TalkingPoints is a communication tool that works between school and home. More than that, it is also a multilingual translation tool that makes communication between languages much easier.
The company behind this app has shown research suggesting that its use has reduced absenteeism rates by 24% in Tulsa public schools. And that is just one positive result of its many uses.
The system has also been shown to improve math test scores as well as overall academic performance, with huge results for underserved students in particular.
This guide aims to explain everything you need to know about TalkingPoints to see if it could work where you study.
What is TalkingPoints?
Talking points is an app-based system to facilitate communication between schools and homes. This works from teacher to parent, but is also district-wide and well supported, making it easy to use.
Currently used by two in three U.S. schools and one in two districts, it is a proven success and reaches more than five million families and educators in every state.
The tool focuses on family engagement with an ai-assisted translation service that helps make this possible across language barriers.
The provider focuses on data security to ensure that both parents and teachers can use it without worries. It is certified by FERPA, CSPC and AICPA, making it compliant with federal and state standards.
How does TalkingPoints work?
TalkingPoints can be configured at the teacher, school, or district level with many controls. Ultimately, it connects teachers and parents/guardians in the app. Once this is done, the platform can be used to communicate directly, within the application.
Thanks to push notifications, it appears like any other messaging app, allowing for near-live communication between schools and homes.
Teachers can send messages in their native language and they will appear on parents' devices in the language they have set as their own. So a teacher could send a message in English and it would appear in Spanish, for example. The parent responds in Spanish and the teacher makes it appear in English. A seamless round trip thanks to ai-assisted translation intelligence.
What are the best features of TalkingPoints?
TalkingPoints offers a truly powerful translation feature, meaning communications are accurate despite any language barriers. The platform translates no less than 150 languages.
While most translations use machine translation, with human support as well, there are some more specialized languages that still use human-translated templates. A school-focused glossary ensures that words from the educational context are used to avoid confusion and make the most sense.
The ease of use makes this a really attractive option as it is just like sending a text message. Not only is it easy to get teachers up and running right away, but it's also easy for all parents and guardians to interact with the app with very little help. And with tutorial videos on the company's website, adoption can be a simple process too.
Translation goes beyond messages, as teachers can now upload videos and parents can select the “help me understand” option to get subtitles in their own language overlaid.
How much does TalkingPoints cost?
TalkingPoints works on a pricing system that you must pay to access the application. These are uploaded at the school or district level with custom prices which varies to adapt to the scale of needs. For this reason, investing at the district level may be a more economically viable option.
Top TalkingPoints Tips and Tricks
practice at school
Use the app in school among teachers to practice, initially, to resolve any issues before rolling it out to families.
Encourage following
If there is any confusion it is important to encourage a face-to-face meeting, with human translation, to avoid any miscommunication digitally.
Convey
Use groups and classes to deliver messages that reach many families to save teachers time and keep families informed.
