TalkingPoints is a communication tool, which allows teachers to send translated messages directly to parents’ or guardians’ phones. The tool’s translation feature supports over 100 languages, and will translate a teacher’s original message into a parents’ or guardians’ preferred language. Messages will be received in both the preferred language and English. Parents and guardians can respond in either their preferred language or English. It will translate the responding message into English and deliver it to the teacher. TalkingPoints can be accessed in a web browser or through a smartphone application. TalkingPoints is free for teachers and has a paid subscription with enhanced functionality for schools and districts.
TalkingPoints is a communication tool, which allows teachers to effectively communicate with students’ parents or guardians, including those whose native language is not English. TalkingPoints can work as an additional or alternative channel of communication with bilingual or multilingual families, or for emergency communications with parents.
Teachers write messages in English and parents and guardians receive the messages in English and the language of their choice. Teachers have the option to read messages in either English or the secondary language.
Communication with parents and guardians varies from urgent messages, important reminders, or emergencies, to field trip information and exchanges about student behavior. Through TalkingPoints, teachers can take polls to get feedback, and can send files, such as documents, photos, or videos.
Data sent through TalkingPoints belongs to the authors of the content, such as teachers, school administrators, families, or parents/guardians. The data is encrypted, made accessible only to designated users within the organization, and will not be shared outside TalkingPoints. TalkingPoints is fully compliant with FERPA and MFIPPA.