Attendees pose with Carl the Collector and OCDE Language Services Coordinator Natalia Abarca, in orange, during the department’s International Translation Day celebration at PBS SoCal studios in Costa Mesa. 
PBS SoCal Digital Producer Carla Pineda discusses how language and cultural context are considered when adapting educational resources for Spanish-speaking children and families. 
Members of OCDE’s Language Services and Educator Events and Partnerships teams pose with Carl the Collector during the International Translation Day celebration at PBS SoCal studios. 
PBS SoCal Early Learning Partnerships Manager Daniela Valenzuela, left, speaks during a panel discussion moderated by OCDE Language Services Coordinator Natalia Abarca, right, at the International Translation Day celebration. 
PBS SoCal Digital Producer Carla Pineda, left, listens as interpreter and translator Melody Gonzalez discusses her work adapting Spanish-language educational resources during a panel at the International Translation Day celebration.
Quick look: OCDE’s Language Services team brought together 35 language professionals at PBS SoCal studios for International Translation Day, where participants explored how language and cultural context shape educational content for multilingual children and families.
What does it take to translate a children’s story, math lesson or television resource into another language while making sure the humor, meaning and cultural references still land?
As language professionals gathered at PBS SoCal studios on Sept. 30, they got a behind-the-scenes look at exactly that.
The Orange County Department of Education’s International Translation Day celebration brought together 35 participants representing OCDE and 18 school districts from Orange County and other parts of Southern California. Organized by OCDE’s Language Services team, the free event included a studio tour and conversations about family engagement, educational media and the many decisions that go into making content accessible and culturally relevant.
Throughout the morning, participants explored the idea of transcreation, which goes beyond translating words from one language to another. It involves adapting language and cultural references so the original message still feels natural and meaningful to a new audience.
Participants saw how that plays out in PBS SoCal’s educational materials, including math curricula, children’s stories and media. Presenters walked through some of the choices translators make based on age, cultural context and audience, including how an English title or concept might need to change in Spanish while preserving its educational purpose.
The concept became even more tangible with a behind-the-scenes look at “Carl the Collector,” the PBS KIDS series about an autistic raccoon and his group of friends.
Melody Gonzalez, an interpreter and translator with the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and Guani Tenoli Interpreting and Translation, worked with PBS SoCal to adapt and proofread Spanish-language resources for the series. That meant considering everything from expressions and humor to cultural references and word choices so the materials would feel welcoming and authentic to Spanish-speaking children and families.
Gonzalez joined PBS SoCal Digital Producer Carla Pineda and Early Learning Partnerships Manager Daniela Valenzuela for a panel facilitated by OCDE Language Services Coordinator Natalia Abarca. Their conversation also brought the topic back to schools, where bilingual staff regularly make similar decisions to help families not only receive information but understand it, engage with it and participate more fully in their school communities.
“The day felt truly magical,” Abarca said. “It was also a fascinating experience to learn about the art of transcreation in such a professional and inspiring setting. Having the opportunity to celebrate our profession at PBS SoCal made the day even more meaningful and reminded us of the joy, connection and impact that language can create.”
To learn more about upcoming professional development opportunities, visit the Language Services webpage.