<![CDATA[Zab Translation Solutions

<![CDATA[Zab Translation Solutions - Blog]]>Wed, 01 May 2024 13:57:53 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[Localization in Education Translation]]>Tue, 09 Apr 2024 15:50:02 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/localization-in-education-translation

You know the importance of translation in K-12 education.

It’s legally required for parents with limited English proficiency to have the same meaningful access that English-proficient parents have. If you’re anywhere near a classroom, you want your students to succeed and you know that students succeed best with parental support.

The key to getting that support? Good communication. Sometimes it requires translation.

You may be much less familiar with the localization piece of translation.

Localization

Localization is customization to a specific place. It’s the cultural aspect of translation. It is frequently discussed in business translations, and often overlooked in education translation.

Consider Spanish or French. Both of these languages are spoken in several countries. While there is some crossover in language usage, each country has its distinct culture. Sometimes certain nouns and slang may be completely different. Idioms and other expressions will also differ. These language differences matter in translation.

For example, “avocado” is translated into Spanish as “el aguacate” or “la palta” (South America) depending on the region. “Apricot” is even worse with three different translations: “el albaricoque”, “el damasco” (South America), and “el chabacano” (Mexico).

Localization and Education

Localization matters in education because culture is part of education.

Consider how holidays, food traditions, and more are different across the world. Now, think about how much culture is in your curriculum.

Do you read stories about Halloween? Do you do math problems about Thanksgiving meals? Do you do holiday celebrations in your classroom?

These cultural references help your students stay engaged and excited about learning. But, they could be disengaging for the English language learners in your classroom if they haven’t experienced those cultural celebrations. Your students (and their parents) would benefit from more cultural context alongside communication about academic benchmarks and progress.

As you review your curriculum, workbooks, and textbooks, consider using materials that are available in translation. Choosing these materials over untranslated ones will make it that much easier for LEP parents to support their kids at school.

In addition to incorporating localization into translation and incorporating translated materials into your curriculum, you can take a global perspective by including stories and math problems about holidays, traditions, and food in other countries.

Translation and Localization

Find a translation provider experienced in education and is familiar with localization. These companies work with native speakers and have a global network of translators. Your translation provider can connect you with translators who can identify when additional cultural context is necessary and incorporate it in their translation.

Beyond working with a translation company familiar with localization, you also want to ensure that it has a sufficient proofing process in place to prevent translation errors. Having several translators working on the project ensures a high-quality finished product.

Zab Translation Solutions uses a three-step process for ensuring a high-quality translation:

1) Edit and Review: Our team conducts an initial review to catch errors and make any necessary edits after the translation is completed.
2) Formatting: Our team puts the translated text into the original file format that was submitted.
3) Final Proofing: Our team completes one final linguistic review of the translation in context to ensure all of the details are right.

A thorough translation process ensures you’re putting your best foot forward as you’re supporting your students in the classroom and working with parents. Localization will also make your classroom materials more accessible to English Language Learners and help them succeed.

]]><![CDATA[Should You Use International Employees as Translators?]]>Thu, 07 Mar 2024 16:31:17 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/should-you-use-international-employees-as-translators

Maybe you have bilingual people on your team. Whether they are native speakers or excelled in their language studies, they can do more than just get by.

And, your company is expanding into a region with that language.

So, that means they’re now responsible for translating your company’s user guides, marketing materials, and legal contracts, right?

Well, that’s probably not the best move for two reasons:

1) You hired them to a specific role at your company, and they need to maintain those responsibilities. Adding translation to those affects their ability to do their job. Perhaps it makes sense for them to oversee translation as a project manager or marketing director, but it doesn’t make sense for them to do the translation itself.
2) As good as their language skills are, they may use the language differently from native speakers. Further, they may miss cultural nuances a native speaker wouldn’t. Missing cultural nuances becomes even more likely if you studied abroad in France and your company is expanding to Canada.

It takes years to build up an initial fluency level in a language. And, even if someone speaks another language natively, they still may not qualify as a translator. Translators take language training to the next level: they specialize in an area of the language and earn certifications. Specialties include law, mechanics, medicine, education, etc.

If you want a translation done well, you want to pay a professional.

Take these gaffs as examples:

The Tegro weight-loss pill launched in French-speaking regions without vetting the pill’s name. It sounds like “T’es gros,” or “You’re fat.” That’s not great marketing to say the least.

The Braniff Airlines’ “Fly in Leather” campaign for its leather first-class seats was literally translated. But, without a lot of attention to regional Spanish-language expressions. So, “Vuela en Cuero” just sounded too much like “Vuela en Cueros,” or “Fly Naked.” “En cueros” is a Mexican expression for being naked.

Obviously, the airline wasn’t trying to promote nudist flights.

Many people remember Ronald Regan’s “Ich bin ein Berliner,” or “I’m a Berliner doughnut.” (A berliner is a jelly-filled doughnut.) The correct translation would have been “Ich bin Berliner.”

Even small grammar mistakes can derail your broader message and distract your audience.

Working with professional translators and translation companies will help ensure you have lots of eyes on your translation so you can avoid blunders and put your best foot forward.

What about all of the bilingual people on your team? They’ll be able to assess the translation quality and be incredibly valuable when you review terminology lists because they’ve put in the hard work of learning a second language.

]]><![CDATA[Brand Integrity and Terminology]]>Thu, 08 Feb 2024 21:36:52 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/brand-integrity-and-terminology

Emmanuel Margetic and Alice Stevens

Translation and localization are an investment that unlock new revenue streams for your business.

Useful products or services are not enough to build a successful business. You need strong sales and effective marketing to see success.

Effective marketing depends on consistency, trust, and connection. When you launch in a new region, you need to continue these three things in a different language and culture than you’ve marketed to before.

Translation and Terminology

Translation is a thoughtful process, so you need to work with your translation service provider to ensure consistency and clarity in your marketing and product materials. Taking an organized approach with a terminology management system will help you be consistent and clear in your new region.

For example, one of the largest tech companies in the world was working with a translation service provider that did not use terminology or style guides. (We’ll call them Tech Giant to comply with non-disclosure agreements.) Tech Giant noticed inconsistencies between translations, which affected the user experience on their platform in other regions. Company leaders recognized that they needed more consistency in their translations.

Creating a Terminology List and Management System

No matter the size of your business, setting up a terminology management system only differs in scale and complexity.

Start by consulting with your marketing team and technical writers about preferred terms, synonyms, trademarked terms, and conventions for acronyms and industry-specific language.

Include your translation company in the conversation for perspective on common translation approaches in your target language. Languages and culture vary by country. For example, your French translation for Canada may be different from your translation for Belgium. So, get your list reviewed by in-country experts to ensure accuracy.

For example, we reviewed all of Tech Giant’s software strings and documentation to create a 1000+ word terminology list when Tech Giant decided to work with Zab Translation Solutions. We worked with Tech Giant, translators, and other in-country partners to complete the terminology list.

In addition to a terminology list, you may also need a “do not translate” list. Trademarked terms or important brand terms should be on this list to provide global consistency and build your company’s credibility. Avoiding translations of trademarked terms helps ensure the defensibility of your trademark.

As you’re working on the terminology list, understand who all of the stakeholders are. Be sure to get their buy-in as you move forward with the list.

Industries and languages are constantly changing and adapting to new developments and trends. Develop plans to review and update your terminology lists regularly. Working with the tech company, we’ve added new terms regularly and created terminology lists for new languages as it expands into new regions.

Keeping your terminology list current ensures consistency as your company adapts to industry developments. It also ensures you deliver a positive customer experience in every region where you do business.

Taking care to ensure a good translation will help your marketing connect with audiences in your new region. It will also help ensure a positive customer experience, which will help you retain customers, find brand evangelists, and attract referrals.

It’s better to prevent problems than deal with the fallout of a marketing gaff or losing customers because of a poor experience caused by a bad translation. Using and updating a terminology list helps ensure you get a consistent, high-quality translation every time.

]]><![CDATA[Translation ROI]]>Wed, 17 Jan 2024 22:42:43 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/translation-roi

Translation and localization are an investment that unlock new revenue streams for your business.

If your product is software or online, it can be easy to create potential demand for your product in new regions. Gather data about what regions website visitors come from, as this information helps you gauge interest in your product in new markets.

If your website allows visitors to select their language, note which languages are most commonly selected. You’ll start with those languages first.

But, maybe you aren’t lucky enough to have that data available to you. Instead, something is holding you back. Whether it’s finding an affordable, reliable translation company or convincing your executive team. You need to assess the demand for your business in a new market and create a compelling business case and identify metrics for ROI.

Remember a few things:

1. Localization and translation are a long-term strategy and commitment.
2. Understand the opportunity cost of not expanding to new markets.
3. Compare costs of goods sold between your current market and new market.
4. Track costs and revenue over time. You should start seeing a return on your investment.

Long-term strategy

What are your business goals? Do you see your company expanding its services across the continent or even around the globe?

If you see your company growing and expanding internationally, then translation and localization will be necessary. The good news is that while you may pay higher rates per word initially, that cost goes down over time as you translate more into your target language. In other words, you’ll get a higher value for the money you spend over time.

Take small steps as you start to expand your business. Choose one country or region to begin. Once you’ve successfully launched in one new market, you’ll have more experience and launching into other regions will be easier.

Opportunity costs

Assess the value and interest in your product in your new market. Are you bringing something brand new to your market? What does your competition look like? Could you delay your launch?

Develop a business case for opening in a new region. Start with looking at data you already have, like where your website gets traffic from.

Maybe you don’t have a business case that’s already clear. In this case, you need to research your new region and target market. Gather the following information about your audience:

• Types of software and tech used
• Pain points and problems they need solved
• Average income of your target market
• Current pricing and product quality of competitors, if they exist
• Media exposure -- where should you advertise
• Cultural preferences for brand visual style and messaging
• Legal requirements for conducting business in your target region

You need to understand the value of opening in a new market and what it will take to launch before you start moving in that direction.

Cost Of Goods Sold (COGS) assessment

Next, you need some numbers. Consider how much it costs to create and provide your service in your current region. This number includes developers, writers, marketers, and sales representatives.

Now, consider the cost of localization and translation. This number may include some developer time depending on how ready your code is for translation.

To really narrow in on the cost difference -- compare how much you pay for the written content to be produced (salary of tech writers, designers, and marketers) with how much you’ll pay for translation.

Paying for translation maximizes the impact your team has at a fraction of the price.

Track costs and revenue over time

Once you’ve made the investment and launched, you’ll need to track your return. Chart costs and revenue in your new market to visualize your return. Overtime, you should see increasing revenue that more than covers your costs.

Translation and localization have higher upfront costs. Once the initial work is done, the maintenance costs tend to be low. So, once you’ve expanded into a new region, it can be relatively inexpensive to grow in that market.

After you’ve successfully expanded into one new market, you can take those learnings to successful launches in other international markets to continue to grow your business.

References:

https://multilingual.com/articles/responding-to-translation-price-reduction-requests/
https://www.globallyspeakingradio.com/episodes/tracking-data-to-prove-roi/

]]><![CDATA[How to Vet Translation Companies]]>Mon, 23 Oct 2023 20:36:51 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/vet-translation-companies

You’ve got great marketing and informational materials that need to reach a linguistically diverse audience in the United States.

You’re getting ready to launch your SaaS product globally.

You need protected information translated so you can communicate with a patient.

You need to discuss student progress with a parent who has limited English proficiency.

What do all of these scenarios have in common?

They all need translation services. Whatever your reason for needing translation, your next step is vetting translation companies.

Use the four criteria below to find a great translation company:

1. Expertise and Experience
2. Translation Quality and Process
3. Data Security and Privacy
4. Reliability

1. Expertise and Experience

To understand a company’s experience in translation, look at the company’s time in business. The longer a company has operated, the more projects it has completed. A company’s longevity can indicate experience. If you’re considering a newer translation company, look at the experience its leadership has in the industry.

Evaluating a company’s expertise is a little different. Find out if the translation company has completed projects like yours before. If you’re in a niche industry, you may want to look for more specialization in your niche.

Next, you need to learn about the company’s translator network. Depending on your needs, evaluate the network on breadth and depth. Breadth matters if you’ll request translations in a number of languages. If you just need one or two languages, the breadth of the company’s translator network may not matter.

The depth of the translator network is all about expertise. Look for a translation company that contracts with native speakers who live in a country where that language is spoken. You should also check that translators have experience in your industry, whether it’s tech, education, manufacturing, legal contracts, etc. Industry experience ensures familiarity with jargon and specific terms so that they’ll be translated correctly.

2. Translation Quality and Process

Unless you speak the target language, it’s hard to know how good a translation is. Instead, you need to evaluate the translation process and quality assurance checks a company offers.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed criteria for translations to ensure consistency. Your translation company should know what these are and follow them.

Beyond following ISO guidelines, your translation company should have a clear translation process that includes multiple quality checks.

First, the translation company should look at the project details and give you an estimate. Once, you’ve approved the project, it’ll go to a translator. While most translation companies use translation software to lower costs and increase speed, you want a human translator working on it to ensure a high-quality end result.

Once the translation is finished, it should be edited and reviewed. Once any errors are fixed, it moves into formatting. In formatting, the translation will be put into context. For example, the translated text for a flyer, would be put back into the original flyer design.

Next, is final proofing where an in-context linguistic analysis is completed in case any translation errors slipped through. Then, the translation is finally ready to be delivered to you.

3. Data Security and Privacy

Privacy matters to your business. As you get websites, apps, legal contracts, etc. translated, you want to keep your competitive edge by ensuring your company’s proprietary information is not disclosed to others. Your translation company should have up-to-date data security practices and be willing to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Depending on your industry, you may need a translation company that complies with HIPAA, FERPA, and GDPR rules. If your translations need to meet specific regulatory requirements, check that your translation company understands and follows them.

4. Reliability

Many factors combine to make a translation company reliable. Most importantly, you want to understand how good its customer service is. Observe how the company responds to your questions. Ask about what happens if there’s an issue with the final translation.

You should also understand what the final product will look like. Learn how the translation company formats and delivers the translation. Make sure you’ll get a ready-to-use product.

On your translation projects, you’ll have a budget and a timeline. Ask how the translation company ensures projects are on budget and on time. Another consideration for costs and timeline is finding a company that can help you balance those limitations successfully against translation quality. While it’s always best to have the highest quality translation, it’s nice to have some flexibility.

Thoroughly vetting translation companies will help ensure you pick one that meets your needs, delivers high quality translation products, and offers responsive customer service.

Your marketing and informational materials will be connect better with your target audiences.

You’ll set your global launch up for success.

Your patient will understand important health information.

Your student’s parents will be able to support their academic success.

]]><![CDATA[What to know about sending files to Zab]]>Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:42:38 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/zab-file-submission

Translation is an important and exciting process – whether you’re expanding your business or communicating with families at your school. We love helping companies establish a strong brand in new regions and making communication easy across language barriers.

In 2022, we translated files into over 115 languages for our clients – from Spanish and Simplified Chinese to Ukranian and Somali. Whatever language you need translated, we probably already have translators ready to work on your project.

Below you’ll learn more about what file types we process and how to submit files for translation.

File Types

We work with many types of files. Below is a list of files that we typically work with.

Writing and Data Files	Design Files	Resource Files
• Microsoft Word	• Adobe InDesign	• JSON
• Microsoft Excel	• Adobe Illustrator	• PHP
• Microsoft PowerPoint	• Canva	• PO/POT
• Scanned documents	• Canva	• Properties
• HTML	• Articulate 360/RISE	• RC
• CSV		• RESX
		• XLIFF
		• XML

If you are using a file type not listed above, please let us know what kind of file you’re working with because we will likely be able to work with it.

Keep in mind that additional work is required for scanned documents, and we may not be able to match the style and fonts exactly.

Below you’ll learn more about what file types we process and how to submit files for translation.

File Submission Instructions

Please follow the instructions below to ensure we deliver a high-quality final product.

When you submit your files for translation, please send us two things:

• the original source file and
• a PDF of the final English version (if available).

Send these documents to your solutions consultant via email. If your files are too big or require another submission method, talk to your solutions consultant about other options.

We use the primary source file for translation and can accommodate multiple languages.

We use the PDF file to make sure we’re matching style and formatting for the translated final product.

If you only have a PDF file, we can still work with it. However, accessing the primary source files allows us to more easily match the formatting and style.

Keep in mind that some fonts don’t support all languages, so we may make minor changes to best accommodate matching your style guide and delivering a quality written translation.

Special Instructions for Adobe InDesign File Submission

For best results, we need a file package for Adobe InDesign that includes

• source links,
• .INDD file,
• .IDML file, and
• fonts.

To export a package, click File>> Package>>Package.

When the window displays, double check that the following boxes are checked:

• Copy fonts
• Copy linked graphics
• Update graphic links in package
• Include .IDML
• Include .PDF

Below is what the package folder should look like when you submit it.

Once the file package is completed, send it to us via email. If you have larger files, talk to our team about other ways to submit your documents.

Need help with translation? Request a quote to connect with one of our solutions consultants.

]]><![CDATA[How To: Make Sure Your District Budgets for Translation]]>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 06:00:00 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/advocate-for-translation-in-school-budget

You’re on the frontlines of education. You work directly with students and parents daily.

You know what resources you need. It’s just a matter of working with your school and district to ensure those needs are met.

If you work with a lot of English-language learners, chances are you’ve run into the need for interpretation or translation. Had your school planned for these costs?

If you need more funding for translation, you need to ensure that it’s part of the school district’s budgeting process. Starting these conversations early can help you get a sense of the resources available to your district and ensure you have the resources you need next year.

Who to talk to about budgeting for translation

You need to know who’s involved in the budgeting process. We’ll review basics about who manages the budgeting process, but remember that some of these things can vary by state and school district.

• Superintendent: oversees school district budget and budgeting process
• Assistant superintendent / chief business official / budget administrator: creates and presents budget preparation guidelines for the next school year
• School Board: reviews and approves budget process, guidelines, and calendar
• School administrators: assists in budget development as assigned by the superintendent
• Principal: oversees budget at the school-level
• School employees: offer feedback and make budget requests

When to start conversations about budgeting for translation

Planning and budgeting for the next school year is a year-long process that starts in the fall. We’ll review how this process works and ways you can get translation into the conversation earlier, rather than later.

Fall – Set Goals and Priorities

The superintendent and other school administrators start working on budget guidelines, due dates, and the development process for the district in the fall.

Fall seems early to start thinking about the next school year. However, if you ran into translation funding shortfalls last year, now’s a good time to flag it as a priority for your school.

Working with your principal, make sure that translation funding is on the school district’s priority list.

Winter – Create School District Budget

School districts start creating the budget during the winter. It gets busy during this season, especially since it’s holiday season. However, keep tabs on conversations around the budget. Talk to your principal to see if they have any updates, and offer another reminder of translation’s role in the success of your students.

Spring – Schools Create Their Budgets

Once the district sets its budget, it allocates funds to each school. Your principal will start making decisions for your school based on this information. Here’s where you can learn more about how your school specifically will cover translation costs.

Remember that budgets have to be submitted and approved before going into effect, so there is still an opportunity to make changes if needed.

Summer – Reporting and Making Adjustments

During the summer, schools finish reporting for the school year and end the fiscal year. They also submit their finalized budgets and funding requests. Based on what comes back after approval, there may be additional changes. If you’re lucky, you may be approved for more that you thought or exactly what you requested. If not, you’ll need to consider areas for making cuts.

How to make the case for translation

As you prepare to talk to the school board and your principal about budgeting for translation, keep a few things in mind:

1) Budgets are detailed and have many parts. They allocate funding for buses, staff salary and benefits, building upkeep, any debt the school district has, etc. There are often competing priorities, and it can be easy for certain programs to be forgotten.
2) Data is your friend. Your school district and principal need a tangible way to justify how they allocate funds. Information on student demographics and parent English proficiency will help your district prioritize translation funding appropriately.
3) Stories are memorable. While data makes a strong case, combine it with a story or two to make it tangible. Maybe a family had a really positive experience, or a student made really good progress academically because there was good communication facilitated by translation.

Here’s an example of what you can say:

“I was looking at the student body, and X percent of our students are English language learners or have parents with limited English proficiency. Building strong parent-teacher relationships is tricky with a language barrier. I want to make sure that we’re setting aside enough resources for interpretation and translation next year so we’re offering the same opportunities to parents for involvement at school and that our students get support from home.”

Depending on the response, it may be worth adding a gentle reminder that translation is a requirement of schools. However, keep in mind that the Office of Civil Rights considers budgetary limitations and overall need for translation when enforcing its requirements.

In other words, maybe your school district can only cover translations for specific notices, like IEP or 504 plans, because it is a small district with a limited budget and a small population of English-language learners. Expectations on budgeting for translation in districts with more funds or higher populations of English-language learners would be higher.

Remember that while most of the funding for translation services comes from state and local allocations, there are a few federal programs that supplement these costs in certain areas. The specifics can vary by school and depend on the program, so asking more questions about how your school can access these funds will also help move the conversation along.

Expressing your school’s need for translation and working with your principal and school district to ensure planning for these costs will make it easier to establish positive relationships with parents and support your students next year.

Do you need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email request@zabtranslation.com to ask for service and pricing details.

]]><![CDATA[How To: Translation Budgeting for School Districts]]>Mon, 02 Oct 2023 06:00:00 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/school-district-translation-budget

Every fall you start planning the school district’s budget for the following year. It’s a multi-faceted task. It’s hard to forget to fund salaries or buses, but other items can be overlooked or deprioritized.

Translation sometimes falls into that category. However, it should be a higher priority for school districts across the United States to address the needs of students and parents with limited English proficiency, particularly as those populations grow.

Between 2010 and 2020, the number of English-language learners grew by half a million. English-language learners are about 10 percent of total enrollment in US public schools. The most common language of these students is Spanish (75 percent). Other common languages include Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

While some schools have a much higher proportion of English-language learners in their student bodies, translation is something all school districts should be looking at to meet regulatory requirements and ensure students have the support they need at home.

Why budget for translation

According to a May 1970 memo, schools must offer all parents the same meaningful access to information, including details about school events, student performance, and parental participation.

Since the emphasis is on meaningful access, translation or interpretive services may be necessary to provide information to parents who have limited English proficiency.

The Office of Civil Rights is part of the Department of Education that protects equal access in education, including ensuring that translation services are being provided by schools to parents when necessary.

Schools cannot charge parents for translation or interpretive services, so you need to plan to cover those expenses. Planning for these costs will help prevent lawsuits and regulatory issues from arising.

Most of the funding for translation in your school district will come from state and local sources. There are some federal programs that provide supplemental funding for translation for specific requirements, so it’s important to assess how these apply to schools in your district.

How to budget for translation

As you start to budget for translation, you’ll need to look at the needs in your district and understand the costs of translation and interpretive services.

Assess needs

Your school district’s translation needs will vary based on several factors: the demographics of your school districts, parent-district engagement, types of communication sent, and your overall budget and program size. These are also the criteria the Office of Civil Rights uses to evaluate whether a school is meeting its translation obligations.

You’ll need to make these considerations at the district level and for individual schools as you allocate funding to meet needs.

Demographics

First, consider the demographics of your current enrollment. What proportion of the student body are English-language learners? What proportion of parents have limited English proficiency?

Information from school welcome centers and ELL programs will help you make this assessment.

As you consider the current demographics, you should also look at the projected demographics of the incoming kindergarten class. This information will help you understand any demographic changes that your budget will need to address to meet changing needs.

The more ELL students you have, the more you’ll need to prioritize translation in your budget.

Engagement

Next, consider how much engagement your school district has with parents and the community. The more engagement you have, the more you’ll need to weigh translation costs as you make budgetary decisions.

Types of Communication

Schools do a lot of communicating with parents – from weekly newsletters to student report cards, it can be a lot to translate. If your school district has a tight budget, it may not be able to translate every communication. However, the most important notices must be translated for parents.

If you’re working with a small budget, make communication priorities part of your guidelines.

Overall Budget and Program Size

If you’re running a large program with a generous budget, it can be easier to ensure adequate funding for translation. Smaller budgets for smaller programs can be trickier. However, it comes back to prioritizing what communication is critical to translate.

Estimate costs

After you’ve assessed what your school district’s translation needs are, you need to understand how the translation industry works and what market rates are.

Translation services are different from interpretive services since they focus on written language. Because translation focuses on written language, it’s much easier to scale and the cost per word will decrease over time.

When you work with a translation company, you may start with a glossary for terms for how you want specific things translated. This terminology list will be followed and added to as you keep sending documents for translation. In other words, if a phrase appears multiple times in a document, you may have to pay full price for its translation once depending on the context.

Some documents are specific to certain students and require privacy considerations. However, when you’re translating a document for mass communication like a newsletter, it only needs to be translated once. After the document is in the target language, you can send it to as many people as you’d like.

To compare translation services and rates, start by sending out a Request for Pricing or a Request for Proposals (RFP). Looking at the responses will give you a sense of the market rates and budget accordingly.

How to vet translation companies

Once you’ve budgeted for translation, you’ll need to choose a translation company. Since you’re likely going to use their services over a long period of time, vet companies carefully to ensure you choose an experienced, reliable company.

Create an RFP

When you make an RFP, include information about your translation needs – languages and types of documents. Be thorough with this information so the translation company can be equally thorough in its response.

Once you receive responses to your RFP, look at the pricing breakdown. What’s the formatting cost, the translation cost, etc.?

Check for experience

You also need to check the company’s experience and expertise. Does the company hire native speakers? Are the translators familiar with K-12 education and translating documents in that field? How does the company ensure a quality translation?

Ensure FERPA compliance and data security

Since some of the documents your schools will need translations for will be protected student information, you need to know how the company addresses data security and complies with FERPA.

Budgeting adequately for translation services will ensure that your school district complies with regulations and that all parents in your school district can support their child’s academic growth.

Need translation services in your school district? Get a quick quote or email request@zabtranslation.com to ask for service and pricing details.

]]><![CDATA[5 Things to Know About the SBA STEP Grant]]>Tue, 26 Sep 2023 06:00:00 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/5-things-to-know-about-the-sba-step-grant

Big dreams and hard work.

That’s what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and you have it in spades. The next thing you need to build on your success?

Funding.

If you’re a small business in Utah with dreams of expanding to global markets, you’re in luck. The U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) offers grants to help cover the costs of bring your business to countries around the world.

Below are 5 things to know about the SBA STEP Grant.

1. $500,000 is available in Utah.
2. The maximum annual award for the SBA STEP Grant is $15,000.
3. Small businesses must meet eligibility requirements.
4. SBA STEP funds can be used for business expenses related to international expansion.
5. Applying for the grant has a few steps.

1. $500,000 is available in Utah.

The SBA is making $500,000 available to Utah small businesses through STEP. These funds will be managed by the World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah) and the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO).

2. The maximum annual award for the SBA STEP Grant is $15,000.

Eligible small businesses may receive up to $15,000 in funding to cover business expenses related to expanding to an international market.

Grant recipients must provide a 25 percent cash match to their total grant award. A company receiving the maximum award will need to match $3,750.

3. Small businesses must meet eligibility requirements.

According to the SBA STEP Grant’s page,, your business must meet the requirements below:

• An “eligible small business concern”
• A for-profit business registered in Utah
• Physically located and operational in Utah for at least one year
• Not barred from federal funds
• One or more full-time employees
• Export-ready company seeking to export goods or services of U.S. origin or have at least 51 percent U.S. content
• Sufficient resources to bear the costs associated with trade
• Small businesses in accordance with SBA Small Business Standards

The following businesses are not eligible:

• Nonprofits
• Educational institutions or for-profit schools recruiting students
• Law, accounting, and financial firms
• Consulting agencies
• Hospitality or tourism operators
• Real estate developers
• Multi-level marketing, direct sales, or network marketing companies
• Foreign-based companies or companies more than 49 percent foreign owned
• Companies, organizations, or individuals recruiting foreign direct investment
• Companies engaged in illegal activity (federal or state law)
• Companies that present performances of a sexual nature or specialize in selling products or services of a sexual nature
• Companies getting more than one third of their gross annual revenue from legal gambling

4. SBA STEP funds can be used for business expenses related to international expansion.

These expenses include translation and localization services, travel to international trade shows, sales trips, or business meetings, preparing marketing materials for new markets, or using U.S. Department of Commerce services.

Permissible travel costs include economy airfare and baggage fees, ground transportation, parking, lodging, currency exchange fees, and meeting spaces.

Other expenses related to travel, like passports, visas, entertainment, etc. are not covered by SBA STEP Grant funding.

5. Applying for the SBA STEP Grant has a few steps.

First, you need to confirm that you’re eligible to apply for the grant. Begin by submitting the questionnaire on WTC Utah’s website.

If you’re eligible to apply, you’ll receive login credentials where you can complete the application.

Do you need translation or localization services for your company? Get a quick quote or email request@zabtranslation.com to ask for service and pricing details.

]]><![CDATA[Federal Funding for Translation in K-12 Schools]]>Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:49:49 GMThttp://zabtranslation.com/blog/federal-funding-for-translation-in-k-12-schools

You’re trying to communicate with parents about their child’s academic performance and get their support from home. The only challenge?

A language barrier.

Translation allows you to overcome that challenge, so the next thing to address is how to pay for it. Many districts aren’t aware that there is federal funding available to supplement state and local funding for translation in schools. We’ll cover the basics of federal funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Title I, Part A and Title III, Part A.

Translation Obligations and Funding

Schools are required to make information shared with parents accessible regardless of proficiency in English. They also may not charge parents for translation. Local and state public school funding are the primary resources for covering the costs of translation services. Ask your principal about how state and local school funding is allocated for translation at your school.

Supplemental federal funding is available to cover certain translation costs under IDEA, ESSA Title I, Part A, and ESSA Title III, Part A. While these laws cover educational needs more broadly, we’ll review what these programs require and cover specifically for translation below.

IDEA

IDEA ensures that students with disabilities have access to a free public education and receive any additional educational services they need. When it comes to conducting student assessments and communicating with parents who are not proficient in English, translation services are necessary.

IDEA funding may be used to pay for translation services that meet its requirements, including

• student assessments,
• notices about identification, evaluation, and educational placement of student,
• requests for consent for educational services, and
• notification of right to confidentiality.

ESSA Title I, Part A

Generally speaking, Title I funds can be used to fill Title I-specific requirements, including

• achievement information,
• report cards of state and local educational agencies,
• Parents’ Right to Know,
• school’s Title I plan,
• school and parent programs, meetings, activities and planning for those events,
• Parent and Family Engagement policy,
• School Improvement identification and all necessary details and rights related to that identification, and
• information about student identification as an English Learner and details about instruction programs.

Schools using Title I funding fall into two categories: Schoolwide Programs and Targeted Assistance Programs. Specific rules about funding use can vary based on which category your school falls into. Talk to your principal and district for more information about your school specifically.

Schoolwide Programs have at least 40 percent low-income student population. These schools can use Title I funds to benefit all students using a schoolwide plan based on a comprehensive needs assessment.

Targeted Assistance Programs offer supplementary education services to students selected to participate in Title I. These schools must use scientifically-based research.

ESSA Title III, Part A

You can use Title III funds to pay for translations of any required notices and communication to parents and guardians in Title III. This communication centers on student identification and placement in a language instruction program. You’ll need to provide details about the program, other program options available, how the student specifically will benefit, and information on how parents can be involved. If applicable, you’ll also need to notify parents of failure to meet the Title III Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs).

Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and State Educational Agencies (SEAs) can use Title III funds to contract with a translation company to provide these notices. LEAs can also use Title III funds to cover supplemental translation and interpretation services that are specific to Title III services and students.

In other words, Title III funding cannot be used for translation required by other laws or regulatory entities, like the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), IDEA, and Title I.

It may be that your school district has a contract with a translation company to do all of the translation work you need. The funding you use to pay for these services will change based on what regulatory requirement the document fills.

Understanding funding guidelines and availability will help you get the translation services you need to connect with parents and ensure your students have the support they need.

Need help with translation at your school? Get a quick quote or email request@zabtranslation.com to ask for service and pricing details.

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