In Colby Ford's classroom, a 43-inch monitor displays Spanish text, seamlessly translating his English lecture and instructions. At other times, it can convert his speech into Arabic or Samoan—or one of 80 languages.

This technology, fondly nicknamed a "translation station," is a live translanguaging system present in every science classroom at Murray High School. Soon, the system will be implemented in every Murray High classroom as well as be installed at Hillcrest and Riverview junior high schools.

Ford calls the system a “game-changer.” 

He said when he first set up his computer as a translation station last year, it allowed English language learners to become involved with the lessons and discussion. Previously, many of these students disengaged by resting their heads on desks or falling asleep because they didn’t understand. Now, they're actively participating and asking questions.

Murray High School has seen a growing number of multi-language learners in recent years, with many students needing extra support in learning English. According to the Utah State Office of Education, this trend is statewide. House Bill 432 in the state legislature aims to further assist these students.

Murray High Principal Quinn Linde is aware of the challenge and responsibility in providing education for every student. This year alone, more than 180 Murray High students require some level of English language support, most of whom are Hispanic or Pacific Islander.

“My goal is to have these translator screens in every core class within the next two years,” Linde said. “When teachers deliver instruction, all students hear it in English, but these English language learners also can read it in their mother tongue in live time.”

Ford, who heads the science department, said he first tried the idea of the translation station when he got a new computer and AI training. It only worked when PowerPoint was in use. 

“If I was doing anything else on my computer or showing a video, it didn’t work,” said the zoology teacher, who said “a large number of ELL students” enroll in his six sections.

But once Ford saw his students engaged, he knew it was an essential tool. So, he sought help from Jason Eyre, Murray School District’s technology department coordinator.

Eyre said science teachers realized the system was designed for hearing-impaired students, since the translation was displayed captions. However, when they realized the captions could provide live translations, they started experimenting with the system.

“What we’ve created feels almost magical,” Eyre said. “We just needed to tweak it with the Huddly camera that has five microphones at the top, and we used a donated monitor and an extra PC we had for fine tuning. We’ve used what we have so it hasn’t cost the District anything extra.”

The system uses the Huddly camera which tracks Ford's movements in the classroom. The AI in the camera translate Ford’s instructions into any of the languages his students speak, regardless of where he is in the room. Before, Ford relied on Google Translate, which was time-consuming.

Now, with the live translation, Ford can communicate instantly with students in their native languages. He estimates there are more than 100 English learners in science classes benefitting from this technology.

“The translation stations are making a huge difference,” he said. “My ELL students have raised their grades by a full letter and they're engaging with me in ways they never did before. Students who barely spoke English are now asking questions, laughing and participating in discussions.”

Eyre noted the success of the translation stations is also because of the data-driven approach of the science teachers. The teachers were quick to notice how the technology changed their classrooms, turning previously disengaged students into active learners.

“AI has helped turn what could have been a miserable classroom experience into one where students are not just learning, but also forming relationships with their teachers and peers,” Eyre said.

Ford, who speaks Thai and is working toward an English-as-a-Second-Language endorsement, said the data collected shows his ELL students are outperforming those from the previous year.

“The turnaround has been phenomenal,” he said. “If I could line my classroom with monitors, I would. It would mean almost every student could interact with me at any moment, and we would have a relationship, which would be awesome.”

Chemistry teacher David Vala, who speaks both English and Czech, also has embraced the translation station. He now focuses on using clear, simple language and avoids idioms, which often don’t translate well.

“It’s been a challenge with technical terms, but the program does its best,” Vala said. “The most important thing is students are now more involved. They understand the value of education and are empowered to learn more.”

The translation stations are still evolving. Physics teacher Conner Winder customized the system to allow easy switching between languages. With the touch of a button, the system can toggle between English, Spanish, Arabic, and other languages the students speak.

While there are some limitations—such as being able to translate only one language at a time—Ford believes this system is a huge step forward. They explored the possibility of having students use their Chromebooks for translation as a solution, but the same issue arose—students couldn’t use the translation feature while doing other tasks.

Ford and Eyre presented their findings at the Utah High School Education Technology Conference, where national organizations expressed interest in their work. 

“We found a benefit of the student being immersed into the classroom, not just immersed into what the teacher was saying,” Eyre said. “The live (translation) system has changed the way I thought about AI. It has changed the way I thought about translation and what it means to have a student in an active classroom.”

Eyre added the system possibly could support Navajo, to help preserve the indigenous language.

“We’re just starting to realize the potential of this technology,” Ford said. “It could lead to a translator app that displays multiple languages on split screens. The goal is to help students learn English while ensuring they understand the material in their native languages. They get a double benefit, which is why we’re so excited about it.”

Winder has even incorporated ChatGPT into his teaching, allowing students to ask questions and receive additional support, further enhancing their learning experience.

“We’re doing more than teaching science; we’re building relationships,” Ford said. “The best part of teaching is getting to know the students, and this technology is helping us connect with them like never before. It’s allowing them to bring their cultures into the classroom, which helps everyone learn more.”λ