Quote:
“It’s been a game changer for us. My newcomers don’t feel lost anymore—they can access the content, participate in discussions, and build their English skills with confidence.”
— Kristin Castellano, Reading Specialist and Teacher of Multi-Language Students, Cheshire Public Schools
Background & Challenge:
When Kristin, a Reading Specialist and Teacher of Multi-Language Students at Cheshire Public Schools, welcomed several newcomer students into her 7th- and 8th-grade classes, she quickly realized that communication barriers were preventing them from fully engaging. Many of these students had recently arrived in the U.S. and spoke little or no English.
Even with translation tools on their Chromebooks, they struggled to follow the live dialogue between teachers and classmates. Directions were missed, participation was limited, and students often felt isolated.
The communication challenges extended beyond the classroom. During parent nights, Kristin wanted to create an inclusive environment for multilingual families — but the manual translation process was exhausting. She had to use her phone to translate one parent at a time, switching between languages and waiting for each translation. It was time-consuming and disconnected, leaving families feeling like outsiders at an event meant to bring them closer.
Solution:
That changed when Kristin discovered Vurbo.ai, IPEVO’s real-time transcription and translation software, through a district referral after an EdTech conference. What began as a trial quickly became an essential classroom tool.
With Vurbo.ai, Kristin could:
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Provide instant translations and captions for multilingual students directly on their Chromebooks.
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Use Cloud Translation QR codes during events so parents could scan and follow along in their own languages in real time.
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Share automated transcripts and summary with parents and other teachers, ensuring all staff understood the same information about their multilingual learners.
One memorable example came when a new Mandarin-speaking student from China joined her class. Initially silent and withdrawn, he began to thrive after Kristin used Vurbo.ai to communicate in his language. Within weeks, he became more confident, happy, and actively engaged in lessons.
Vurbo.ai also revolutionized parent engagement. At her annual “coffee-and-cookies” night, families used their phones to access live translations — no app-switching, no confusion, just clear understanding. Parents expressed deep appreciation for finally being able to ask questions and follow the entire conversation.
Results & Impact:
Vurbo.ai has transformed communication at Cheshire Public Schools by making inclusion effortless and immediate:
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Inclusive Classrooms: Multilingual students feel supported and empowered to participate.
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Engaged Families: Parents can finally communicate comfortably with teachers.
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Efficient Communication: Meetings and conferences are faster, saving time for educators.
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Collaborative Teaching: Shared transcripts keep all teachers aligned on student progress.
“Parents were so appreciative. For the first time, they could really understand and take part in the conversation.” — Kristin
With ongoing updates like multi-account management and flexible subscription options, Vurbo.ai continues to evolve alongside educators like Kristin, helping schools everywhere create classrooms where every voice can be heard.
Link to Product:
