LIBERAL, Kan. (AP) – A southwest Kansas school district is
hiring a translator to help its 35 students from the southeast
Asian nation of Myanmar.
The High Plains Daily Leader (http://bit.ly/oSP5hF ) reports the
board of Liberal USD 480 has voted to create a new paraprofessional
position in teaching English as a second language.
Several families from the country formerly known as Burma have
arrived recently in Liberal. District official Laura Cano says
communication can be difficult, and not just because of the
language barrier. Cano says there are also cultural issues.
For example, she says, some students don’t understand that they
must attend school all day, every day. She says that some attend
part of the day, then simply go home.
The new position will be funded with money set aside for
bilingual classrooms.