CCheminot / Pixabay

I saw an infomercial Google made about how the Miami schools are using AI (it’s embedded at the bottom of this post).

As I’ve said many times, I think in most school situations, it’s a matter of minimizing the harm AI can do to students, with the exceptions of ELL students and students with learning challenges.

One part of the video that struck me was an ELL student saying how Google Gemini can do simultaneous translation for them – sharing on their screen in their home language what the teacher was saying in English.

I asked Gemini to explain to me how this was done.  It seems a bit complicated, and not as easy as Microsoft’s Translator (see Wow! Microsoft Translator Has Really Improved & Can Even Be More Helpful In The Classroom). But, if can’t use Microsoft Translator, it’s worth a try. Here’s how Gemini explained it:

Since the audio is coming from a live, in-person person in the room (not from a video or website), the solution requires a tool that can listen to the microphone and process the audio in real-time.
Here’s how you can likely achieve this on your Chromebook:

1. The Right Tool: A Live Transcribe & Translate App

The key is an application that can listen to ambient sound through your Chromebook’s microphone, transcribe it, and then translate it. The best option for this is the Google Live Transcribe & Sound Notifications app.

* How it works: This app is designed for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but it’s perfect for your situation. It uses your device’s microphone to listen to what’s being said in the room. As the teacher speaks, the app transcribes the words into text on your screen.

* The translation part: The app has a feature to “translate captions to” a different language. This means it can take the English transcription and display the text in your preferred language in real-time.

2. How to Set It Up on Your Chromebook

* Check for the App: Since Chromebooks run on Chrome OS and can often use Android apps, you should be able to find and install the app from the Google Play Store.

* Download and Install: Go to the Google Play Store on your Chromebook and search for “Live Transcribe & Sound Notifications” and install it.

* Permissions: The app will need permission to use your microphone. You will need to grant this permission for it to work.

* Set Up Languages: In the app’s settings, you can select the primary spoken language (English in this case) and your desired language for the translation.

* Offline Use: A crucial detail for a classroom setting is that you can often download language packs for offline use. This is a very important feature, as it means you won’t be dependent on the classroom’s Wi-Fi.

3. Practical Considerations in the Classroom

* Microphone Placement: For the best results, you’ll want to place your Chromebook’s microphone as close to the teacher as possible. This is where a small, external USB or Bluetooth microphone might be very helpful. If the teacher has a lapel microphone connected to a speaker system, you could also potentially use a line-in cable to your Chromebook’s microphone jack (if it has one).

* Battery Life: Real-time transcription and translation can use a lot of battery power, so make sure your Chromebook is fully charged or plugged in.

* Communication with the Teacher: It’s a good idea to talk to your teacher about what you are doing. It shows respect and can help them understand why you are using the device. They may even be able to assist you with microphone placement or other accommodations.

* Privacy: It’s important to be aware of the privacy settings. The Google Live Transcribe app states that the audio, voice data, and captions are processed on the device and not shared to the cloud. You can also turn on or off a “transcription history” feature, which would save the text on your device for a few days if you want to review it later.

In summary, a Chromebook is a great tool for this, and the Google Live Transcribe app is the best way to get real-time transcription and translation for a live, in-person classroom.

I’m adding this info to THE BEST RESOURCES TO HELP ELL STUDENTS WITH SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION IN THE CLASSROOM.

Here’s the Miami video: