Ok, this is random but I just attended a lecture at the JCC in Rockville about African refugees to Israel. The speaker was an Eritrean man who sought asylum in Israel and is now living in Silver Spring. Contact BINA to see if you can connect with him. Maybe he can help your student.
https://www.bina.org.il/en/contact-us/

.....what? I don’t think you or anyone can rely on google translate to educate a child who truly cannot speak any language aside from whatever you referenced is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google translate
Just speak English they will pick it up, your other students will know what to do. Make color and number books, read Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
Ummmm.... How are you a certified ESL teacher and not know this? Or are you a classroom teachers who only took the test to get their ESL certification?
FYI huge Eritrean community in Virginia

25+ teaching ESL

Why so snarky?

+1 not only snarky, but didn't bother to read OP's posts before responding. OP glad you got some good advice on this thread and GL.

OP, I think it's great that you are reaching out!

Can you ask the PTA to help find someone? Post on the listserve? Rope in the Principal?

No advice, OP, but please be kind to this child and impress to your students that they need to help her and be friendly as well. Life has been hard for her already. Perhaps you can assign a buddy?

Anonymous wrote:Google translate
Just speak English they will pick it up, your other students will know what to do. Make color and number books, read Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
Ummmm.... How are you a certified ESL teacher and not know this? Or are you a classroom teachers who only took the test to get their ESL certification?
FYI huge Eritrean community in Virginia

25+ teaching ESL

Why so snarky?

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Google translate. You can scan the text, and it will read it in any language.

In 1st grade, lots of visuals. Boardmaker or just clipart with pictures of necessities like bathroom, media center, cafeteria, playground etc so you can make visual schedules and help them learn the vocabulary.

Even if the language is not listed?

Definitely Google translate. You can scan the text, and it will read it in any language.

In 1st grade, lots of visuals. Boardmaker or just clipart with pictures of necessities like bathroom, media center, cafeteria, playground etc so you can make visual schedules and help them learn the vocabulary.

OP, it's possible that she may understand some Amharic.

Sorry but I’m not in DC but I do know we have one Ethiopian restaurant in the city. Thanks.

Anonymous wrote:Not an app, but there's this site: https://www.tigrinyatranslate.com/en/

This seems like it will fit the bill, OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a first grade teacher and I found out today that I am getting a new student who is a refugee from Eritrea who speaks Tigrinya. We have plenty of ELLs in our school but they all speak Spanish. Does anyone know of an app that might help with some interpretation?

DC has the largest number of Ethiopians living outside Ethiopia. (Eritrea used to be part of Ethiopia.). There has to be some translator somewhere within the school system. If not consult the SN teachers about alternative communication—pictures will do. Last resort, go to an Ethiopian restaurant and get some phrases translated.

That's a great idea and OP while I am sorry you don't have more support within the school system in terms of translating a language that apparently seven million speak I admire your courage and determination to accommodate your new student however you can. Good teachers see the big picture.

You can do a lot with pictures. We get non English speaking kids from around the world. We never can speak their languages and we don't use translators unless there is a big problem. We use gestures and pictures and they quickly learn to copy the other kids. It is pretty amazing how well they do when they are young without English. They pick up words quickly too.

It is much harder because we can't talk to the parents and pictures and gestures and copying doesn't work as well for adults.

Anonymous wrote:Are you in MCPS? There are liaisons for that community

No but we do have at least one interpreter for our district for this language. Just looking for something we can use in the moment. The fire alarm, for example, is ridiculous loud in our classroom and I don’t want this child to feel scared by it. As for the PP, I am a certified ESOL teacher and have worked in my district and in international schools for many years. I’ve never had one student in my school who is the only speaker of his/her language. Her language is not on Google Translate. I know how to teach her English but there are certain things that need to be communicated to a new student especially in the beginning.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a first grade teacher and I found out today that I am getting a new student who is a refugee from Eritrea who speaks Tigrinya. We have plenty of ELLs in our school but they all speak Spanish. Does anyone know of an app that might help with some interpretation?

DC has the largest number of Ethiopians living outside Ethiopia. (Eritrea used to be part of Ethiopia.). There has to be some translator somewhere within the school system. If not consult the SN teachers about alternative communication—pictures will do. Last resort, go to an Ethiopian restaurant and get some phrases translated.