TEACHERS | TalkingPoints vs NYCPS

The TalkingPoints Teacher app helps teachers reach all parents and guardians, regardless of language, via text messages in 100+ languages. Our translation is done by a combination of human translators and machines, allowing for seamless communication with all of your families. TalkingPoints helps teachers • Communicate with non-English speaking parents through automatic 2-way translation • Quickly send messages to one parent, a group of parents or to the whole class • Keep their cell phone numbers private by sending text messages through the app • Attach pictures, videos, polls, and files to text messages to share what students are learning in school • Preschedule messages to go out when parents are available to read them "Teachers have busy schedules and don't have a lot of time to learn how to use a new tool, but what I want other educators to know is how easy it is to communicate with parents through TalkingPoints. I love it and use it everyday!” - Ms. Cardenas, ESL teacher TalkingPoints is free for teachers in the U.S./Canada. Sign up today!

Hello! is an automated language assistant designed to support real-time interpretation across NYCPS’ covered languages. Built to facilitate everyday communication, the app enables school staff to engage effectively with multilingual families during impromptu conversations and on-the-spot interactions. The application provides live voice interpretation, allowing two-way communication between participants who speak different languages. Each person can speak naturally in their preferred language while the app captures, transcribes, and translates speech in real time. This makes Hello! particularly useful in dynamic school environments where quick, clear communication is essential. Hello! is optimized for both web and mobile use, giving staff the flexibility to initiate conversations from a desktop or on the go using a mobile device. The mobile experience includes a streamlined interface with simplified controls and clear visual indicators to support active listening and real-time translation during live interactions. The app is designed to support a wide range of common school scenarios, including front office interactions, student enrollment or registration support, counseling discussions, and general day-to-day communication. It helps bridge language gaps quickly and efficiently without requiring advance scheduling. Hello! is built with privacy and security in mind. No conversation data is stored, ensuring that interactions remain confidential and compliant with data protection standards. This tool is intended to complement existing language access services. While Hello! is effective for quick and informal communication, it does not replace professional interpretation for complex, sensitive, or high-stakes conversations. By providing immediate access to multilingual communication support, Hello! helps create more inclusive and accessible interactions between schools and families, improving engagement and understanding across diverse communities.