of 6— Identify your top languages and communication types

What you'll accomplish

By the end of this guide, you'll have a library of your most-used parent communications translated into the top languages in your school — ready to send in seconds when you need them, reducing the dependence on phone interpreters for routine written communications and dramatically improving how effectively you reach multilingual families.

What you'll need

A free ChatGPT or Claude account
A list of your school's top 3-5 non-English languages (ask your main office)
Your most common parent letters and communications in English
A Google Drive folder to store translated versions
Time needed: 45-60 minutes to build your initial library; 2 min per new translation after
Cost: Free (ChatGPT or Claude free tiers handle translation well)

How-To Guide: Building a Multilingual Parent Communication Library

Step 1: Identify your top languages and communication types

Ask your main office what the top 5 non-English languages are in your school. For most counselors, Spanish will be first, but you may have significant populations speaking Portuguese, Vietnamese, Somali, Arabic, Haitian Creole, or Hmong.

Then list your top 5-8 parent communications:

Welcome letter / introduction to counseling services
Referral to community mental health services
504 accommodation notification to parent
College application season overview letter (high school)
Request for parent meeting
Crisis follow-up letter
General counseling check-in letter

What you should see: A short list of your most-needed communications and the languages you'll need.