Microsoft Translator is a free, personal translation app for more than 70 languages, to translate text, voice, conversations, camera photos and screenshots. It has significantly more unique languages than Microsoft Translator. For example, Microsoft doesn’t support languages like Yiddish and Xhosa. In essence, if you’re looking for as many language pairs as possible, Google Translate is the way to go.
Microsoft translator can me used in multiple settings in life including the classroom. It can be used as a captioning or transcription tool. It can also add captions to meetings or create transcripts for classroom conversations. It is also used in professional settings like work zoom meetings.
Microsoft translator has a mobile app that allows teachers to have real time conversations with someone who does not speak their same language. It can also be used to translate menus, posters, and other written words.
Microsoft Translator in the Classroom
Student to teacher communication is just as important as student to student communication in classrooms. Students who come to school from non-english speaking countries, or if english isn’t their first language have the same right as everyone else to communicate in the classroom. Students have a personal translator with them if they don’t speak the same language as their teacher, but say this translator is sick, or this student wants to communicate with other students on the school yard. This is where Microsoft Translator comes in handy.
It is amazing that Microsoft Translator can reach 70 different languages. This technology is one of the many improvements that can really impact the world. This is a way that we as educators could have all students with quality education.