Newcastle University

Parents have intimate knowledge of the languages their children use outside of the school environment. Given the complexity of Roma languages in particular, it is therefore parents who can provide the most knowledgeable translation for educational purposes.

This translation is often a mix of languages used in and around a child’s home. In this project parents have offered their expert knowledge to translate characters’ speech for the enquiries in Newcastle; to write and translate responses to art work for an art gallery in France; and to write, translate and make children’s books in Finland (work ongoing).

This process offers a meaningful opportunity for parents and the school to work together for the benefit of children’s learning. We’re grateful to parents Marta and Laco for their incredible work translating and recording voices for Enquiry 1 Great Fire of Tyneside and Enquiry 2 Ancient Mesopotamia.