VIEWS November 2019

VIEWS Fall 2019 Issue 36 Volume 4

EDUCATION

FEATURES

President Jonathan Webb: Transformation Teaching Interpreters With the Case Method Consumer Orientation

40Anniversary th

Issue

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

Fall 2019

VIEWS

IN THIS ISSUE:

COVER STORIES

Governance

Letter from the Editor/4 Interim CEO Report/10

President's Report: Transformation Jonathan Webb

Region I Report/ 12

Page 6 YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/z1ihSani-IU

Region III Report/13 Region IV Report/15 Region V Report/ 16 Thoughts from a New Board/18 PDC Announcement/22

Columns/articles Meet the NAIE/ 24 Dear Encounters With Reality/26 Observation in Interpreter Education/32

Teaching Interpreters With the Case Method Margie English Page 28 Video Link: https://youtu.be/yZQVIAEeD-Y

Note From Uncle Dale/36 Translation Activities in Interpreter Education /38 Amazon Interpreting: Inside Look/46 Reflections from an Old Hand/50 Self-Care/ 52 Member Spotlight/ 55

News

Consumer Orientation Colleen Jones

Page 42 Video Link: https://youtu.be/MKHkDleBYD8

From the Desks at HQ/ 20 VIEWS 40th Anniversary/27 SC:L Task Force/31 Newly Certified/57

To view all articles in ASL, visit our Fall VIEWS playlist on YouTube, www.rid.org/nov2019viewsplaylist/ Layout Design and Video Editing by Maxann Keller and Jenelle Bloom

Photo collections from Unsplash, RID Communications, and RID Members

#educationVIEWSfall19

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Letter from the Editor Happy Fall, RID! We’ve got some important festivities to celebrate - the 40th anniversary of VIEWS! Although RID started publishing newsletters in 1965, the publication officially donned the name Interpreter Views in fall of 1979, and VIEWS has been part of the name since! What a proud legacy RID has of always aspiring to learn and grow from the different perspectives within our profession.

This is also a personal anniversary for RID’s communications team, as it is our 10th issue of VIEWS since starting at RID. Even in that short time we’ve seen an amazing transformation of VIEWS and we’re so pleased to have such a great quality of publication, due in large part to the selfless contributions of dedicated practitioners like you! Thank you for all you do, and please continue sharing your “views” with us so that collectively, we can continue to serve the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind communities in the ways they need it most.

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/IcB--PcLQsM

We are thrilled to release another (very full) issue of VIEWS with some great content about transformation, consumer orientation, and interpreter education. This issue is one for your shelves - we encourage you to study the information in each article and consider ordering a print copy you can take with you on assignments!

President Jonathan Webb talks about what transformation means to him - not cosmetic changes but real, lasting changes for our great organization. Then we have three articles submitted by RID members about interpreter education techniques - Margie English recommends ways of teaching interpreters with the case method, Cami Miner related to using observation in interpreter education, and Cassie Lang presents the advantages of using translation activities in interpreter education. Next, a fascinating article on consumer orientation was authored by Colleen Jones which gives specific action items any interpreter can incorporate into their next assignment. Finally, representatives from Amazon’s ASL program contributed an article that gives insight into what their company is doing to ensure proactive and full access to interpreting for Deaf professionals.

Our contributors always ask us, “What was the feedback from my article?” and we really want to know! Engage with the authors by clicking the survey button at the end of the article and leaving your comments for them, or for us! We hope you enjoy the end of the 2010s and with it, this special 40th anniversary edition of VIEWS! Yours,

Julia Wardle 5 Editor-in-Chief

Feedback Survey link: www.rid.org//views-november2019-articlefeedback/ 4

VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

RID BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Jonathan Webb, CI and CT, NIC Advanced

president@rid.org

Vice President Paul Glaser, CDI

vicepresident@rid.org

Secretary Kelly Decker, NIC Advanced

secretary@rid.org

Treasurer Yakata Nichols, NIC

treasurer@rid.org

Member at Large LaTanya Jones, M.S.M., NIC

memberatlarge@rid.org

Deaf Member at Large Branton Stewart, CDI, CLIP-R

dmal@rid.org

Region I Representative Jason Farr, NIC

region1rep@rid.org

Region II Representative Brenda Sellers, CI and CT, NIC

region2rep@rid.org

Region III Representative Kenya McPheeters, NIC

region3rep@rid.org

Region IV Representative Deb Martinez, CI and CT, NIC Advanced, SC:L

region4rep@rid.org

Region V Representative Mish Ktejik, M.A., NIC, SC:L

region5rep@rid.org

RID HEADQUARTERS STAFF

Interim Chief Executive Operator

Charity Warigon

cwarigon@rid.org

Chief Operating Officer Elijah Sow

esow@rid.org

Director of Finance and Operations

Jennifer Apple japple@rid.org

Operations Specialist Charlotte Kinney

ckinney@rid.org Accounting Specialist II Tong Rogers

trogers@rid.org

Senior Director of Standards Ryan Butts and Practices rbutts@rid.org Professional Development Manager

Carol Turner cturner@rid.org

Ethics Administrator Tressela Bateson

tbateson@rid.org

Certification Coordinator

Director of Member Services and Government Affairs

Ashley Holladay aholladay@rid.org Neal Tucker ntucker@rid.org

Affiliate Chapter Liaison Dr. Carolyn Ball

cball@rid.org

Member Services Khianti Thomas Coordinator kthomas@rid.org Director of Communications and Outreach

Bill Millios bmillios@rid.org

Communications Manager

Julia Wardle jwardle@rid.org

Communications Coordinator

Maxann Keller mkeller@rid.org

Communications Specialist

Jenelle Bloom jbloom@rid.org

www.rid.org

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

President's Report Jonathan Webb, RID President Jonathan Webb, PhD CI and CT, NIC Advanced President

T

his particular column has been in the making for months. A variety of topics and possibilities have been considered in the creation of this piece. Contextualizing our current state of affairs was an option, as was discussing the CEO position, the importance of headquarters administration and staff, collaboration and partnerships with other national organizations, dealing with politics, exploitation and abuse of those imprisoned - both Deaf peoples who are trapped in a cycle of systemic violence as well as hearing “certified” interpreters manipulated into participating in this atrocious practice. Our last conference could certainly be referenced again; it was an historic moment for us and the first time that many of us felt authentically welcomed and comfortable in that space - and how that happened. Our financial standing most certainly deserves attention. White papers, the utilization of councils, the critical work of committees, the power of grassroots members both leading and driving the association; all of these are topics worth our time and attention. Part of me wanted to simply reflect on past leadership of RID and how each board has contributed to RID’s growth and evolution, because it is important to not only acknowledge our elders and forerunners, but it is critical that we do more than just criticize those who sacrifice so much to then be lambasted by the membership and the community. Ultimately, however, it became very clear what I needed to address in a very direct way - transformation.

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/z1ihSani-IU

It has been three months since the current directors were sworn in. In three months, myself and others have been questioned and directly challenged on the notion of transformation. People I work with who are close to me, buckling under the pressure of both valid and farcical grievances, have then turned to me in accusatory tones questioning where the transformation is. Some of our leaders within the association have called hypocrisy on the idea of transformation because what they wanted was not immediately provided - leaders who have a very clear understanding of the time and work it takes to get anything accomplished in RID. There’s no need to go on, because those reading this column likely know who we are and how we seem to consistently work against our own self-interests because it is easier to destroy than to build. So, having provided some context, I’d like to talk about transformation and what that means to me personally, professionally, and in my current capacity as I serve.

Our culture is toxic to many of us. Arguably, our culture is toxic to all of us - including those who seem to revel in such toxicity.

We know that some people have a higher tolerance for toxicity than others. We also know that we can become accustomed to the toxicity which has been around us and in us for such a long time because we forget how to resist it and instead identify with it, not recognizing that we are slowly killing ourselves.

Before I talk about this further, it would be a grievous disservice to not address the use of the word culture. For many of us, this word is sacred. It is tied deeply to our identity and the one thing that allows us to survive in this world where the edict is assimilate

or suffer greater marginalization and discrimination. I apologize Why do we serve a community that is generally collectivist, yet for using the word culture in such a crass way. Sadly, I am not sure attempt to serve them with so much arrogance that we make the I have another word to address the unconscious agreements we’ve work and process about the “me” and the “I”? entered into to behave in the manner we do.

Programs can be changed. Models of practice can be changed.

Organizational features can be changed. Certainly, leadership changes. To me much of this is meaningless. To put live fish in dead water is trickery and deception. And while I want to believe the trickery and deception is largely unintentional, it happens

Culture as Language

Why do we embarrass ourselves, publicly, by saying the things we do on social media? Why do we publicly “call out” others in demeaning ways, yet expect to be “called in” when we make mistakes? After decades of conferences why does it take us until

Unless we change how we choose to show up, holistically, no facade can truly cover what people see in our hearts. nonetheless. Unless we change how we choose to show up, holistically, no facade can truly cover what people see in our hearts.

The platform Transformation is not about change. Much of our time has been spent on change. This has certainly been what so many of us have worked for in the past - change. Change is meaningful, but often not substantive or sustainable. For many of us, this time of year is a time of change. Some of us live in areas where leaves are changing - losing their green lushness and revealing brilliant reds, yellows, oranges, browns. It’s beautiful and even breathtaking at times. And then those leaves die and fall from the tree. The tree largely remains unchanged, and so we can safely predict that the whole change will take place again next year. Instead, transformation might be analogized by considering what happens as a caterpillar morphs into something qualitatively different. Preparation must be made for the clear vision of a different reality; a protective and secure wall must be built; insides and organs must dissolve and move and be recreated in different places; time must be taken; a fight and struggle must ensue to dismantle the wall of chrysalis; and conscious rest must happen. These stages all must take place in order for this grounded creature to create wings and fly. We are no different.

2019 to gather at a conference and actually follow the common sense rule of Deaf Culture 101 that requires hearing signers to use visual language/communication when in the presence of Deaf people - the community we claim to serve?

Culture as Traditions Why do our conferences operate in the manner in which they do? Once upon a time RID had a very clear tri-fold conference approach - handling the association’s business per bylaws, supporting and encouraging networking, and continuing education.

With the advent of required documentation for continuing education and professional development, it seems that CEU accrual has become the singular purpose for a good number of us. While culture certainly shifts over time, is this the focus we believe will best lead us to fulfilling our mission?

Culture as Belief and Values

For years and years we have collectively asked “who does RID serve”? This question continues to be asked, both publicly and So, while I am resistant to using the word culture to describe us as privately. Do we truly have only a binary view of who we are; is it a profession, it proves useful in some ways. Behaviors, language, truly reduced to only this or only that? Are we comfortable with traditions, beliefs, and values are all critical components of cul- such black-and-white thinking within our profession and association? Probably most importantly, do we understand that this ture. question is often asked in a way to deflect and derail movement, growth, and evolution?

Culture as Behavior

Why do we choose meanness and cruelty to one another? Why do we appropriate the Deaf behavioral norms of information sharing Now, we commonly understand that to move in a particular direcand directness and then bastardize them into gossip and rudetion we must clearly be pointed in the direction we want to head. I ness? Why do we have sayings like “interpreters eat their young”? www.rid.org

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...to maintain my life and health I had to stay focused on where I was going so that I could make better decisions about how to get there. learned this years ago when I began using a motorcycle. My safety and my life, and my family’s stability, rested on my choosing to look at where I wanted to head instead of looking at where I was.

To look down and be completely caught up in where I was would lead to accidents and other grievous consequences. Instead, I learned quickly that I had to keep focused on my destination. I had to attend to what was coming so that I could be proactive instead of reactive. Spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually, I understood the concept of remaining focused on the outcome so that I could execute the process of reaching that outcome with greater precision. Riding that bike taught me on a physical and grounded level that to maintain my life and health I had to stay focused on where I was going so that I could make better decisions about how to get there.

Are we satisfied with the decisions we have made and where they have led us?

Before I share some of the great successes and steps toward transformation that have been made over the last three months, I think it is important that people understand the basis of my decision-making process in my current role as president.

Who do we serve? Who does RID serve? Our Deaf communities.

How do we do this? How does RID serve our Deaf communities so that they can liberate themselves from the system of audism? It is by ensuring interpreters hold the philosophy, attitude, skills, resources, support, and tools needed to move beyond the fanciful notion of equal access, and instead authentically leverage our privilege in support of our Deaf communities’ liberation.

ering was healthy, supportive, diverse, challenging, inspiring, and conducted in ASL. Preliminary and exploratory 2021 conference discussions have already ensued, and the keywords arising from these conversations are community, partnership, collaboration, and healing.

The membership just passed motions R and S which push us forward in investigating an equitable voting system so that we are all involved in the decision-making process. And being an equitable system, this ensures that suppressed voices are heard. These motions help us in determining who should directly be at the table in guiding decision-making processes so that we can become what Deaf communities need in order to realize liberation.

Another way we are staying focused on transformation is by the very choice Board members made to come together and run for these positions. We understood that there was an invitation to diversify and ensure multiple perspectives were being taken into account, and we accepted that invitation. While there is much more growth and many more perspectives to be brought to the table, we do have a Board that is determined to have clear representation including some of the marginalized identities in RID, namely Deaf, Coda, and those belonging to the world’s majority population often referred to as People of Color. Again, we are nowhere near what true ideal and visionary representation looks like, but we are clearly moving in the right direction.

I would encourage us all to maintain our focus on where we want to go. Remember why we are here - to support interpreters so that they can better support Deaf people in their struggle for liberation. And on occasion, I hope we can breathe deeply and notice that the air is changing as we travel. We are continuing to gain ground and move through the distance. Things continue to Some of the ways this is being realized, and therefore transforma- change in a directed and conscious manner. Indeed, we can celetion is being realized, are happening right now. brate that we are in the midst of transformation. I’m grateful that we each get to play a part in this transformation. Choose your role Our conference, just a few short months ago, was a collective ef- and contribution wisely; it will be part of the story of how we navifort by Headquarters staff and RID leadership to ensure the gath- gated transformation and arrived at our destination.

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What did you think of this article? Send your feedback to the authors/editors by clicking here!

www.rid.org//views-november2019-articlefeedback/ VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

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INTERIM CEO REPORT

Interim CEO Report Charity Warigon YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/ohgF50U4EoA

Charity Warigon Interim CEO

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• We recognize that bringing hundreds of interpreters and DHHDB people to a location has an impact on the local community - we want to make sure that our impact is welcome and positive.

ello I’m Charity Warigon, reporting from RID Headquarters. The second major thing that has occupied Headquarters was preparing for the Board face-to-face meeting; this only happens The past three months have been busy. We wrapped up the twice each year, and from October 15th-20th it took place in Alsummer conference in Providence, and have spent a significant exandria, Virginia. The Board agenda was very full, with meetings amount of time looking back at the conference, assessing what often running late into the evening. For some of the new Board we did well and what we can improve, and looking forward to the members, it was their first opportunity to visit RID Headquarnext one. Planning for the 2021 Conference has begun but no ters in person and interact personally with the staff. It was great decisions have been made. We are still exploring options for a lo- to see new relationships being made, and old relationships being strengthened - RID thrives on these relationships. I hope you had cation and researching other details. a chance to watch the daily Board reports from their meeting, and There are a few basic criteria that the Board and Headquarters I encourage you to become more involved in future Board open meetings! Be a part of RID’s transformation by attending - more agree on for our 2021 conference: information can be found here: https://rid.org/about-rid/gov• The conference should be held in Region II (it is traditional ernance/board-meeting-agenda/ for RID National Conferences to cycle through the regions).

• We will pursue opportunities to partner with organizations Last but not the least, I will continue to support RID in this time and individuals in the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind of transition and transformation. Thank you for the continued opcommunities. There were a number of partnerships and portunity to serve RID as your interim CEO. shared endeavors that occurred in Providence; we would like to build on that and do even better at the next conference.

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

CEO Announcement

by RID President Jonathan Webb

Hello, members of RID. I’m Jonathan Webb, the current President of RID. Today, my message to you is an update on the CEO Search – the process, recruitment, interactions, interviews, and so forth.

The process up to this point has been intensive, complicated, thorough, and truly impressive.We are fortunate to have had many people involved in this process.The CEO Search Committee is an amazing group of volunteers, who have given selflessly of their time, effort, and service.

We have also included the three RID Councils in this process – the Diversity Council, the Deaf Advisory Council, and the Council of Elders. We have engaged with and solicited feedback from the Member Section chairs. We’ve also engaged with and solicited feedback from the Affiliate Chapter Presidents. And most importantly, we’ve included Headquarters staff in the process, as a CEO would be the head of operations at RID, overseeing all the various departments and functions of RID Headquarters.

After working our way through this process, the RID Board and senior administrators at RID Headquarters put great thought into the various candidates. They are wonderful individuals, highly qualified, and for a variety of different reasons, they do not fit RID – they are not what RID needs at this moment in time.

Continue reading: https://rid.org/message-regarding-the-ceo-search-all-members/

https://youtu.be/RWNC65WU9ec www.rid.org

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Region I Report Jason Farr, Region I Representative FROM THE BOARD YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/Myb3Eso5uSI NYC Metro RID will be hosting the CDI Panel, Part II on December 15th here in New York City. I attended the CDI Panel, Part I and was impressed with the opportunity for attendees to learn from some of NYC’s leading CDIs. Discussions cover points such as how to work best with a CDI team, what experiences a CDI may have compared to a hearing interpreter, and how to work through ello, my name is Jason Farr, and I am your RID Region I challenges. If you are interested in learning more about becoming Representative. The fall is an exciting time of year here in a C/DI, or how to improve teaming experiences, the panel will be New York, as all of the trees change colors from the tra- on December 15th. ditional greens to purples, oranges, reds, and yellows. If you’ve never had an opportunity to see the leaves change here in the The Region is already looking ahead and planning conferences Northeast, you should definitely come and check them out. I’ve for next year. New Hampshire RID (NHRID) will be involved in been told the best place to see these changes is in Vermont, with planning the Allies Conference in Nashua, NH, March 27-29. picturesque rolling hills and the vibrant colors your cameras will More information on the Allies Conference will be shared as enjoy. it becomes available. Region I will be hosting the RID Region I 2020 Conference in Brooklyn, New York City, NY, July 6-9. The I want to recognize two of our Affiliate Chapters whose state conference could hardly be at a better time of year, right after Inconferences were this month. Pennsylvania RID (PARID) hosted dependence Day weekend. Come to New York for the fireworks their conference November 2-3 in State College, PA, and New and enjoy what this City has to offer. Of course if you ever stop by Jersey RID (NJRID) hosts their biennial conference November New York, feel free to let me know you are here so I can say hello!

16th (Clark, NJ). Congratulations to both Affiliate Chapters for their amazing conferences.

Thank you for watching, and I’ll see you next time.

Jason Farr, NIC Region I Representative

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"DIVERSITY EQUALITY INCLUSION" VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3 RIDREGIONI.ORG

JULY 6-9TH NEW YORK CITY BROOKLYN

Region III Report Kenya McPheeters, Region III Representative FROM THE BOARD YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/6l-VwNeqPZc Kenya McPheeters, NIC Region III Representative

Indiana

This year ICRID is trying something new for our fall conference.

Rather than one or two presenters, we are offering a wide variety of topics in a "Ted Talks" format. The theme of the conference is "Our Journey, Our Profession." Some of the topics that will be covered are: "It's all About the Work," "Answering the Now What?" "The Psychology of What We Wear," "The Science of Belief," "VRS to Certification," "Answers to Your Questions: LGBTQ Edition," "Interpreting is a Journey, Not a Destination," "An Open Letter to Me," "Envisioning Interpreting Success," "The Gap: Helping ITP Graduates Prepare for Certification," "Who's Looking After Your Body, Mind, and Soul," and "Ask and You Shall Receive." Each presentation will be 20-30 min long and allow opportunity for questions.

Illinois

Howard Rosenblum, CEO of NAD gave two workshops at IRID on Saturday, October 5th at Illinois Central College in east Peoria. He discussed the symbiotic relationship between the Deaf community and interpreters and the gaps in the Code of Professional Conduct.

Minnesota

Minnesota has had quite the busy fall so far! We welcomed Howard Rosenblum of NAD to lead a town hall on interpreter licensure, co-hosted by the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens. It was a great event with over 200 people in attendance both in-person and virtually on Zoom! Our annual fall conference is just around the corner, co-hosted by the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf where we're expecting another great turnout! Next month we're partnering with MinneCODA and hosting Alan Robert Abarbanell for his show and workshop during his farewell tour. Looking forward to it!

www.rid.org

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Wisconsin

WisRID is coming down from the euphoria of our new interpreter license law passing in Wisconsin. We're also gearing up for our Annual Conference, scheduled for October 2020. And lastly, we're winding down the year and transitioning our newly elected board members into their positions for the new year.

Lots happening, and looking forward to what the New Year will hold for our organization and its members.

Ohio

We will be looking for volunteers for Region III Conference 2020. Dates to be determined.

Kentucky

KYRID had a wonderful fall conference with five engaging sessions on Saturday and Sunday, September 28th and 29th.

Sessions included workshops for STEM interpreters, DHH educators, self-employment, emergency response for interpreters, and a community forum. KYRID is already busy planning a Spring conference that will be held in Louisville at the Galt House. We are looking forward to the opportunity for introspection with some fantastic presenters. Be sure to keep an eye on our website at KYRID.org.

Michigan

Michigan will be hosting their fall conference on October 25th and 26th. We will have Ben Hall presenting “Demystifying Legal Interpreting,” a workshop designed as an introduction into legal interpreting. Linda Ross is coming to present on the intersection of fingerspelling and interpreting norms in medical and mental health settings. Day two will bring “Intro to the Protactile Movement,” presented by Isabell Florence and Kara Dougherty. Of course we’ll have some ethics in there. “It’s All About Me” workshop will focus on ethical decision-making through self analysis.

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

REGION II

RICHMOND, VA JULY 16-19, 2020 "2020: A GREATER VISION"

Region IV Report Deb Martinez, Region IV Representative FROM THE BOARD YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/5n9Uy2CLl2o Deb Martinez, CI and CT, NIC Advanced, SC:L

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reetings from Region IV! It is finally, almost as I write this update, starting to cool down here in North Texas. I am very much looking forward to the fall and it is an exciting time to start my journey as a Regional Representative. Over the years, I have lived in three regions (I, II, & IV), and Region IV has been my home for the past ten years. With every region and state there are variations and Region IV varies by the size of the states as well as the populations within the states. We have rural states with very few interpreters and some states who have the lion’s share of interpreters in the region. After speaking with a few of the Affiliate Chapter Presidents it occurs to me that though the states vary, there is commonality in seeking excellence in service, showing a willingness to grow, and having a desire to bring interpreters together for the common good. As I continue my work as a representative I look forward to finding commonality and a sense of community within the region as we explore together the future of our work with the communities we love and serve. With that said, onward to the regional updates:

Regional Updates

cussed pertain to member participation, educational interpreters, and a sense of separation between community, educational, and VRS interpreters.

Region IV Conference

Region IV is exploring the potential of having a conference. More information is coming soon.

Affiliate Chapter Happenings The Louisiana RID Chapter just had their conference in September. Dawn Melendez is the newly elected President. Thank you Bernice Cooper for your past service.

Nebraska RID is holding elections in November. We thank Crystal Pierce for her service and look forward to welcoming the next incoming leaders.

The Texas Society for the Deaf held their annual conference this past July. Thank you Frank Peralez for serving and we welcome Whitney Gissell-Douglas as the new President.

Wyoming RID recently presented a workshop regarding linguistic sign choices- “Clear as Mud- How to Make your Interpretation Clear” presented by David Davenport.

The Region IV President’s council met this past September and is Respectfully submitted by, working on scheduling another meeting for November. Items dis- Deb Martinez, MA

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Region V Report Mish Ktejik, Region V Representative FROM THE BOARD YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/Mwa2BsuLM5c Mish Ktejik, MA, NIC, SC:L Region V Representative

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ello! I’m Mish Ktejik, the RID Region V Representative. Before I dive into discussing what’s happening with some of the Region V Affiliate Chapters, I want to share a quick update about the Region V 2020 conference. This past summer, at the national conference, Region V announced that there would be no 2020 regional conference due to the lack of volunteers. Despite that, the thirteen Region V Affiliate Chapters and I are stubbornly trying to put together an event. We’re aiming for a small conference mid-July, but nothing is decided yet. And nothing can happen without volunteers! If you’re interested in volunteering to make this conference happen, please contact me at region5rep@rid.org.

Next I want to talk about some of the events happening around Region V. I wish there was time to discuss every chapter! Instead, I’ll share some highlights from a few chapters around the region. First, I want to congratulate NorCRID on their 50th annual conference! Fifty years of conferences, wow! They’re one of the oldest chapters in the nation

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

and are using this event to spotlight the important topic of Deaf refugees and how interpreters and allies can positively contribute to their experience.

California

California in general has been busy. A new bill (CA AB5) recently passed declaring that interpreters must be designated as employees, not independent contractors. Obviously this could have a significant impact on the freelance interpreters in the state. California RID chapters are in the process of investigating just how this will impact interpreters. Thank you SCRID for leading this charge.

Washington

Washington State RID hosted their conference this month.

The chapter’s very own past president and current VP on the national Board of Directors, Paul Glaser, joined up with RID’s President Jonathan Webb, WSAD members, and oth-

ers to discuss the history of the Deaf and interpreting com- teer leaders, and all the volunteer leaders across Region V for their hard work and commitment to serving the field. We munities in Washington State. recognize your work. You are greatly appreciated.

Hawaii

Hawaii RID just hosted a powerful workshop titled “Access with Aloha: Puliki Lokahi,” a Power, Privilege, and Oppression (PPO) workshop focusing on the power dynamics between interpreter teams and interpreters and consumers.

Utah

Utah RID recently held elections, ushering in a new secretary and member-at-large (MAL) and electing their current president to another term. I would like to thank these volun-

To wrap this report up, I wanted to share a quote I came across recently related to inclusion, a word we often use but may not fully understand. Bill Crawford stated, “Diversity, or the state of being different, isn’t the same as inclusion.

One is a description of what is, while the other describes a style of interaction essential to effective teams and organizations.” Bill Crawford argues that inclusion must occur first and out of inclusion diversity will emerge. That concept hit home for me and came to mind while reading the individual reports each Affiliate Chapter sent me. I was impressed by their commitment to offering PPO workshops to encourage inclusion and diversity. I’m honored to be a part of Region V. Thank you all for what you do.

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REGIONAL CONFERENCES 2020

Region I - Brooklyn, NY July 6-9 "Diversity Equality Inclusion" | ridregioni.org Region II - Richmond, VA July 16-19 "2020: A Greater Vision" Region III - Hosted in Ohio | More information to come Region IV - More information to come Region V - More information to come www.rid.org

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Thoughts from a new board Paul Glaser MSE, CDI

Vice President

Greetings, RID members!

As I start my tenure as RID Vice President, I look back on my eight years serving as President, Treasurer, and Board Director with Washington State Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (WSRID). During this time, there were many wonderful happenings for me - some that helped me to develop into the person I am today, compared to who I was in 2012. One such event occurred at the WSRID conference in October of 2019, where WSRID partnered with Washington State Association for the Deaf (WSAD) and I received the lifetime Theresa B. Smith Distinguished Service award. This award is given to those who inspire dedication, inspiration, and vision, and I feel unable to express my sincere appreciation for this recognition.

I hold this recognition, and WSRID, in high regard and now I’m ready to work at the national level for RID as a volunteer member of the Board!

Now to the question of what is my most favorite thing about RID, and I must add, this is a difficult question to answer. As I ponder possible answers, one thing comes to mind - membership. I am truly passionate about seeing that each member has the opportunity to be involved with the myriad of volunteer leadership opportunities within our organization, such as our many different Councils, Member Sections, Task Forces, Affiliate Chapters, and/or Committees. It is through this kind of work we can impact the beloved Deaf and DeafBlind communities as well as our sign language interpreters. Additionally, I believe that volunteering provides an extremely valuable chance for developing our future leaders. It is through this work that you provide value to the community and inspire others through our dedication. For this, I heart you!!

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/iDKiLhpIADA

Yakata Nichols

Treasurer NIC

Hello RID members! I’m Yakata Nichols, current Treasurer on the RID Board of Directors. I was asked, what inspires me about RID? As I thought about it, the answer became obvious - it’s our volunteers. Volunteers sacrifice their time, ambition, expertise, and talents with no recompense or reward, with the goal of lifting and encouraging others. We have many groups within RID led by volunteer leaders who give of their time in this way, and it is incredible. Time is so valuable! Once you give it up, you can’t get it back.

But these volunteers are willing to give up time they otherwise could have spent with family, at work, and in other areas that may be important to them, to make sure they are lifting those in their community. I also appreciate seeing diverse people volunteer their time - people who look like me, and have inspired me to join the work of RID both on a local and national level. If you are curious about RID and want to give back to the community, I encourage you to join us! You don’t need to start at the national level - we have so many opportunities for you to contribute to your local chapter. We need you. A large organization like this needs your involvement. Your skills, expertise, motivation, inspiration, and leadership are needed. I look forward to seeing you join with us! Love you all!

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YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/XsB3PBoatOw

LaTanya Jones MSM, NIC Advanced

Member-at-Large

Hello everyone! I’m LaTanya Jones, your new Member-at-Large. I was asked, what’s special about RID? My response is - you, the members.

You make RID special. We are a member-driven organization. The members govern this organization and RID is here because of all of you. I was also asked, what do I love about RID? The answer is easy - it’s the members! I serve because I enjoy getting to know the members - I love meeting you and I love the work itself. I want to see our profession excel and become the best it can be. That’s why I do what I do for RID. I’m excited to be here and to be your Member-at-Large. So if you ever have any questions or want to chat, let me know! I’m here for you. Thank you all!

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YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/3rdqV6nL410 www.rid.org

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From the Desks at HQ November Webinar Spotlight

Expiring Cycle Reminder:

Demystifying Professional versus General Studies, It is that time of year again! For more than 2,000 certified members, their certification cycle expires on December When Specialization is Becoming 30, 2019. Are you one of them? Verify your cycle expiraEver More Important tion date by logging into your RID member account and look for the Current Cycle End Date in the Certification Receive a 15% discount when you register Details box. and enter the “PSGS2019” code. Discount ends on November 30, 2019.

Please be sure that you've satisfied the CEU requirement for your current certification cycle in order to maintain Visit education.rid.org to register! certification. If you have questions, we are here to help cmp@rid.org.

HQ STAFF NEEDS YOUR HELP! We are putting together a group of RID members to help HQ staff guide the educational content for our new Continuing Education Center. We are looking for members to assist with identifying hot topics, content development, and presenter recruitment. This is an opportunity for you to directly participate in the offerings and benefits that RID provides to members.

If you are a member of RID and have approximately 2 hours to spare each month to participate in remote discussions about the topics and/or presenters you feel would be most valuable to you and your colleagues, please consider joining our CEC Advisory Committee! Please complete and submit the form at https://forms.gle/Th6AuN3PiyZ3TfwWA by December 9, 2019. One of the questions will ask for information about why you would like to be part of the group, as well as what your background and qualifications are. You can submit your response in written English or provide a YouTube link to an ASL response in the form.

If you have any questions, please contact webinars@rid.org.

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

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Enroll in accelerated, ONLINE COURSES every 8 weeks. SAVE THOUSANDS in tuition costs by transferring up to 90 semester hours towards your degree. Credit may beawarded for work experience and NIC certification.

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AFFORDABLE. FLEXIBLE. ONLINE. www.rid.org

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P An DC noun

ceme

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/9sARZiUwViI

R

ID has established a volunteer group that will serve as Sponsor Auditors for the Certification Maintenance Program (CMP). They will monitor the work performed by RID Approved Sponsors and conduct regular reviews of the paperwork and electronic materials submitted by Sponsors for audit. Through the review process, Sponsor Auditors will identify how successfully Sponsors follow the Standards and Criteria of the CMP/ACET system. The Sponsor Auditors will be an extension of the Professional Development Committee (PDC) and work under its supervision along with the Professional Development Manager, Carol Turner, at RID Headquarters.

• Unwavering commitment to the CMP/ACET system and commitment to confidentiality in all aspects of the audit cases (including, but not limited to, materials, process, discussions, etc.).

• Commitment of 9-12 months work as part of an audit team.

The PDC is looking for individuals who meet the following criteria, to volunteer to serve on this group: * * * * * * * *

During each audit, individual auditors will work in teams and be assigned specific RID Approved Sponsors for review. They will be provided with all the necessary materials to review and determine if the programs administered by the Sponsor under review have followed the guidelines within the current Standards and Criteria.

Each RID Approved Sponsor audit will be performed by at least two auditors. The findings of the audit will be provided to the Professional Development Manager and PDC, who will then make * the final determination of pass, fail, suspension, or probation with * corrective actions required. * The duties of a Sponsor Auditor include: • Working with the PDC to regularly review RID Approved Sponsors.

• Reviewing the RID Approved Sponsor’s source materials as to whether the evidence provided complies with the Standards and Criteria set forth in the CMP. • Participating in a minimum of 10 audits each calendar year, including necessary conference calls via video web conferencing.

• Commitment of at least 5-10 hours per individual audit to determine if the audit was successful or not.

• Commitment to completing audits within the timelines established by the Professional Development Manager and the PDC. • Participating in orientation training and any regular Sponsor Auditor training providing by RID. 22

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

* *

Member of RID ASL and written English fluency Knowledge of the RID CMP/ACET system Familiar with principles of adult education Ability to work alone and be self-motivated Demonstrate exceptional analytical and organizational skills Detailed oriented Knowledge of basic educational principles, including the importance of measurable learning objectives and well-written evaluations Ability to work productively in a team Ability to process work from a distance using email and Google products Ability to write clearly and concisely in simple, comprehensive language Ability to represent RID and the CMP/ACET system with fairness and respect for RID members Ability to document any actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest with the mission and activities of the CMP/ACET System

To apply please send all application materials via email, referencing “2019 Call for Sponsor Auditors” in the subject line, to cmp@rid.org for confidential consideration. Application materials should include: • Resume • Letter of interest including a summary of any experience within the RID Certification Maintenance Program and/or Approved Sponsor status

Submission Deadline is December 30, 2019.

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MAKING GOOD INTERPRETERS

GREAT Efficient screening tool plus your mentors equals better allies for the Deaf community

Visit get.goreact.com/RID to learn more. www.rid.org

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Meet the NAIE COLUMN YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/pm4wYogG5Bw

We are thrilled to introduce you to the National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE), an organization established in 2016 with the overarching mission of empowering educational interpreters to promote best practices and to enhance the education of deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind students.

We recognize that the quality of interpreters today impacts the Deaf community of tomorrow, and when students are placed in mainstream educational environments, they have a legal right to access qualified, professional interpreting services. NAIE, therefore, plays a critical role in: • Acknowledging and addressing the complex challenges of interpreting in education.

• Outlining specialized academic and professional credentials, including knowledge and skills sets, that an interpreter working in educational settings should possess.

• Promoting the value of collaborative relationships between an interpreter, students, and members of the educational team to support student outcomes.

Although the NAIE was officially established in 2016, its inception began in 2010 when the University of Northern Colorado, Distance Opportunities for Interpreter Train24

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ing (UNC- DOIT) Center began an investigation to exinterpreter leaders. Currently, 17 states have Ambassaamine current practices in educational interpreting. This dors acting as liaisons between NAIE and stakeholders research was underwritten by a grant from the U.S. Departat the state level. ment of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (H325K100234). The goal of the five-year project was • Membership. NAIE continues to gain momentum with membership. In three short years the organization to “identify and disseminate information about patterns of has grown to over 400 members. In addition to suppractice that would ultimately help stakeholders make deporting ongoing progress within the field, benefits of cisions about the quality of interpreting services needed membership include networking, resources, ongoing to ensure a free appropriate public education for students professional development opportunities, and national who are deaf and hard of hearing in the U.S. school sysconferences. Despite the formal title, NAIE is not just tem” (Johnson, et al., 2018). The investigation found that for interpreters; we welcome and encourage all stakea national organization specifically focused on the complex holders with a vested interest in our mission to join the work of educational interpreters was essential to move the organization and contribute to the collective efforts of field forward. improving services for deaf, hard of hearing, and deafIn 2015, a national steering committee was established, blind students. Unified, we can address the needs of the comprised of professionals with a range of expertise in the educational system with our knowledge and expertise field of educational interpreting. Their charge was to develand impact practices in the field. op the foundations of NAIE including a mission, organizational structure, and a strategic plan. The organization was To achieve NAIE’s vision for the field of educational interofficially launched in 2016 at the first National Conference preting, our strategic plan outlines five areas of focus over on Interpreting in Education held at UNC. The conference the next two years, including: membership recruitment, was a historical event as interpreters from across the nation professional development, leadership development, profescongregated to network and access professional develop- sional ethics, and an investigation on credentialing for edument specific to their work in educational settings. Duly cational interpreters. As we continue to grow, we are eager elected President Susan Brown concluded the conference to continue developing collaborative relationships within with a strike of the gavel as founding members witnessed the the field. beginning of NAIE. We invite you to learn more about our organization and Since its launch, NAIE has been diligently focused on build- how we can support you and your community in enhancing ing organizational capacity and a solid foundation to contin- the field of educational interpreting. Please visit us at www. ue the initial objectives of the organization. The following naiedu.org or on social media. highlights are activities and accomplishments from the past three years:

• Professional Guidelines for Interpreting in Educational Settings. In January 2019, NAIE released the “Professional Guidelines for Interpreting in Educational Settings,” which was developed in response to decades of research indicating a lack of standardized qualifications and expectations for interpreters in education.

Research and development of the guidelines was conducted over three years with input from a variety of stakeholders involved in the education of deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind students. These guidelines are free and available for download on the NAIE website at: naiedu.org/guidelines.

Yours, NAIE Board of Directors 5 References Johnson, L.J., Taylor, M.M., Schick, B., Brown, S., & Bolster, L. (2018). Complexities in Educational Interpreting: An Investigation into Patterns of Practice. Interpreting Consolidated: Alberta, Canada.

• State Ambassador Program. In the fall of 2018, NAIE launched a pilot State Ambassador program with the goal of establishing a national network of educational www.rid.org

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Dear Encounters

with reality

COLUMN

Dear Encounters with Reality, What do you think about interpreters namedropping famous Deaf and hearing people they have interpreted for?

An Experienced Interpreter's Perspective: Brenda Cartwright, M.S CSC, CI and CT Lansing, MI Brenda Cartwright, MS, CSC, CI and CT has been the Director of the Sign Language Interpreter Program at Lansing Community College for over 30 years.

She holds an undergraduate degree from Ball State University and graduate degrees from Ball State and Indiana University. She is a Coda with a bilingual cat named Coda.

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/hXbT75V5qo4

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

The minute you start name-dropping, it has the potential to spread through the hearing and Deaf communities. Even if you interpreted in a public place it just sounds like you’re bragging. That is not a good characteristic for a professional interpreter. So next time, ask yourself, why am I telling people WHO I’ve interpreted for?

An Experienced Deaf Consumer's Perspective: I take a dim view of name-dropping. Do you think your reputation is better by association with famous people? Does it prop your ego? You may impress some people but it is a turn off for me. It also raises a red flag to me about your overall professionalism.

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REGISTRY

OF

INTERPRETERS

FOR

THE

DEAF

VIEWS 40TH ANNIVERSARY THE FIRST ISSUE OF "INTERPRETER VIEWS" WAS PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED FALL 1979

Annual Subscriptions Now Available!

ORDER YOUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE OR SUBSCRIBE TODAY! rid.org/membership/benefits/publications-overview/views/views-print-order-form/ BE A PART OF THE VIEWS LEGACY BY CONTRIBUTING r i d . o r g / m e m b e r s h i p / b e n e f i t s / p u b l i c a t i o n s - o v e r v i e w / vwww.rid.org iews/

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Teaching Interpreters ss with The Case Method

Margie A. English, MBA, CDI YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/yZQVIAEeD-Y 28

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ase studies are a teaching method proven by prestigious universities and professions within the United States. Case studies record and teach fundamental principles to address challenges within a profession. Within the field of interpretation, case studies could be used in the instruction and assessment of student interpreters to identify and standardize procedures, ethics, and social norms.

used both in and/or outside the classroom. Herreid argues that although clicker cases are effective for large groups, they are especially valuable for eliciting input from those with minority backgrounds. Using technology that shares results with the class without attaching names invites students to choose their positions and consider decisions made by their peers. Technology provides instructors with greater flexibility in discussing cases.

As they perform the role plays, the instructor could lead the students into a deeper analysis by perhaps contrasting decisions that were actually made with the decisions made by the students in the classroom.

Case studies take a phenomenon and examine its associated context within the real-life situation itself. Paul Lawrence, an organizational behavior researcher quoted by Garvin (2003) once said: “A good case is the vehicle by which a chunk of reality is brought into the classroom to be worked over by the class and the instructor.� Through case studies, students are able to consider the implications of their decisions by examining true stories from within their profession. Garvin (2003) and Herreid (2011) identify Socratic dialogue as the traditional approach to teaching case studies.

Using this approach, the instructor presents a situation and follow-up questions with the objective of facilitating discussion and/ or teaching theories and morals. While analyzing cases, students support their positions by making and defending arguments tested by the professor or other students.

Today, there are other ways to facilitate student learning with the case method. During class, Herreid (2011) places the instructor in the role of a storyteller as they share relevant facts about a case for discussion. Instructors can share great discoveries in the field, and/or impersonate notable figures within their profession. Then the class discusses the given information with probing questions from the teacher or the students. Herreid suggests the telling of these stories in different formats: a full-class discussion, small groups, or individual question-answer sessions in front of class.

The discussion could take the form of a debate, trial, public hearing, or a series of presentations. Herreid (2011) attributes success in using case studies to smaller class sizes, storyline of cases, use of technology, and greater engagement by those from underserved populations. These methods could be performed separately or in combinations to encourage greater critical thinking.

Technology is an effective way to encourage students to work together on cases to solve problems using the information provided by the instructor, sometimes progressively over several classes. Herreid suggests individual cases, computer simulations, and clicker cases as other instructor-led approaches that can be

Existing Perspectives on Teaching and Learning Interpreting Researchers have established the importance of considering authentic situations for the application of theory to the interpreting field. With Interpreting Studies as an emergent academic field, there is no standardized curriculum for the development and instruction of interpreters. The following is a quick overview of ideas presented by scholars of Interpreting Studies on the instruction of interpreters, exposing a gap that can be filled using case studies.

Dean (2019) addresses the challenge of interpreters discussing their work together. When using metaphorical language to quickly convey ideas, interpreters assume that their perspective of the interpreting work becomes a shared understanding. In reality, interpreters’ perspectives often differ from each other, and this impacts the standardization of interpreting work. Dean emphasizes the need for interpreters to move toward more literal language in discussing their work for a shared understanding. To advance interpreting work, interpreter education programs need to consider ways to address this challenge within their programs.

Rudvin and Tomassini (2011) acknowledge that simulated dialogues, or role plays, are often used in place of more desirable, actual interpreted situations. To them, using this approach is adequate even though authentic situations are preferred. Simulated dialogues are often applied in the classroom as role plays or live assessments in which actors create mock interpreting situations.

During these exercises, students are engaged as interpreters, and then afterward as peer evaluators. Bringing the case method into the classroom would engage students in role plays based on actual interpreted situations. As they perform the role plays, the instructor could lead the students into a deeper analysis by perhaps contrasting decisions that were actually made with the decisions made by the students in the classroom. The perspectives of the consumers, interpreters, and the system could be considered, and best practices named. www.rid.org

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Miner (2017), a proponent of situated learning, encourages the application of theory to practice in an actual interpreting experience in the community with advance consent and support from consumers. Miner cites the benefits of situated learning as giving student interpreters real-world experience and the necessary context to reflect on their work. Some risks have been associated with this approach even with conscious effort and support from consumers to mitigate them. Instructors have little or no influence over the development of their students when they are out in the field. This brings us back to the dilemma presented by Dean (2019) that interpreters often discuss their work without being explicit. An alternative approach could be the use of the case method approach to teaching, which would provide student interpreters the opportunity to consider real-life scenarios in a safe environment with the benefit of reflecting on the work and considering alternatives before choosing an approach.

About the Author: Margie English, MBA, CDI Margie English interprets primarily in educational and legal settings, with 100+ hours of legal interpreting training. She provides ASL and Easy Reading English translations, and consults on strategic program development. She is studying for her doctorate in Interpretation and Translation at Gallaudet University. Among her research interests are interpreting pedagogy, organizational leadership, self-advocacy, and Deaf interpreting.

References

Gallaudet University (Producer). (2019). Paying Undue Allegiance to Sociology? Deconstructing descriptive devices for ethical guidance [archived video]. Department of Interpretation and Each scholar expresses a need for interaction among interpreters Translation Colloquium Lecture Series. Available from https:// in a real-world context while learning the nuances of their work. It www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hke4mlKJfT4&feature=youtu.be is the goal of academic programs to prepare their students for professional practice. As student interpreters become professionals, Dean, R. K. (2015). Sign language interpreters’ ethical discase studies provide instructors with a common understanding course and moral reasoning patterns. (Doctoral dissertation). of the fundamental standards of their work. This understanding Retrieved from https://www.ros.hw.ac.uk/bitstream/hanrequires insight into the perspectives of consumers and inter- dle/10399/3074/DeanR_1015_sml.pdf?s preters through authentic experiences of their contemporaries or Garvin, D. A. (2003, September-October). “Making the case: predecessors. Developing consistent standards for the instrucProfessional education for the world of practice.” Harvard Magation of student interpreters can be aided by the use of different zine, 106(1). Retrieved April 4, 2019 from http://harvardmagapproaches with case studies as tools for teaching, learning, and azine.com/2003/09/making-the-case-html. assessing interpreting work.

Herreid, C. F. (2011). Case study teaching. In W. Buskist & J. Possibilities for Further Application of Case Studies to InterE. Groccia (Eds.), New Directions for Teaching and Learning preting Studies Series: Vol. 128. Evidence-based teaching (pp. 31-40). doi: Great potential exists for the application of the case method as 10.1002/tl.466 a pedagogical tool within Interpreting Studies. The case method Miner, A. (2017). Collaboration in Learning: Situating Student has long been adapted to suit professions in the training of their Learning in Real World Contexts. Proceedings of the Conferpractitioners. The same can be done for student interpreters in ence of Interpreter Trainers, 2016. Retrieved from https:// the interpreting field. Teaching interpreting fundamentals to stuwww.cit-asl.org/new/collaboration-in-learning-situating-student interpreters through authentic stories from the human expedent-learning-in-real-world-contexts/ rience encourages learning by deliberately entering the lived experiences of professionals and consumers and considering their Miner, A. (2019, April). Situated Learning. Slides presented multifaceted perspectives and outcomes. The utilization of case to the Interpreting Pedagogy I class of Gallaudet University, studies has the potential to help emerging practitioners learn, Washington DC. discuss, assess, standardize, and transform the important work that takes place prior to, during, and after live interpretation. Rudvin, M., & Tomassini, E. (2011). Interpreting in the comInteraction between student interpreters allows for an examina- munity and workplace: A practical teaching guide. New York: tion of the procedural, ethical, and social norms involved in their Palgrave Macmillan. work. The layers of challenges and real experiences examined by case studies ensure that desirable standards and skills are properly taught, and that knowledge transfer takes place. Writing cases would involve extensive research and work, and this work is much needed. The teaching and learning territory within Interpreting Studies is fertile for the further application of case studies.

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What did you think of this article? Send your feedback to the authors/editors by clicking here!

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www.rid.org//views-november2019-articlefeedback/ VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

THE NEW SC:L TASK FORCE

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/MrfZKcEXLMs

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s you may know, the SC:L was placed under moratorium in 2015. . Since then many courts across the nation have grappled with credentialing, qualifying, and obtaining skilled interpreters. Additionally, without a current valid testing system many interpreters are not able to enter the field of legal and court interpreting. Furthermore, not all current SC:L interpreters work exclusively in the courts and some are approaching retirement. This has led to what some consider a crisis in their respective states and counties.

agreed to bring the motion to the Board if individuals within LIMS would write a proposal. The proposal was written and accepted by the Board this past September 2019. The Task Force will investigate what a potential legal/court credential should and could look like. The timeline for the Task Force is to report back to the membership their findings by December 2020. As of October 31st, the Task Force members have been appointed and they are in the midst of getting themselves up and going.

Further information will be forthcoming in future issues of During the 2019 RID National Conference business meeting, a VIEWS. group from the Legal Interpreters Member Section met and draft- Respectfully submitted by, ed a motion for the RID Board to establish a Task Force to pursue Deb Martinez the feasibility of a SC:L credential. Due to the timing of the moCI and CT, NIC Advanced, SC:L tion and meeting quorum restraints, the motion was not brought Region IV Representative to the floor. After the business meeting, President Jonathan Webb

SC:L Task Force Board Liaison

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OBSERVATION IN INTERPRETER EDUCATION

Bridging the Gap THROUGH SITUATED LEARNING

BY CAMI MINOR, MAI, NIC

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/HgWmYqpEMgw

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

IT IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS. MAYBE YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON ON YOUR ALARM ONE TOO MANY TIMES. MAYBE YOU HIT A POTHOLE AND SPILLED COFFEE EVERYWHERE ON YOUR WAY TO WORK. Or you had a lingering headache from the night before. Still, you pull yourself together, adjust your sweater to cover the coffee stain, and pop an aspirin. And as you walk into your regular Monday gig, you are reminded that today, of all days, you have an observer. A nervous, twenty-something blonde in head-to-toe black, clutching a pencil and notebook, is asking in slightly dysfluent ASL where to sit. What are you thinking? How do you respond?

Working interpreters have a mixed response to observers. If you are an interpreter educator, you probably have observation incorporated into your teaching, as a program requirement or because you believe it benefits students. If you are a working interpreter, you may eagerly engage with student observers, or avoid observers at all costs. In some situations, observers are arranged by someone up the chain of command and their presence is not up to the interpreter. On chaotic days, observers can feel like one more demand; a set of critical eyes judging an isolated instance of your work without context or experience to understand the decisions made. But educator or practitioner, we all know that educating budding sign language interpreters is a daunting task considering the complexity of interpreters’ work. Observation is an important step from school bench to hot seat in interpreter education and is an opportunity for working interpreters to partner with educators and participate in supporting and raising up the next generation of interpreters.

& Wenger, 1991). Dr. Miner (2017) investigated the application of this theory to sign language interpreter education in her dissertation research, focusing on authentic educational experiences. She proposes a scale that ranks various interpreter training techniques by degrees of authenticity, ranking observation as semi-authentic. As such, observation is a stepping stone in situated learning to link classroom learning to workplace application.

A primary benefit of situated learning for students is building their schema of interpreting, including elements other than the cognitive task of interpreting. Observation is a great way to expose students to the logistics of an interpreted situation, such as meeting the clients, negotiating sightlines, positioning the interpreter, and working with a team; all are important aspects of the profession. The Demand Control Schema (DC-S) as presented

by Dean and Pollard (2001) specifically addresses the various aspects of an interpreted situation that place demands on interpreters, many of which are not inherent to the cognitive interpreting process. Extralinguistic demands can increase the interpreter’s cognitive load, decreasing the mental energy available to devote to the interpreting task. Dean and Pollard (2001) aptly state “The

IF YOU ARE A WORKING INTERPRETER, YOU MAY EAGERLY ENGAGE WITH STUDENT OBSERVERS, OR AVOID OBSERVERS AT ALL COSTS.

While other fields such as education and medicine rigorously incorporate formal observation of new practitioners by their supervisors (Darling-Hammond, 2008; ten Cate & Scheele, 2007), in the field of interpreting, observation primarily refers to students intentionally watching professional interpreters at work, outside of their classroom experience (Wang, 2015). Observation is usually incorporated into interpreter training before students are ready to begin working themselves. And since observation is not formally built into the profession, like student teaching or medical internships, students and their teachers rely on the goodwill of knowledge base and professional judgment skills needed to funcworking interpreters to provide this essential element of training. tion effectively as a sign language interpreter, especially in these complex settings, are not so much taught as they are developed” Observation as an approach to learning is a common aspect of skill (p. 9). Since the control of various demands in the workplace is development in multiple practice professions. This is because not easily taught, situated learning, including observation, offers students struggle to transition classroom theoretical learning to valuable exposure to authentic situations, allowing student interpractice outside the classroom, a well-documented problem in preters to develop these essential skills. Miner proposed that deeducation. Situated learning theorists emphasize the social ele- veloping comfort and automaticity in these extralinguistic areas ment of learning, postulating that students need more authentic will allow students to devote more energy to the interpreting task learning experiences in a natural context, described as “legiti- when they begin professional practice. mate peripheral participation in communities of practice” (Lave www.rid.org

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Observation also incorporates adult education theories regarding self-directedness and critical thinking. When interpreters take the time to answer student questions after the job, they participate in an open dialogue where students can exercise critical thinking; education guru Brookfield (2013) sees this practice as an essential element of adult learning. The self-directedness of observation fits the research about how adults learn. Self-direction is at the heart of adult education and empowers students to

be eager to invite students to observe their work. A pair of critical eyes, as well as the allotment of additional time after an assignment to answer student questions are extra demands on the interpreter.

Proactive practitioners who view providing observation opportunities as a professional mandate can greatly alleviate the burden on students and educators. Willingness to critically engage with student observers can lead to refreshing and enriching experiences for the working interpreter and is the perfect antidote to

A PRIMARY BENEFIT OF SITUATED LEARNING FOR STUDENTS IS BUILDING THEIR SCHEMA OF INTERPRETING, INCLUDING ELEMENTS OTHER THANTHE COGNITIVETASK OF INTERPRETING....

SUCH AS MEETING THE CLIENTS, NEGOTIATING SIGHTLINES, POSITIONING THE INTERPRETER, AND WORKING WITH A TEAM. control their own learning (Brookfield, 2013). Students usually have a significant role in seeking and selecting opportunities to observe, giving them some power to self-direct and focus their learning. Self-direction does require some overarching guidance in formal education. For example, teachers usually require a minimum number of hours observing in a specified variety of settings, detailed in a log sheet or reflection paper so they can assess learning. The lens of adult education theory may assist educators in framing observation activities and requirements to fit within the program curriculum.

While observation in interpreter education has many benefits, it can be difficult to implement. An interpreter educator must either shoulder the burden of seeking out observation opportunities for their students or shift that burden to the students. Logistics are also a hurdle for observers, including confidentiality, a primary concern in the field of interpreting enshrined in our Code of Professional Conduct. It often falls on the working interpreter to solicit approval from clients, team interpreters, and the hiring entity in order to arrange for a student observer. In some settings, such as sensitive medical appointments, observers can be intrusive and therefore unwelcome, limiting the student’s ability to observe a full spectrum of settings in which they will eventually work. These logistical barriers to observation may discourage educators from implementing observation requirements in their courses or may heavily burden students attempting to meet those requirements.

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complacency and falling into an uncritical approach to your work.

In addition to implementation challenges, if not carried out correctly, observations may fail to accomplish their purpose. One of the goals of observation is to allow the student to expand their understanding of interpreting work through professional experience. Regarding education’s role in the development of professionalism, Trede (2012) states, “Students could learn more from their workplace experiences if they were cued in to look out for particular aspects of professionalism and given further opportunities to discuss and critique their observations and experiences” (p. 163). To support dialogue and promote learning, teachers may expect students to ask the observed interpreter questions and may even provide a list of prompts to cue students on what to look for.

However, if a student uncritically copies these prompt questions verbatim rather than analytically observing and questioning from a place of genuine curiosity, the opportunity for growth through critical discourse is squandered. While students are responsible for making the most of each observation experience, the responsibility for an effective observation is shared with the working interpreter. If an interpreter is observed making poor ethical decisions or producing a sub-par interpretation, the student may absorb unhealthy beliefs about interpreting norms. Observed interpreters must be self-aware and vulnerable about their own errors and ethical decisions to ensure students are not internalizing a skewed picture of professional interpreter behavior.

Observations of working interpreters, while logistically challenging, are authentic situated learning experiences essential in a student interpreter’s journey towards professionalization. Even if you are not an educator, as a current working interpreter, the next generation of interpreters is relying on you to support their learning by providing observation experiences. Perhaps having a student observe your work feels intrusive; perhaps taking the time to invest in their learning is an unwanted additional demand. But the next time you are standing face to face with a student observer, think back to when you were a student at an observation. If you feel vulnerable being observed, remember how intimidated you felt as a student observer. The Code of Professional Conduct encourages us to show respect for students of the profession, and inviting observers is a professional responsibility that invests in the next generation of interpreters.

References

About the Author:

Miner, A. (2017). Collaboration in Learning: Situating Student Learning in Real World Contexts. Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT) 2016 conference proceedings.

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Cami Miner, MAI, NIC Cami is a certified ASL interpreter currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Interpreting Research and Pedagogy at Gallaudet University. A native San Diegan, she received her AA in ASL interpreting from Mesa College and a BA in Linguistics from the University of California, San Diego. While in San Diego she worked as a freelance interpreter and served as editor of San Diego County RID’s InTouch newsletter for two terms. She moved to DC in 2017 and graduated with a MAI in Interpreting Research at Gallaudet in 2018. She is passionate about bridging research and practice into interpreting and interpreter education.

Brookfield, S. D. (2013). Powerful techniques for teaching adults. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Inc. Darling-Hammond, L. (2008). Teacher learning that supports student learning. Teaching for Intelligence, 2(1), 91-100.

Dean, R., and Pollard, R. (2001). Application of Demand-Control Theory to sign language interpreting: implications for stress and interpreter training, The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 6(1), 1–14, https://doi.org/10.1093/deafed/6.1.1 Godfrey, L. A. B. (2010). Characteristics of effective interpreter education programs in the United States. Dissertation, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation.

Trede, F. (2012). Role of work-integrated learning in developing professionalism and professional identity. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 13(3), 159-167. ten Cate, O., & Scheele, F. (2007). Competency-based postgraduate training: can we bridge the gap between theory and clinical practice?.

Academic Medicine, 82(6), 542-547.

Wang, B. (2015). Bridging the gap between interpreting classrooms and real-world interpreting. International Journal of Interpreter Education, 7(1), 65-73.

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PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETING

BY BRENDA E. CARTWRIGHT & KELLY L. FLORES

COMING SOON!

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Note From Uncle Dale

COLUMN

Dear Interpreting Student, Dale H. Boam, CI Attorney at Law Salt Lake City, UT Dale is an Associate Professor of Deaf Studies at Utah Valley University, an attorney advocating for the rights of persons who are Deaf, an interpreter, and a blogger at “Uncle Dale’s Rules for Interpreters.” He consults and presents nationally on both interpreting and legal topics. Dale recently received a favorable decision from the Ninth Circuit Court that makes Section 504 more accessible to persons who are Deaf (See Ervine v. Desert View Regional Medical Center). Dale has served in advisory committees for the NAD, the organizing board for Deaf Studies, Today!, and the 2007 Deaflympic Games.

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/jRHeKnEAwOs

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You know how you can hear things about yourself from friends that you would never accept from your family? And you know how you can accept things about yourself from strangers that you would ignore from a friend because “that’s just my friend talking”?

Hi. I’m Uncle Dale, it’s likely we’ve never actually met. I hope you won’t feel it presumptuous of me if I tell you a few things that your interpreting instructors want you to know, but may be hard for you to hear.

YOU ARE NOT SIGN LANGUAGE STUDENTS NOW You are in an interpreting program. Although you will continue to learn sign language for the rest of your life, at this moment you have more than enough vocabulary to interpret any idea from any text given you in class, because it’s not about the vocabulary; it’s about the visual concept. Stop thinking you don’t know enough signs to do this.

You must not let the phrase, “I don’t know the sign for that,” stop you from interpreting the idea anyway. As Morpheus says to Neo in the movie The Matrix, “Stop trying to hit me and just hit me.”

Stop trying to interpret and just interpret.

SOMEONE IN THIS CLASS IS COMPARING THEMSELVES is. Listen carefully: I’m not judging you, I’m grading you. You can TO YOU roll your eyes or even laugh, but there is a powerful distinction between those two ideas. The first says that I attach your worth to Look around the class - you see that student? The one who always your work; I don’t. I am looking at your work to see if you have or seems to get it? For someone in this room, that student is you. have not applied the principles I have taught. Yes=higher grade, Deny it all you want, it’s true.

No=lower grade, and that is it. My evaluation of your work says

At this moment you have more than enough vocabulary to interpret any idea from any text given you in class, because it’s not about the vocabulary; it’s about the visual concept.

When I was in law school my professors would say things like, “Of course you will remember this from elementary school,” and I didn’t, but everyone else seemed to. I kept thinking, “Maybe I was sick that week?” One day a professor hit on a topic I knew something about. BEST CLASS EVER! She kept asking me questions and I kept answering and even when I got it wrong the discussion continued and it was great. When class was over a student sitting a row behind me said “I didn’t understand half of that, but of course you did. You’re the smartest one in the class.” At that moment I realized all the fears I had were the same fears everyone else in the class had. In your classroom, right now, you are someone’s “smartest kid in the class.” Don’t spend one moment trying to argue with me in your mind or dismiss the idea. You are. Everyone is nervous, everyone is afraid. You are fine.

nothing about you personally. I don’t think less of you for struggling; it actually gives my job purpose. Do not tie your ability to do this assignment to your own self-worth nor think for one minute that I do. I just want to make you better, and frankly, I understand.

I understand because I was not born into this - I had to learn it too.

I struggled and learned from someone more experienced. (Never try to learn math from a person who has never struggled with math. They say things like, “And so you see…” or, “It’s obvious that…” but I DON’T SEE AND IT’S NOT OBVIOUS.) My point is, I understand because I’ve been there. And believe me when I tell you, this is the place to step up and try because, no matter what your work looks like, this is a classroom. Here, it will never end with the client in a morgue or in jail, just with a grade. One last thing before we leave this topic. Don’t apologize to me for IF YOU COULD DO IT ALREADY YOU WOULD NOT BE IN your work or any mistakes before you give it to me. It’s your work, it will tell me everything I need to know. If there are errors, I will THE CLASS likely notice - it’s kind of my job. More than that, I will know that I have students every semester who tell me they did not raise their you know there are errors, because I will likely have asked you to hand or their homework is late because they are “nervous about analyze them. messing up.” I understand you will mess up, and I absolve you. I absolve you because if there was ever a place to try something and Well. I’ll let you get back to it. Good talk. I hope I said something fall on your face, it’s here, in the classroom. Why? Because this is you needed to hear. I will try to stop by sometime later and we can a class. You are expected not to know how to do it yet - that is in talk about certification. fact the whole reason you are here!

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But if you don’t try, I can’t evaluate your progress. If you try a little and pull back, I don’t know what the upper limit of your potential

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Translation Activities In Interpreter Education: Benefits & Challenges

By Cassie Lang, MAI, NIC-A, SC:L YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/_TwDb6gMsAU 38

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great deal of debate has surrounded the decision to use translation activities as part of an approach to learning and applying language in a classroom (Pariente-Beltran, 2013).

Many studies either definitively support or discourage the practice without much middle ground, possibly coming from an incomplete understanding of the history behind translation itself.

Though educational programs training interpreters in the United States focus mainly on the process of interpretation, students stand to benefit in numerous ways with the incorporation of translation1 in the classroom.

At its dawning, the practice of translation for language learning was unmediated and largely without a conscious target audience.

The philosophy and goals of language teaching originated primarily during the period from 1750-1900, and followed what was known as the Grammar Translation Method or GTM (Bonilla-Carvajal, 2013). The most common modern interpretation of the GTM requires students first to learn grammatical rules of their second language (L2) which then are applied to translation work.

Historically, however, the practice of the GTM involved translation mainly to and from Latin with the goal of gaining appreciation for the process of learning language while accessing ancient text (Duff, 1989). The focus of translation activities therefore was not on the application of language through productive, interactive events.

Modern-day language teaching goals departed from traditional goals by expecting communicative competence from their students, which led to the development of spoken language-based learning methods such as the Direct Method,2 the Audio-lingual Method3 and the Natural Method4 (Arroway, 2019; Romeo, 2019). Language educators criticized the GTM for lacking context-based application which led to avoidance of translation in the L2 classroom, a movement enacted largely without empirical data (Pariente-Beltran, 2013). Some current studies of teaching language in the classroom encourage first language use in the classroom (Cook, 2001) and incorporation of Translation Studies theories and approaches to enhance cultural understanding of the L2 (Kocbek, 2014).

adult learners, with the opportunity to ask questions, set goals, track progress, gather resources, and evaluate our achievement of those goals (Brookfield, 1984). Practicing reflection through translation in the classroom sets the stage for reflection as a practitioner.

The practice of reflection, known as reflexivity, closely aligns with the theory of cognitivism and problem-based learning. Cognitivism, led by theorists Jean Piaget (1952) and Robert Gagne (1985), tells us that our brains learn through categorizing new information into “files” called schema. Schema are not perfect nor always correct: they are personal, evolving, and help us interpret what we perceive, as well as solve problems and complete complex tasks like interpreting. Our brains create new links every day as we assimilate new knowledge and information. Just as our schema changes from day to day, so might a translation for a certain text change from one day to the next. In this vein, having a portfolio of translation work may give new insights into a practitioner’s growth over time.

With these frameworks as a guide, interpreting students could examine their own translations for evidence of their understanding of the process of translation between ASL and English,5 as well as investigate personal cognitive roots of problem areas where they struggled with translation of specific words or concepts. For example, which translation theory did they apply and why? How did their eye-tracking reveal their cognitive processing of the texts, i.e. did they “re-read” certain sections of the signed or spoken text for deeper understanding? Activities in the classroom which incorporate both individual and paired work allow for self assessment as well as reflective dialogue.

Davis (2000) describes one benefit of translation activities in the ASL-English interpreting classroom as a way to slow down the process of interpreting into manageable, analyzable chunks. Students have the opportunity to learn concepts and skills of translation to later apply in consecutive interpreting, and finally in simultaneous tasks. Davis explains that students can build interpretation skills like concentration, visualization, short term memory and message restructuring while also incorporating translation skills like consideration of a target audience and source text analysis. This dual approach allows budding practitioners to develop both “craft knowledge” specific to interpreting and “analytical knowledge” that is transferable to problem solving in any context (Hatim, 2014, p 10).

Translation is a way to apply our knowledge of language. It functions as a way to critically examine language and communication for specific purposes and to address a variety of everyday problems (Hatim, 2014). According to Hatim’s (2014) characterization of Schӧn (1983), those who translate have the unique opportunity to be reflexive in their decision-making process which contributes to the development of professional expertise. Translation al- According to Hatim (2014), translation work provides an opporlows time for curiosity about our work as interpreters to become tunity for action research through appropriately identifying probmindful reflection. We as interpreters can become self-directed lems and solutions in a systematic way. This can include how to 1. In this article the term “translation” refers to the communication act of conveying meaning between frozen texts without time constraints on linguistic and cognitive processing.

2. The L2 is taught through immersion with no explicit grammatical instruction.

3. The L2 is taught through listening and speaking drills with less focus on reading and writing.

4. This is similar to the Direct Method with focus on comprehension and communication.

5. Or any of their working languages: Tactile ASL or Spanish, for example. www.rid.org

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teach interpreting students to determine linguistic and cultural adjustments to convey meaning in varied contexts (Davis, 2000).

One example of research on cultural adjustments in translation is Stone (2009) on BSL translation from English newscasts, which showed evidence of Deaf translators creating stand-alone BSL target texts. The field of ASL translation to date is less robustly studied as compared to interpretation6 and ripe for research and application to explore current and best practices. Incorporation of translation in ASL interpreting classrooms would foster the field of ASL translation in general, and gather more evidence of trends in signed language translation practices.

Think: how might culturally rich concepts in one language be translated to retain the flavor and frame of the source, versus translated to the closest cultural equivalent in another? One small example of this process of transculturation is how an interpreter might sign CALL-on-the-phone. In translation, does the concept become representative of a video phone call, a TTY, a mobile phone? In an American English text where one takes a bus from Chicago to New York, does the translation into French transport them instead from Marseille to Paris? Translation activities led by frames of domestication and foreignization when deliberately applied in context result in vastly different target texts7.

Using translation activities for interpreter education is not with- The process of translation using different frames requires a deep out challenges. One challenge is how to address directionality, or exploration of the meaning of source texts. Davis (2000) suggests which language is the beginning (source) language, in translation that these processes can involve translation between linguistic

Think: how might culturally rich concepts in one language be translated to retain the flavor and frame of the source, versus translated to the closest cultural equivalent in another? practice. As bilingual competencies are rarely equally balanced (Hatim, 2014), teachers guiding the activity first must have an understanding of each student’s competence in their first language (L1) and second language (L2) as well as an understanding of any multilingual influences on the group. While some educators advocate for translation soley into the L1, others suggest time is spent on the “language of habitual use” (Newmark, 1988) or that competent translators should be able to translate to and from both their L1 and L2 (Hatim, 2014).

and non-linguistic symbols as a means to “discover” the meaning of the source text. From past personal experiences, I recall practicing this very thing in interpreter education programs as well as various workshops: the “immediate and deliberate discarding of words” (Davis, 2000) through the drawing of symbols to conceptualize meaning of a source text. One goal of this type of activity is to limit intrusions of source language on target language, for example the phenomenon of “false friends,” or words that seem shared across languages but differ in meaning. Arroway (2019) incorporates translation into the classroom by way of a card sortThere is not much published literature to be found on common ing activity to crowdsource or “group-translate” false friends as a practices of ASL-English interpreting programs’ approaches to class to spur discussion of multiple meaning words. directionality in translation. However, classroom activities on translation could be customized and balanced to highlight differ- One challenge for instructors of interpreting when incorporating ent techniques for both directionalities, for example using a lens translation activities is the need to address assumptions and theof domestication versus foreignization in target texts (Baumgar- ories behind the concepts of meaning and equivalence. As menten & Schruter, 2018). Native users of a language experiencing tioned, our brains construct meaning for concepts through schea text translated with a lens of domestication may not even realize ma. How do we understand another person’s meaning? To this it is a translation: all concepts and terms used from the outside day, the ASL interpreting profession often describes meaning as “foreign” culture are substituted with concepts from the receiv- “discoverable” by the interpreter/translator (Wilcox & Shaffer, er’s home culture (Venuti, 2008). Foreignization does the op- 2005). However, the complexity of meaning as it exists in a single posite, according to Venuti (2008), “bringing readers abroad” person’s mental construal, constructed using a lifetime of indiby retaining linguistic and cultural frames of the foreign source vidual and group experiences, cannot be accurately conveyed to text. In a foreignized text, receivers are aware that they are being another due to the limitations inherent in any natural language exposed to a different culture through a visible translation.

6. See Cole (2019) and Leneham (2007) for further resources on ASL translation.

7. For more thoughts on transculturation and translation in general, I suggest the very readable Le Ton beau de Marot: In praise of the music of language by Douglas Hofstadter (1997).

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(Langacker, 2008). Theoretically, it begs the question if accurate References interpretation is even cognitively possible, yet in practicality in- Arroway, R. (2019). Oh! Ah! 15 new language translation activities. Reterpreters know it is attempted every day. trieved from https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator/translation-acSome effort has been made to emphasize the importance of meaning in context, and the benefit of pragmatic, functional frames on translation analysis (Davis, 2000): an extension of the familiar “it depends” response to any question in interpreting or translation.

However, a particular call to action for upcoming interpreter educators is to more effectively address the foundations of how meaning is formed cognitively as part of communication. Once the complexity of meaning-making is understood through a cognitive linguistics frame, students of translation can more accurately assess their unconscious selves’ influence on translated products.

Furthermore, students can approach individual differentiation in interpreted products not in qualifying dichotomies of good and bad but as texts that reveal conscious and unconscious frames on cross-linguistic meaning.

Application of translation activities in the classroom are, with adequate planning, beneficial for the interpreter classroom environment. Activities can be varied according to text genre and function, allowing students to explore audience impact on product (Hatim, 2014). Translation activities lend themselves easily to macro analysis where students have the opportunity to carefully consider the impact of situation, pragmatics, and semiotics8. Micro analysis includes grammatical, lexical, semantic, and textual components of translations (Emery, 1991). Above all, students can gain a greater understanding of the power translations have in shaping context and history (Hatim, 2014). As students are often also learning language as well as the process of interpretation and translation, educators should be well-informed of both language learning and translation processing frameworks to best implement translation activities in the classroom.

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About the Author: Cassie Lang, MAI, NIC-A, SC:L Cassie Lang (NIC-A, SC:L) is a doctoral student in the Department of Interpretation and Translation at Gallaudet University.

She received her BA in Music Education and Spanish from the University of Minnesota and her MA in Interpretation from Gallaudet University. She has served on the board of the Minnesota chapter of RID and actively mentors student interpreters. She would like to thank the Deaf communities in Wisconsin’s Fox Valley and Minnesota’s Twin Cities for their friendship and mentorship as she grew up. Her research interests include identity development, interpreting internationally, and applying social justice principles to interpreter education. She loves to travel, garden, and make pottery.

tivities-in-the-language-classroom/#

Baumgarten, S., & Schrӧter, M. (2018). Discourse analysis, interpreting and translation. In K. Malmkjaer (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Translation Studies and Linguistics (139-140). Taylor and Francis.

Kindle edition.

Boers, F. (2013). Cognitive linguistic approaches to teaching vocabulary: Assessment and integration. Language Teaching, 46(2), 208-224.

Brookfield, S. (1984). Self-Directed Adult Learning: A Critical Paradigm. Adult Education Quarterly, 35(2), 59–71.

Cole, J. I. (2019). Storied realities: An examination of the lived experiences of Deaf translators. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C. Davis, J. (2000). Translation techniques in interpreter education. In C. Roy (Ed.), Innovative Practices in Interpreter Education, 109-131.

Duff, A. (1989). Translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Emery, P. (1991). Text classification and text analysis in advanced translation teaching. Meta, XXXVI (4): 567–77.

Gagne, R. (1985). The conditions of learning (4th Ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Hatim, B. (2014). Teaching and Research Translation, 2nd ed. [Kindle for Mac 5]. New York, NY: Routledge.

Hofstadter, D. R. (1997). Le Ton beau de Marot: In praise of the music of language. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Kocbek, A. (2014). Unlocking the potential of translation for FLT. Linguistica, 54(1), 425–438. https://doi.org/10.4312/linguistica.54.1.425-438 Langacker, R.W. (2008). Cognitive grammar: A basic introduction.

New York: Oxford University Press.

Leneham, M. (2007). Exploring power and ethnocentrism in sign language translation. Babel, 41(3), 4-12.

Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall.

Pariente-Beltran, B., Amaral, L., Gubitosi, P., & Wang, Z. (2013). Evaluating translation as an explicit instruction tool to improve L2 written skills: An empirical study (ProQuest Dissertations Publishing).

Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International Universities Press.

Stone, C. (2009). Toward a Deaf Translation Norm. Washington: Gallaudet University Press.

Venuti, L. (1995/2008). The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation. (2nd ed.) London and New York: Routledge.

Wilcox, S., & Shaffer, B. (2005). Towards a cognitive model of interpreting. In T. Jansen (Ed.), Topics in Signed Language Interpreting, 135-164. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

8. For example, culturally rich elements as well as intertextuality, or the influences different kinds of texts (print, media, signed languages) have on one another.

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January 16, 2020 | 6-8 pm ET $25 | education.rid.org Use code "FALLVIEWS" to save $5

CONSUMER ORIENTATION

By Colleen Jones, MA, NIC YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/MKHkDleBYD8

” . y a d ch u o t r m te w e r o h p r t? t e n t u e n i o ur ab statem o t y h “I’m r t h o u g d i n t h i s

ve mplie e u i o s y i n e Hav for matio in • Issue 3

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or some consumers, this simple introduction immediately conjures a clear understanding of who they will be interacting with, what languages will be used, and what the communication process will look like. For others, this is just the beginning of what can be a very confusing process.

Interpreting for consumers who never really “get it” can be incredibly dissatisfying. The interpreter might be producing their best work, but the consumers never seem to connect, the conversation does not flow naturally, and the interpreter leaves the job doubting their effectiveness.

Education for consumers, referred to as orientation to the interpreted interaction or consumer orientation (term originally coined in Jones, 2017), is an important part of the consumers’ experience. Effective orientation can reduce confusion, distraction, and negative perceptions. It can also contribute to clear communication and better outcomes for the hearing consumer, the Deaf consumer, and the interpreter. While consumer orientation is already conducted well by many interpreters, consumers, and allies, the interpreting field has not established best practices for consumer orientation. This article explores the important role that consumer orientation plays in the interpreted interaction, reasons interpreters might hesitate to orient consumers, and what effective orientation could look like.

Lack of Consumer Orientation Has a Negative Impact on Consumers My 2017 study examined responses from 357 hearing people who were not fluent in sign language. Participants were asked several questions about their impression of a Deaf person after watching his presentation in sign language while listening to an off-screen interpreter render the message in spoken English (Jones, 2017). The video did not provide any consumer orientation to the interpreted interaction, and 44% of participants indicated they were confused and/or distracted by the use of sign language and the interpreting process (p. 58). Additionally, those who were confused or distracted had a more negative impression of the Deaf presenter, ranking him lower-than-average in ten soft skill categories—professionalism, friendliness, knowledgeability, confidence, intelligence, communication skills, trustworthiness, competency, authoritativeness, and likability (p. 59).

medical professionals who worked regularly with highly qualified sign language interpreters in the U.K. An overwhelming number of these hearing consumers believed that the interpreter was a friend, social worker, or caretaker of the Deaf consumer (2009, as cited in Llewellyn-Jones & Lee, 2014). These findings correspond with my research, in which survey participants’ level of experience working with interpreters had very little effect on their indicated feelings of confusion and/or distraction, suggesting that even experienced consumers may benefit from orientation to the interpreted interactions (Jones, 2017, p.52).

Interpreter Ethics and the Myth of Invisibility If consumer orientation is so important, why has the interpreting field not discussed this in greater depth and developed best practices? One possible reason is that educating consumers directly conflicts with many interpreters who attempt to be a non-participant in the interaction. While the interpreting field has moved through multiple approaches to our work over the decades (Witter-Merithew, 1999), vestiges of the machine model still exist.

With the best of intentions, many interpreters try to fade into the background and avoid any behavior that could be construed as Deaf disempowerment (as defined by Suggs, 2012). “Just pretend I’m not here,” often becomes the shorthand explanation of how to engage with a fellow consumer while utilizing the services of an interpreter. The Code of Professional Conduct can also be interpreted to encourage invisibility: Tenet 2.5 states that interpreters shall “refrain from providing counsel, advice, and personal opinions,” and Tenet 3.5 says interpreters should “conduct and present themselves in an unobtrusive manner” (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, 2005, p. 3).

Researchers have written persuasively about the myth of invisibility and its impact on consumers, interpreting practitioners, and the interpreted message (see, for example, Dean & Pollard, 2005; Llewellyn-Jones & Lee, 2014; and Witter-Merithew, Swabey, & Nicodemus, 2011). In the context of consumer orientation, the concept of invisibility is relevant because interpreters may refrain from providing important information about the interpreting process in an effort to avoid inserting themselves into the interaction.

This is not to say that the responsibility of orientation is always on the interpreter, but to posit that the persistence of the machine model of interpreting and the expectation that interpreters are While further research is needed, these results appear to confirm not to take part in any interactions with consumers may be barriwhat interpreting practitioners and experienced consumers know ers to the development of best practices for consumer orientation. to be true: that consumers who are confused or distracted by the The FEI Model for Consumer Orientation interpreting process will ultimately see the Deaf person in a more negative light than if they clearly understood what to expect from Consumer orientation is defined as “communication with one or an interpreted interaction. Previous research similarly suggests more consumers with the goal of supporting their understanding that many hearing consumers do not understand the interpreter’s of the interaction” (Jones, 2017, p. 4). This definition is expandrelationship with the Deaf consumer, the process of interpreting, ed upon and given more clear application with the addition of the or how to effectively work with interpreters (see, for example, Function, Expectations, and Inclusion (FEI) model for consumer Hsieh, 2010; Kredens, 2017; Metzger, 1999). In one instance, orientation (Jones, 2019). This model is based on the idea that Leeds surveyed “effective consumer orientation includes three elements: Function of the interpreter, Expectations for what the interaction will www.rid.org

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be like, and Inclusion for all parties (FEI). Depending on the setting and the consumer, each element may be touched on briefly or may be expanded upon in more depth. Regardless of whether the orientation to the interpreted interaction takes ten seconds or ten minutes, these three elements can be included” (para. 14).

Inclusion: What can be done to ensure the interaction is inclusive and satisfactory for everyone?

Examples:

• I can only interpret for one person at a time, so if there is cross-talk or a side conversation, some people will miss out While not every aspect of how to work with interpreters will fit on it because it has not been interpreted. As the chairperson, these labels perfectly, it is beneficial to consider orientation using can you pay attention to turn-taking and make sure people the three categories: aren’t talking on top of each other?

Survey participants’ level of experience working with interpreters had very little effect on their indicated feelings of confusion and/or distraction, suggesting that even experienced consumers may benefit from orientation to the interpreted interactions.

Function: How will the interpreter function in the context of this • Even though my voice will be coming from behind you, go interaction? Examples: ahead and look at the Deaf person when they are signing to you. It is respectful and you will be able to pick up on their • I am the interpreter for your meeting with John today. facial expressions and body language.

• I will be standing to the side of the stage, interpreting your • Instead of talking to me, go ahead and speak directly to the presentation into American Sign Language.

Deaf person and use first person language. You don’t have to • When you speak, I will listen to what you are saying then insay, “Ask her if she’s going to the meeting,” you can just say, terpret it into American Sign Language. When the Deaf per“Are you going to the meeting?” (Jones, 2019, para. 15-18). son makes a comment, they will sign it in ASL and I will watch what they are saying and then interpret it into English so you Options for Effective Orientation can understand them.

• Feel free to speak as you naturally would. If any clarification Just like everything related to interpreting, there is no one correct is needed for the interpreting process or if we need to make approach for consumer orientation. Effective orientation could adjustments to better facilitate communication, I will let you be formal or informal, written or verbal, and could occur once or know. multiple times. Real-world application will depend on a myriad • Therearetwointerpreterstodayandwewillbeworkingasateam. of factors, including setting, participants, power dynamics, and One of us will be interpreting the message and the other will be timing. Also, it is important to emphasize that while most of this monitoring for accuracy and ready to support when needed. article and the relevant research is focused on gaps in the understanding of hearing consumers, Deaf consumers may sometimes Expectations: What can the consumer expect when working with need orientation as well. an interpreter? How might this experience differ from a typical There are many scenarios where it may be appropriate for the inmonolingual interaction? Examples: terpreter to take on the task of conducting orientation, but there • You might notice a bit of a pause while I am processing the are also many situations where this might not be the case. People message and then interpreting it. who could conduct orientation include (but are not limited to): • I will be standing a bit behind you so the Deaf person can make eye contact with you and see me at the same time. My • Interpreter voice will be behind you, but the person interacting with you • Deaf consumer • Hearing consumer is in front of you.

• The two interpreters will be switching every fifteen to twenty • Team interpreter • Agency or booking entity minutes.

• Supervisor, group leader, or colleague of the consumer 44

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The decision of who should take responsibility for orientation will

depend on community discussions as well as individual negotia- References tions that are context specific.

Dean, R. K., & Pollard Jr., R. Q. (2005). Consumers and service effecMany people envision orientation for an interaction occurring tiveness in interpreting work: A practice profession perspective. In M. upon arrival, in conjunction with the interpreter(s) introducing Marschark, R. Peterson, & E. A. Winston (Eds.), Sign language interpreting and interpreter education: Directions for research and practice themselves. While this is often the first opportunity for face-to(pp. 259-282). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

face interaction with the consumer, it is not necessarily the first opportunity for orientation. As an alternative, Jones (2018) suggests that the party who is responsible for orientation might consider conducting orientation before or after the interpreted interaction. Orientation that occurs prior to the event could consist of information based on the FEI model, communicated via email or a brochure that is included in an information packet. Orientation after the event might be a quick check-in about how things went, or a follow-up conversation based on previously shared information. It may be appropriate for the interpreter or consumer to communicate with the hiring entity, manager, or another third party and ask them to conduct orientation. It is also worth discussing how orientation may be conducted during the interaction, whether by using simple cues or pausing the conversation in order to share information that will improve communication.

Conclusion Consumer orientation might be a new term in the literature, but the concept of sharing information is intuitive and directly related to the work of interpreting. Many interpreters, consumers, and allies are already engaging in orientation that is effective and beneficial for all parties involved in the interpreted interaction. The interpreting field and our communities of practice would benefit from an examination of existing approaches, further research, intentional discussions, and the development of best practices for consumer orientation.

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About the Author: Colleen Jones, MA, NIC Colleen Jones is a nationally certified interpreter and presenter from Seattle, Washington. She holds undergraduate degrees from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Seattle Central Community College, and a master’s degree from Western Oregon University.

Colleen’s interpreting work is focused on medical, business, and DeafBlind settings, and she has published research on the topics of gender bias and consumer orientation. In her spare time Colleen enjoys the outdoors, developing her green thumb, and travel.

She is currently working on a bucket list of islands to visit across the world. For more information on consumer orientation and Colleen’s research and publications, please visit colleenjones. wixsite.com/terp

Hsieh, E. (2010). Provider–interpreter collaboration in bilingual health care: Competitions of control over interpreter-mediated interactions.

Patient Education and Counseling, 78(2), 154-159.

Jones, C. (2017). Perception in American Sign Language interpreted interactions: Gender bias and consumer orientation (Master’s Thesis).

Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon.

Jones, C. (2018, November). Perception in ASL Interpreted Interactions: Consumer Orientation. Paper presented at the Conference of Interpreter Trainers, Salt Lake City, UT. Jones, C. (2019). Orientation to the interpreted interaction. In E. Maroney, A. R. Smith, S. Hewlett, E. Trine, and V. Darden (eds.), Integrated and open interpreter education: The open educational resource reader and workbook for interpreters. Monmouth, OR: Western Oregon University.

Kredens, K. (2017). Conflict or convergence? Interpreters’ and police officers’ perceptions of the role of the public service interpreter. Language and Law, 3(2), 65-77.

Llewellyn-Jones, P., & Lee, R. G. (2014). Redefining the role of the community interpreter: The concept of role-space. United Kingdom: SLI Press.

Metzger, M. (1999). Sign language interpreting: Deconstructing the myth of neutrality. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. (2005). NAD-RID code of professional conduct. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_ HBAap35D1R1MwYk9hTUpuc3M/view Suggs, T. (2012). Deaf disempowerment and today's interpreter (online presentation). Retrieved from https://streetleverage.com/live_ presentations/deaf-disempowerment-and-todays- interpreter/ Witter-Merithew, A. (1999). From benevolent care-taker to ally: The evolving role of sign language interpreters in the United States of America. Gebärdensprachdolmetschen: Dokumentation der Magdeburger Fachtagung (Theorie und Praxis 4), Hamburg: Verl hörgeschädigte kinder. 55-64.

Witter-Merithew, A., Swabey, L., & Nicodemus, B. (2011). Establishing presence and role transparency in healthcare interpreting: a pedagogical approach for developing effective practice. Rivista di psicolinguistica applicata, 11(3), 79-94.

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Always Innovating: YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/YD2797Kci_w

Amazon’s ASL Program

Amazon aspires to be “Earth’s most customer-centric company.”

Customers can be those that use our products and services but can also be our internal colleagues and our external business partners as well. Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO, sets this tone saying, “Listen to the customer, and invent for the customer.” Within the Human Resources department at Amazon, we identified the Deaf community within the hiring and employment process as a customer. Amazon is proud to partner with our Deaf customers to remove barriers and raise the bar by providing self-service accommodations to Deaf employees in business offices and Fulfillment Centers across the U.S. Amazon’s corporate culture is guided by 14 Leadership Principles that we refer to in all business decisions. In creating an in-house ASL accommodation program, it was important to highlight a few of the most relevant principles as we worked towards offering world class linguistic accommodations: • Customer Obsession • Insist on the Highest Standards • Hire and Develop the Best At Amazon, we hire only RID and BEI certified interpreters.

At this time, our team of interpreters has hundreds of collective years of professional interpreting experience. The hiring process for ASL Interpreters at Amazon includes interviews in both English and ASL, with Deaf customer and stakehold46

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er participation, interpreting assessments using tools pioneered by Gallaudet research, and interpreting scenarios that evaluate one’s professional judgment. Working within the Amazon ASL Interpreter Program is not the traditional staff interpreter role. Interpreters provide on-demand and pre-scheduled interpreting services while also acting as accommodation partners and collaborative problem-solvers.

Amazon Interpreters team up with Deaf employees to create Deaf culture trainings for hearing staff, educate on the

“I attribute a large part of my success here at Amazon to the fact I have a [staff] interpreter…which lets me focus on doing my job well. Amazon has a fast-paced and dynamic culture that’s always changing, which made it very hard for me to manage my communication needs with outside agencies. The flexibility of having a [staff] interpreter lets me and my team adjust to any scenario at any moment…The most important thing about all of this is that I have equal access to communication in an inclusive culture that lets me be equiv-

Giving interpreters the support to be a whole professional instead of “just the interpreter” means everyone benefits from what they bring to the table. Together, we know we can do more. appropriate use of VRI technology, and promote Deaf-led ASL classes – ultimately aimed at continuing to create an inclusive, Deaf-friendly work environment. Amazon interpreters work in a wide variety of locations, such as Fulfillment Centers (FCs), Delivery Stations and Corporate offices. No matter the location, all Amazon ASL interpreters are focused on the same goal: provide high quality ASL accommodations that empower and attract Deaf talent to support their career growth.

The response from the Deaf Amazonians about the ASL Program has been overwhelmingly positive. Anthony Bernal in the FC environment from California says: ”I have been an Ambassador at my location for a year now. I work with our DHH population and partner with our site’s [staff] interpreter to encourage and motivate the Deaf Associates to get involved. Having an Amazon interpreter onsite helps our DHH Associates communicate with anyone so we can learn more and be set up for success…This access to communication makes Amazon one of the best companies, and others are noticing. Having access to an interpreter helps me connect with my team, and I have opportunities to promote within by gaining more experience to reach my dreams.”

Brendan Gramer, a Deaf Senior UX Designer from the corporate setting describes his experience:

alent to my peers. I do not get left behind and become “that” Deaf person in the corner because there is no interpreter available.”

What makes Amazon’s ASL Program different is that the company is bringing in the professional in-house interpreters, as owners in the company. Amazon interpreters enjoy the same full compensation packages as other salaried employees, with a dynamic work environment that Ginevra Deianni, the ASL Interpreter Program Operations Manager says: “is the best of both worlds between the diversity of freelance, and the dependability of a full-time position.

With such diverse settings, employee language needs, and projects to develop, every day is truly different at Amazon.”

Melissa Sweeney, one of Amazon’s ASL Interpreter Specialists reflects, “I have always loved the spontaneity of the interpreting profession and I was somewhat hesitant about becoming a staff interpreter because I didn’t want to give up that variety. However, I have found working at Amazon to be anything but monotonous. I’ve been able to travel to so many different cities and types of sites, and I get to meet new people practically every day. There’s something new each day and I love the challenge of keeping up with such a fast-paced culture!” Giving interpreters the support to be a whole professional instead of “just the interpreter” means everyone benefits from what they bring to the table. Together, we know we can do more. www.rid.org

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In 2019, we implemented the pre-interview interpreter screening process for all Deaf candidates... This process empowers both the Deaf candidate and the interpreter to perform optimally during the interview and promotes trust within the professional relationship.

Earning customer trust is another foundational tenet of Amazon’s Leadership Principles. Amazon Interpreters aim to extend this trust to our freelance colleagues who work with us through our vendors. Vendor-employed interpreters are our guests and our partners in providing the highest quality services to our Deaf employees. We highly value this relationship and seek to strengthen it by bringing interpreting industry best practices into our standard processes. In 2019, we implemented the pre-interview interpreter screening process for all Deaf candidates. This pre-briefing allows Deaf candidates who have applied for a job at Amazon the opportunity to meet with an interpreter before their scheduled interview. This empowers candidates to be sure the interpreter is a good linguistic match, as well as share their resumé and specialized/preferred sign vocabulary as a part of assignment preparation. This process empowers both the Deaf candidate and the interpreter to perform optimally during the interview and promotes trust within the professional relationship. Amazon is serious about insisting on the highest standards for this crucial encounter in the hiring process.

The benefits of having internal ASL language partners has been beneficial to hearing individuals too. Individuals are interested in learning more about Deaf culture and make necessary changes that promote accessibility for all. Priscilla Gomez, a Senior Human Resources Business Partner states, “Having interpreters has been a colossal benefit to the HR department. We are able to support our Deaf Associates in a much more efficient manner. The employees appreciate having someone onsite that they can leverage to communicate with their team, managers, and support teams.” With Amazon staff interpreters, HR is no longer a gate to be passed but rather a partner in service.” Tristina Blokdyk, a shift manager in a busy Fulfillment Center loves the connection as well: “Having an ASL Interpreter Specialist on-site prevents communication barriers between us and our Deaf Associates. Any messages or new rollouts are more easily implemented successfully.” Promoting seamless communication and a trusted accommodation experience are at the heart of Amazon’s ASL Interpreter Program. Amazon is proud to be bringing the highest quality and most efficient ASL accommodations to Amazon employees!

Strengthening the relationship with our vendor-employed interpreters includes offering better prep materials across the board. Amazon culture loves acronyms! Our sites include cutting-edge technologies and equipment that creates specialized terminology completely foreign to a visitor.

Even the names of our Fulfillment Centers are spoken like short, strange words: ONT8, FAT1, MIA5. The Amazon interpreting team is currently creating an ASL video library with Deaf Amazonians to teach in coming interpreters preferred signs for Amazon-specific vocabulary. Deaf employees embrace the process of owning their unique work jargon and filming their ASL preferences for a seamless interpreting experience. Have you seen how many signs there are for just the company name “Amazon”?

About the Authors:

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Ginevra Deianni | Operations Manager, ASL Interpreter Program Certified Interpreter: RID CI/CT Dana Redfield | ASL Interpreter Specialist Certified Interpreter: RID: NIC, ED:K-12 Jasmine Paul | ASL Interpreter Specialist Certified Interpreter: RID NIC The Amazon ASL Program mission statement is to revolutionize communication access by providing best-in-class sign language and related services to current and future Amazonians employed in the US. We will do this by focusing on quality, technology and cultural inclusion.

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Reflections From an Old Hand COLUMN

Hello to you all. This is a new ongoing column, in which I plan to share some experiences and stories of my life and work.

I am a retired person, close to 70 years old. I was an interpreter and later became a licensed clinical social worker specializing in mental health therapy. The people I worked with were deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf blind, and I also worked with hearing or deaf members of their families.

Phil Giambaresi

Former CSC, LCSW (Retired)

California

I was born in 1950 to parents who have been Deaf since their birth. I have a younger brother who is also a hearing child. The influence from my mother's deaf family and my interest in being the family interpreter led to a career of being a certified interpreter. I received a BA in Psychology. At the age of 34, I earned my Master's in Social Work, specializing in mental health of the Deaf. After living in NYC for over 30 years, I moved to California and am now retired.

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I worked with these same populations in my work as an interpreter for many years. I've done most kinds of jobs a freelance interpreter can do, including theatre interpreting. My home for over 30 years was in New York City, where there was so much opportunity for work as a certified interpreter. Manhattan was an exciting place and the city was so diverse in its people, culture, and so much more.

My parents were both deaf. My father was a user of ASL and my mother could use ASL but tended toward using PSE (Pidgin Signed English). Most of my mother's family were deaf. How lucky I was to have their influence to help me learn the various forms of sign language! It helped me in my work as an interpreter at CSUN (California State University, Northridge) where I also took my own courses leading to a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. I did post-graduate work in the area of Secondary Deaf Education.

I vowed from that time on, I’d improve myself.

After serving in the military (Air Force) in the Vietnam Era, I moved to NYC from California. My new home was established on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I would say I had a "colorful" life, and at my age, I feel I have much to share with others who might be interested in my thoughts and feelings about various situations. My views and opinions don't reflect all of us born from deaf families. I can only share my own perspectives.

watch these movies, but then there I was on-screen. It was mortifying for everyone to just laugh and laugh at me. I saw myself doing a lot of signs with an overly EXPRESSIVE face, like a clown! I remember running from the group and crying and feeling hot-blooded shame and anger that everyone saw me when I wasn't at all my best. I vowed from that time on, I'd improve myself. I asked Mom to sign more as she spoke and studied my father and his friends who signed "differently" with lots of facial expressions and verbal "noises" that emThis is all a part of what I wish to contribute to this ongoing anated from them in various ways. High voices. Low voices. column, beginning with this submission to VIEWS. It is my No voices. introduction of you, the reader, to a bit of my background about which I plan to write what I hope will be of interest to It was at that young age that I began to see the differencyou. es between the use of more "English ordered" signs vs. the "Non-English" signs which we would later call ASL. So that's I am the oldest of two hearing sons, and happened to be the why I had so many misunderstandings. I realized that ASL one who did most of the interpreting for my parents and deaf was NOT ENGLISH! Remember, this was in the late 1950's, relatives. My brother tended to be more receptive than ex- and as a kid, I learned by such experiences. The result? I impressive with signing and associated himself more with the proved more and more in making "appropriate" facial movehearing world than I did. He had more of an awkward sign- ments as I signed one way with Dad and his cohorts, and ing ability but could make himself understood by both of our signed differently with Mom and her "PSE-speaking friends." parents. In other words, I was the designated child interpret- Some with and some without voices. Some were clearer voicer. es (again in English order) and some weren't that clear. It My Dad and I had many misunderstandings in our commu- was all a hands-on education by absorbing what I saw (and nication, as I was (along with my brother) "spoiled" by our heard)! mother's ability to use speech. I recall how up to the age of Well, this has only been a "start" and there'll be more to come ten, my Dad would use ASL with me and I'd not get the full in future issues. Feel free to comment by using my email: meaning of what he said to me. One day, he used his movie pgiambaresi@aol.com. camera to record me signing an explanation of a situation. I saw how his body shook at times with laughter as he held his camera to film me. In my mind, I guessed that he might have thought I was a cute little kid somehow. Up to that point, my Dad often said to me: "Go look in the mirror at your face!"

How I resented that he was not a happy camper with my expressions. Dad would often tell my Mom to tell me NOT to sign so badly, as it embarrassed him. He was a man of pride.

I remember Mom telling him that I was only trying to communicate as best I could (in ASL) but as I said, he'd get frustrated with me and sometimes call me "stupid." (That was Dad!)

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So here we were with the camera. Later on, when we had our deaf family and friends over for a movie night, people shared their home movies, signing away on the screen. I loved to

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Change: Thriving in Times of Uncertainty

SELF-CARE

COLUMN

“Change is the only constant.”

- Heraclitus Interpreters encounter change in a multitude of situations:

Breana Cross-Caldwell, BS, CI and CT Portland, Oregon Breana Cross-Caldwell holds her CI/CT from RID, B.S. in Interpretation from Western Oregon University and is a Certified Life Coach. She has led thousands of interpreters in preventing burnout and finding the passion again in their lives through developing habits of self-care. You can find her on Instagram @brighterfocus.

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/-7WmhxPMt2k

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• Expectations or roles shifting at work • Co-workers or team interpreter changes • Assignments canceling, in the case of ongoing assignments or classes this could be three months of work or more • Health changes in ourselves or those we care for - injury or illness - affecting our ability to work • Changes in our personal lives - changes of living situation, relationship, the birth of a child, the death of a loved one • Changes in our communities and in the world Events like these can trigger in us fear of the unknown. They can bring difficult emotions like grief, shock, and anxiety. They can affect our lives in ways that feel impossible to bear.

Sometimes changes are tragic or life-altering, as in the loss of a loved one, and sometimes they are more benign, as in a cancelled assignment, but all change can help us to develop our self-compassion and resilience, and may lead to more long-term benefits in the future.

The body is full of information, continually giving us feedback through sensations such as pain, tension, indigestion, and fatigue... You can harness the valuable information of the body to guide you toward what’s needed, by doing a body scan.

Interpreter Resilience

Coping with stress in a positive way is known as resilience, and it has many health benefits. It's associated with longevity, lower rates of depression, and greater satisfaction with life. "There's a sense of control, and it helps people feel more positive in general," says Laura Malloy, the Successful Aging program director at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine (Harvard Health, 2017).

defeating. When we re-orient our locus of control to that which is in our own “yard” - what we say, do, believe, and feel - we are then able to act from a place of power. For more in-depth instruction on this technique, check out the Self Care column in the August 2018 issue of RID VIEWS (Hall, 2018).

Attend to the Heart

Just as our physical sensations and thoughts have valuable information for our route to resilience, so do our emotions. Acclaimed But what does it mean to ‘cope with stress in a positive way’? It author and researcher Brene Brown instructs in her book, Dare is often not as easy as the positivity posts tell us, to shift our per- to Lead, that we “must either invest a reasonable amount of time spective and look on the bright side. attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive beThe first step in developing resilience is to practice self-compas- havior” (Brown, 2018). sion by attending to yourself - every part of yourself - body, mind, and heart. Begin by acknowledging the change, loss, or transition and how it’s affecting you. Sometimes we don’t realize a seemingly small change at work like a new policy or expectation can have such an impact on us. It is validating to articulate, even just to ourselves - “This change is affecting me and I’m going to find ways to support myself through it.”

Attend to the Body

The body is full of information, continually giving us feedback through sensations such as pain, tension, indigestion, and fatigue. Change often stirs up these sensations in our body, as we experience stress and fear of the unknown. You can harness the valuable information of the body to guide you toward what’s needed, by doing a body scan. A body scan, in simplest terms, involves directing your attention to each part of the body - often sequentially from head to toe - while staying aware of your breathing.

This is both helpful to gather information about what’s happening in your body, and also a great tool for relaxation. It can be done lying, sitting, or even standing, almost anywhere (although I recommend against doing it while driving).

Attend to the Mind

Becoming aware of and inquiring into your thoughts is a powerful practice of presence and consciousness. When you notice stress stemming from a change in your circumstances, ask your mind, “Whose yard am I in?” When we’re mentally in someone else’s business, or “yard,” we are worrying about or trying to control something that we cannot control. This can feel frustrating and

Credit: By Machine Elf 1735 - Own work, Public Domain, https:// commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13285286

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As you move toward mindbody-heart awareness and reach out for support, over time you will likely discover that you’ve done the work of building resilience.

References Brown, Brené. (2018). Dare to Lead (p 70). New York: Random House.

Hall, Breana. (2018, August). Caring for Ourselves Within Community. RID VIEWS. Harvard Health Letter. (2017, Nov). Retrieved from Harvard Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing website: https://www.health. harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/ramp-up-your-resilience Herman, Rhett. (1998, Oct 26). Retrieved from Scientific American website: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-fast-is-theearth-mov/

To do this, I invite you to put your hand over your heart, close your eyes, and identify your emotions. You may want to have a list Hoffman Institute Foundation. (2013). Retrieved from: https://www. of common emotions handy. Even though an interpreter is basi- hoffmaninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Practices-FeelingsSensacally a professional thesaurus, when venturing into the realm of tions.pdf your own emotions, words can become harder to find.

Kurtus, Ron. (2017, Dec 29). Retrieved from School for Champions website: https://www.school-for-champions.com/science/matter_kinetic_theory.htm#.XZUKw5NKj-Y

When change feels too overwhelming to handle, it is important to reach out for support. Sharing your feelings and experiences with someone who will listen compassionately and without judgement List of Emotions. Retrieved October 4, 2019 from Wikipedia website: can go a long way toward building your resilience. This can be a https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emotions friend, colleague, loved one, or a professionally-trained therapist, care provider, or coach.

Machine Elf 1735 - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.

As you move toward mind-body-heart awareness and reach out for support, over time you will likely discover that you’ve done the work of building resilience. One of the beautiful gifts of change is that, as it stretches and challenges us, it deepens our wells of compassion for others who come after us on the path. As you find yourself feeling grounded and confident once more, having integrated changes and found your way on this new path, I encourage you to use this well of compassion to support someone else along it. As we support each other, we create a chain of kindness, well-being, and connection that strengthens our community and ripples out into the world.

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Endless Opportunities!

Contact us to learn more about advertising your organization or job opportunities with our members!

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

CM Hall NIC Advanced, Ed:K-12 YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/czkdie05skc

Why do you have a passion for interpreting?

It's the fire of injustice and using my power and privilege and ability to "be at the table" and work for equity and justice. I was lucky enough to learn from Gish (Sandra Gish) and she really sparked this in the way she paralleled different civil rights movements to advance dignity, equity, and inclusion. That really drives my passion for interpreting work with DeafBlind, Deaf, and hearing folks.

Where does your passion lie?

My passion is in giving hearing-sighted students an understanding of the DeafBlind community and getting to introduce DeafBlind thought leaders and change agents to students who then really have their own "aha!" moments. My passion is in using my hearing-sighted privilege for good to collaborate with DeafBlind leaders and bolster protactile language and the foundational principle of autonomy. My passion is also in community service. For a very long time, it's been in LGBTQ advocacy and education, and now I have been elected to serve on the City Council in my town. I love getting to bring my heart and my quest for justice into that work as well.

Is there a golden rule to longevity in this profession?

Flexibility and an open mind, letting go of what you can't control, and knowing that inevitably, you're going to be working with folks again and again, so being kind matters.

5

Continue reading CM Hall's Member Spotlight here: https://rid.org/november-2019-member-spotlight-cm-hall/ www.rid.org

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Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation Click images to enlarge

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

National Interpreter Certification Certification awarded between 08/09/2019- 11/05/2019

Region I - Northeast Alison Bartley

Bridget Carroll Melissa Hatfield

Kevin Scott Jones Emily Kohler

Aleah Martinho Deena Morris

Sage Nagy

Jennifer Quinn

Samantha Sammons Joan Stone

Elaine Williams

PA PA PA PA MA ME NY NY NJ PA PA ME

Region II - Southeast Sarah Baker Alyssa Barlow Weston Broache Jessica Lewis Jordan Kralik Joseph King Lucas King Kristine Krush Kelsey McLemore Shane Montemayor Laura Kirby Pickard Toma Pickett Cierra Pope Veronica Potter Frances Royer Megan Scherr

SC MD VA MD FL NC VA FL FL DC NC NC DC FL VA MD

Region II - Southeast (conintued) Stacey Schroepfer Hallie Simmons Jennifer Willow Corey Wys Jennifer York

VA SC MD FL MD

Region III - Midwest Stephen Birch Jr. Emma Loveland Christine McCann Malinda Oakland Elizabeth Odom Jahmeca Osborne Donovan Smith

KY IN OH MN KY OH WI

Region IV - Central Kristen Jones Jonathan Pokorny Kimberly Tate

CO TX MO

Region V- Pacific Casie Cowles Ana Galvez Timothy Hughes Courtney Lotane Kateri McGuire Jennifer Miller Coty Toscano

CA CA ID CA CA OR CA

FY 2019 Certification Reinstatements and Revocations Below, please find a link to a page on our website that lists individuals whose certifications have been revoked due to non-compliance with the Certification Maintenance Pro-

gram. The Certification Maintenance Program requirements are as follows: • Maintain current RID membership by paying annual RID Certified Member dues • Meet the CEU requirements:

m CMP CEU Requirements: w 8.0 Total CEUs with at least 6.0 in PS CEUs w (up to 2.0 GS CEUs may be applied toward the requirement) w SC:L’s only–2.0 of the 6.0 PS CEUs must be in legal interpreting topics w SC:PA’s only–2.0 of the 6.0 PS CEUs must be in performing arts topics • Follow the RID Code of Professional Conduct If an individual appears on the list, it means that their consumers may no longer be protected by the Ethical Practices System, should an issue arise. This list is available on the RID website and can be accessed by the community at large. The published list is a “live” list, meaning that it will be updated as needed if a certification is reinstated or revoked.

To view the revocation list, please visit the link HERE. Should you lose certification due to failure to comply with CEU requirements or failure to pay membership dues, you may submit a reinstatement request. www.rid.org 57 The reinstatement form and policies are outlined HERE.

VIEWS

Vision: VIEWS, RID’s digital publication, is dedicated to the interpreting profession. As a part of RID’s strategic goals, we focus on providing interpreters with the educational tools they need to excel at their profession. VIEWS is about inspiring, or even instigating, thoughtful discussions among practitioners. With the establishment of the VIEWS Board of Editors, the featured content in this publication is peer-reviewed and standardized according to our bilingual review process. VIEWS is on the leading edge of bilingual publications for English and ASL. In this way, VIEWS helps to bridge the gap between interpreters and clients and facilitate equality of language. This publication represents a rich history of knowledge-sharing in an extremely diverse profession. As an organization, we value the experiences and expertise of interpreters from every cultural, linguistic, and educational background. VIEWS seeks to provide information to researchers and stakeholders about these specialty fields and groups in the interpreting profession. We aim to explore the interpreter’s role within this demanding social and political environment by promoting content with complex layers of experience and meaning.

While we publish updates on our website and social media platforms, unique information from the following areas can only be found in VIEWS: • • • • • • •

Both research- and peer-based articles/columns Interpreting skill-building and continuing education opportunities Local, national, and international interpreting news Reports on the Certification Program RID committee and Member Sections news New publications available from RID Press News and highlights from RID Headquarters Submissions: VIEWS publishes articles on matters of interest and concern to the membership. Submissions that are essentially interpersonal exchanges, editorials or statements of opinion are not appropriate as articles and may remain unpublished, run as a letter to the editor or as a position paper. Submissions that are simply the description of programs and services in the community with no discussion may also be redirected to a more archival platform on the website. Articles should be 1,800 words or fewer. Unsigned articles will not be published.

Please contact the editor of VIEWS if you require more space. RID reserves the right to limit the quantity and frequency of articles published in VIEWS written by a single author(s). Receipt by RID of a submission does not guarantee its publication. RID reserves the right to edit, excerpt or refuse to publish any submission. Publication of an advertisement does not constitute RID’s endorsement or approval of the advertiser, nor does RID guarantee the accuracy of information given in an advertisement.

Advertising specifications can be found at www.rid.org, or by contacting the editor. All editorial, advertising, submission and permission inquiries should be directed to (703) 838-0030, (703) 838-0454 fax, or publications@rid.org.

Copyright: VIEWS is published quarterly by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Statements of fact or opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the opinion of RID. The author(s), not RID, is responsible for the content of submissions published in VIEWS. Statement of Ownership: VIEWS (ISSN 0277-1088) is published quarterly by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Periodical postage paid in Jefferson City, MO and other mailing offices by Brown Printing Co. Materials may not be reproduced or reprinted in whole or in part without written permission. Contact views@rid.org for permission inquiries and requests.

VIEWS electronic subscription is a membership benefit and is covered in the cost of RID membership dues. Single issues of print VIEWS are available to members or nonmembers for $9.00 VIEWS Board of Editors Michael B Ballard, ABD Dale H. Boam, CI, Attorney at Law Kelly Brakenhoff, NIC Royce Carpenter, MA, NIC Master Jami Macdonald, Associate Member Amy Parsons, Associate Member Julia Wardle, MA © 2019 the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. All rights reserved.

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VIEWS Volume 36 • Issue 3

MISSION The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf strives to advocate for best practices in interpreting, professional development for practitioners and for the highest standards in the provision of interpreting services for diverse users of languages that are signed or spoken.

VISION By honoring its past and innovating for the future, RID envisions a world where: • Its members recognize and support the linguistic rights of all Deaf people as human rights, equal to those of users of spoken languages; • Deaf people and their values are vital to and visible in every aspect of RID; • Interpreted interaction between individuals who use signed and spoken languages are as viable as direct communication; • The interpreting profession is formally recognized and is advanced by rigorous professional development, standards of conduct, and credentials.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) understands the necessity of multicultural awareness and sensitivity. Therefore, as an organization, we are committed to diversity both within the organization and within the profession of sign language interpreting.

Our commitment to diversity reflects and stems from our understanding of present and future needs of both our organization and the profession. We recognize that in order to provide the best service as the national certifying body among signed and spoken language interpreters, we must draw from the widest variety of society with regards to diversity in order to provide support, equality of treatment, and respect among interpreters within the RID organization.

Therefore, RID defines diversity as differences which are appreciated, sought, and shaped in the form of the following categories: gender identity or expression, racial identity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, deaf or hard of hearing status, disability status, age, geographic locale (rural vs. urban), sign language interpreting experience, certification status and level, and language bases (e.g. those who are native to or have acquired ASL and English, those who utilize a signed system, among those using spoken or signed languages) within both the profession of sign language interpreting and the RID organization.

To that end, we strive for diversity in every area of RID and its Headquarters. We know that the differences that exist among people represent a 21st century population and provide for innumerable resources within the sign language interpreting field.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. 333 Commerce Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 838-0030 V • (571)-257-3957 VP • (703) 838-0454 Fax • www.rid.org www.rid.org

59

Use the code

“GRADRID2020”

to take

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GALLAUDET DEPARTMENT OF

INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION

The department offers three levels of education. ♦ Ph.D. in Interpretation program focuses on research and pedagogy of interpretation and translation. ♦ MA in Interpretation program prepares interpreters and researchers who will provide exemplary services and become leaders in the field.

We offer two concentrations: ♦ Combined Interpreter Practice and Research ♦ Interpreter Research ♦ BA in Interpretation focuses on interpretation.

Interested in graduate study? Contact interpretation@gallaudet.edu.

Interested in undergraduate study?

Contact bai.hug@gallaudet.edu.

gallaudet.edu/interpretation Gallaudet University 800 Florida Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 www.gallaudet.edu

Department of Interpretation and Translation (202) 559-5627 (videophone) (202) 651-5493 (voice)

CONNECT WITH US @GallaudetU