Spanish V students at Marshalltown High School put their bilingual skills to work for the Chamber of Commerce this year, translating a relocation packet for new residents.
Over half of the Spanish V students are alumni of the district Dual Language Program, which provides instruction for students in Spanish and English with the goal of dual proficiency. In Spanish V students engage in learning apprenticeships to hone their language skills and gain real-world experience.
The class already has an ongoing project translating McFarland Clinic’s quarterly newsletter and receiving feedback from their on-site translators. Last fall they began work on a 20-page translation of the Chamber relocation packet, which provides information to new residents about schools, churches, housing, employers, services, etc.
Working in small groups one day a week throughout the first semester, the 40 students researched proper translations, located reliable sources, and proofread material. Joan Jaimes, outreach counselor for the Marshalltown Education Partnership and a native Spanish speaker, helped edit the final product.
The project was presented to the Chamber and is now available for download from the Chamber of Commerce website: http://www.marshalltown.org/pdf/Spanishonlineversion.pdf
