The Language Brokers

December 14, 2017 • by Marc Airhart

Researchers like Su Yeong Kim are debating whether being a language broker is good for children, or not.

Illustration of two people speaking with word bubbles over their heads

Millions of children in the U.S. play a vital, but often overlooked, role in their families. These children of immigrants, known as "language brokers," help their parents translate job applications, medical documents and bills into their native language. They also help them navigate a completely alien culture. Researchers like Su Yeong Kim, in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, are debating whether being a language broker is good for children, or not.

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