LINDALE, Texas — Lindale ISD is breaking language barriers through new and innovative technology in East Texas.
This is the first year Lindale ISD has about 20 foreign exchange students and not enough translators in the classroom.
With the help of a new set of programmed earbuds, all students have to do is connect to an app and receive real-time translations.
One of those students is tenth grader, Elianni Hendrick, who is from the Dominican Republic. Hendrick says she seen improvements in class since receiving the earbuds.
"It is the way they can access their curriculum. It's the way they access their relationships with their peers, with their teachers, what's being said in the classroom, just their whole day," Hendrick's teacher said.
Director of Student Services, Kristy Clouse, noticed how significant the language barrier was hindering the student's education and asked for an emergency grant from the Lindale Educational Fund.
"We knew we needed these tools very quickly. We have eleven different languages in Lindale that students speak as their first language," Clouse said.
The designated app has different modes allowing for the student to just listen or engage in conversation by having the teacher wear a headphone to hear their language translate in English.
"When they would put them on, you could just see the light on their face. They were surprised when they started hearing their teacher speak in their own language," Hendrick's teacher said.
Not only does this help students understand the content, but it helps the teacher understand the needs of the student better.