33% Of Tulsa Public School Students Are Multilingual; Here's How TPS Meets Their Needs

Tulsa Public Schools is a big school district, and its students speak many different languages.

So how does the district manage to position itself to educate all of its students when many speak different languages?

News On 6 spoke with Gracye McCoy, TPS's Manager of English Language Development Pathways, about what the district does to help its students and teachers.

Language Diversity:

1. Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) students speak 67 different languages this year.
2. This number has decreased from 70-80 languages in previous years.
3. Common languages spoken by students include Spanish, Chuukese, Pashto, and Hmong.

Multi-Language Learners:

1. 33% of TPS students are multi-language learners.
2. An additional 5% are former multi-language learners who have achieved proficiency in English.

Technology Integration:

1. TPS uses Pocket Talk devices: portable translation tools that allow students to translate conversations and take pictures for translations. These devices are currently used in secondary schools.
2. The district also partners with Talking Points, a technology tool for translating communication between teachers/staff and families.

Resources for Teachers:

1. TPS provides asynchronous training, allowing teachers to log in anytime for strategies and resources.
2. The district offers monthly training from the language and cultural services team.
3. Teachers are provided with ready-to-use resources to support their work with multilingual students.