Resources to Minimize the Language Barrier

Resources to Minimize the Language Barrier

At the 2024 Becker Forum in Syracuse, hosted by the New York State Vegetable Growers Association, farm owners requested some resources from the Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development to help bridge the gap between language barriers. Below are some of the tools to help your workforce overcome some of these common issues on farm:

Translation Tool for Any Language:

• SpanishDict: all-encompassing app with translation capabilities and even basic lessons.
• Lingee: for translation accuracy; it compares against other previously translated materials.

• Camera Translator (Apple) (Androiiod) move your camera over words and have them translated in real time.
• Talkao – voice translator
• Whatsapp – all internationals use this app because it is free (off ofusing Wi-Fi) to talk globally. Inside of Whatsapp there is a small button that uses GoogleTranslate (Apple) (Androiiod) to translate any messages. (Only for Androiiod, Apple will need to copy and paste)

Language Learning Apps for any phone (free versions tend to be limited):

• Duolingo
• Babbel
• Memrise
• AnkiMobile or AnkiDroid (flashcard apps)
• Tandem Language Exchange (talk to real people in their native language)
• Italki (real teachers, pay per tutoring session)
• Rype (one on one instruction – cost: 8 lessons/month is $59.99/month for a six-month subscription)
• L360 (DriodAndroid) / L360 (Apple) – News in Slow Spanish – depending on level of the student

Learn Spanish Tools:

Classes:

• University of Wisconsin Farm and Industry SPANISH FOR DAIRY INDUSTRY SERIES (Fall 2024, SPRING 2025) Cost around $200 per series
• Agvo Kate: 8-week sessions featuring live Zoom sessions, catered specifically for the Agricultural world. Cost $598
• Spanish Pod 101 – Short Audio & Video Lessons for Fast and Easy Learning

Free Written Materials:

• Spanish for Agribusiness Owners by Michigan State University

• Bilingual Dairy Workers Flashcards by the University of WI-Extension

Podcasts:

• Easy Spanish
• News in Slow Spanish
• CoffeeBreak Spanish
• Duolingo Spanish Podcast
• Learn Spanish con Salsa
• Doorway to Mexico
• Radio Ambulante
• StoryLearning Spanish
• Uplevel Dairy Podcast – For dairy owners and managers about business, management and leadership with some sessions in Spanish.

We need your help…

Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development wants to start a list of resources farms have used and enjoyed. And we are looking to compile a list of verified translators all over New York and beyond so that farm owners can access their help for farm meetings and other events. If you are know of any great resources you would like to share with us to add to our current list and if you know of any translators that would like to be on our online contact list, please email Mary Bess Lewis at ml2656@cornell.edu

Share this information in Spanish with your workforce:

Recursos escritos para aprender inglés:

Fragmentos de audio: La Universidad de California ofrece un recurso con audios en su página de web: Learn English Audio

Recursos Escritos:

• Recurso bilingüe de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA) sobre Protéjase de los pesticidas PDF
• De la Extensión de la Universidad de Tennessee: Rotafolio bilingüe del Estándar de Protección del Trabajador PDF

• La Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA) tiene una Guía de traducción al español para el etiquetado de pesticidas PDF
• Libreta de ejercicios y CD: Inglés para hispanohablantes

Podcasts para aprender inglés: Podcasts:

• Inglés desde Cero
• Tips para mejorar tu INGLES /Superholly Dosis Diarias de Inglés

• Aprender Inglés: Números 1-101 (The Earbookers) (Apple) (Spotify)

YouTube:

• Inglés Pa Mi Gente: Capítulo 1/Las 300 Palabras más usadas en ingles de USA
• Aprende ingles con Superholly

• Inglesamericano101

APPS: Aplicaciones de aprendizaje de idiomas para cualquier teléfono (las versiones gratuitas tienden a ser limitadas):

• Duolingo
• Babbel
• Memrise
• AnkiMobile or AnkiDroid (tarjetas didácticas de aprendizaje)
• Tandem Language Exchange (Habla con personas reales en su lengua materna)
• Italki (Profesores reales, pago por sesión de tutoría)
• Rype (Instrucción individual – Costo: 8 lecciones / mes es $ 59.99 / mes por una suscripción de seis meses)

Necesitamos su ayuda…

El Departamento de Desarrollo de la Fuerza Laboral Agrícola de Cornell quiere comenzar una lista de los recursos que los ranchos ven útiles para el desarrollo lingüístico. Y estamos buscando compilar una lista de traductores verificados en todo Nueva York y más allá para que los propietarios del rancho puedan acceder a su ayuda para reuniones y otros eventos. Si conoce algún recurso excelente que le gustaría compartir con nosotros para agregar a nuestra lista actual y si conoce a algún traductor que le gustaría estar en nuestra lista de contactos en nuestro sitio de web, envíe un correo electrónico a María Bess Lewis al ml2656@cornell.edu

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By Mary Lewis, Cornell University. Permission granted to repost, quote, and reprint with author attribution.
The post Resources to Minimize the Language Barrier appeared in The Ag Workforce Journal.