an option.