Professional Development Series
The Three P’s in Interpreting: Professionalism, Process & Presence Susanne Morgan Morrow Lauren Ridloff CEUs: .15 PS
Series overview A three-part series on issues that affect interpreters on a daily basis throughout their career. Webinar #1: The Code of Professional Conduct Webinar #2: The Process of Deciding Webinar #3: The Professional Presence
The Webinar #2: The Process of Deciding Overview
• Laws that guide decision making • RID guidelines for decision-making • Ethical scenarios: educational vs. community
The Process of Deciding
NIC Candidate Handbook Tasks and Knowledge & Skills Statements Appendix C - Page 41 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_HBAap35D1dkRUb2gydlJ4Umc/view
Decisionmaking is a THREE step process:
before during after
1
BEFORE...
Is this job for
Preparing for an Assignment 1. Assess each interpreting situation to determine if qualified for the assignment. 1.1 Roles and responsibilities 1.2 Appropriate questions to ensure a good match between the interpreter and the parties involved 1.3 Requirements and expectations of the consumers for each setting 1.4 Language continuum and variations in signing 1.5 Assignment content
-What is expected of me during this assignment? -What is the role(s) of the consumer(s)? -Are there additional duties expected during this assignment?
1.1 Roles and responsibilities 1.2 Appropriate questions to ensure a good match between the interpreter and the parties involved 1.3 Requirements and expectations of the consumers for each setting 1.4 Language continuum and variations in signing 1.5 Assignment content
Role and Responsibilities • Facilitate communication between two parties
• Meet consumer’s needs •
• Maintain neutrality/diplomacy • Uphold the CPC • Maintain the basic right of the American Deaf community--the right to equal access to communication
• Assess ability to interpret fluently • Recognize personal characteristics (e.g., ethnicity, cultural diversity, gender, age)
For the elementary school kid, be...
MORE THAN JUST AN INTERPRETER • A source of information • A compassionate person who keeps the CPC in mind
• An educator for the teacher, for the child • A willing, positive reluctant role model
Ms. Rosemary
For the high school kid, be...
SICK (as in crazy cool) • bridge between worlds • stepping stone • blend in
-What is the certification requirement for this job & do I bring any applicable experience to the assignment? -Am I comfortable with the content? -Will I have access to materials prior to the event? -Will there be other spoken language translators? 1.1 Roles and responsibilities
1.2 Appropriate questions to ensure a good match between the interpreter and the parties involved 1.3 Requirements and expectations of the consumers for each setting 1.4 Language continuum and variations in signing 1.5 Assignment content
Weddings & Funerals • Pro bono • Intensive emotions involved • Religious and cultural practices
-Does the consumer have atypical vision? -Are there any SSP (Support Service Provider) duties involved? -Will there be multiple languages being used by presenters? 1.1 Roles and responsibilities 1.2 Appropriate questions to ensure a good match between the interpreter and the parties involved
1.3 Requirements and expectations of the consumers for each setting 1.4 Language continuum and variations in signing 1.5 Assignment content
• What’s atypical? • “Difficult” consumer or mismatch?
-What are the language requirements for this job? ASL, PSE, Other? -What is the primary role of the interpreter? English to ASL? ASL to English? -Does the consumer possess emerging language skills? -Is ASL the consumer(s) 1st language? 1.1 Roles and responsibilities 1.2 Appropriate questions to ensure a good match between the interpreter and the parties involved 1.3 Requirements and expectations of the consumers for each setting
1.4 Language continuum and variations in signing 1.5 Assignment content
Language Continuum & Variations Academic ASL Social ASL
Fingerspelling
PSE
Signed English SimCom
Cued Speech
Register Use of Vision
• Find out how much the consumer knows. • Find out how much the consumer understands.
-What is the topic to be discussed or delivered? -Do I have background knowledge and/or experience to assist me in rendering the message faithfully? -Is there anything associated with this content and/or environment that may be challenging for me? 1.1 Roles and responsibilities 1.2 Appropriate questions to ensure a good match between the interpreter and the parties involved 1.3 Requirements and expectations of the consumers for each setting 1.4 Language continuum and variations in signing
1.5 Assignment content
Voicing • Can you talk the talk? • Know the content. Own it. • Are outlines fair?
Preparing for an Assignment Prepare for assignment by determining logistics and purpose of interaction for all parties involved. 2.1 Need for deaf interpreters 2.2 Need for team interpreters 2.3 Need for consecutive or simultaneous interpreting 2.4 Physical distractions in environment and appropriate solutions within the setting
Who has worked with a Deaf Interpreter before? What constitutes the need for a Deaf Interpreter?
Deaf-Hearing Interpreter Teams
Photo courtesy of: https://www.signingsavvy.com/blog/165/Certified+Deaf+Interpreters+Explained
The Need for a Deaf Interpreter • People with emerging language skills – Cognitive disabilities – Foreign-born, non-native signers • Deaf-Blind interpreting situations • Relay interpreting and/or copy signing • Language mediation – Gestuno
Who has worked with a team interpreter before? What constitutes the need for a team interpreter?
The Need for a Team Interpreter • Difficulty of assignment (content and/or emotive) • Logistics/sightlines • Additional responsibilities (touch signals, SSP) • Length of assignment
Deaf-Blind man has access to the World Cup through Tactile Sign Language and Touch Signals
Tactile Sign Language
Pro-Tactile/Touch Signals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ywn1hDFYpA
Ethical Scenario #1 An interpreting agency contacts you and they are desperate to cover an assignment over the weekend for a family funeral. There are several deaf family members who want access to the event which is in a synagogue. You are not Jewish. You respond with: A. Sure, I am available.
B. I am available but will not do the assignment based on lack of experience/ knowledge.
C. I am available but am concerned that I may not be able to provide the best access.
D. Other
2
DURING...
Thinking Through Ethics - A Study on Ethics “Mendoza’s findings indicate that while novices are really good at memorizing the CPC tenants, but they identify the sub-tenants differently than experts. Expert interpreters have the ability to delve deeper into the sub-tenants and can identify laws/policies included that could be relevant to an interpreting assignment. Novices are prone to adhere strictly to the CPC and not so much to relevant laws or work site policies.� http://www.streetleverage.com/thinking-through-ethics-the-development-of-ethical-decision-making-among-sign-language-interpreters/
Novice Interpreter’s Toolkit
vs.
Seasoned Interpreter’s Toolkit
What helps interpreters make decisions? ● Understanding the nuances of Deaf & Deaf-Blind cultures ● Watching seasoned interpreters ● RID Code of Professional Conduct ● Laws that supercede the CPC ○ IDEA ○ ADA ○ FCC ○ Mandatory reporting
Mandatory Reporters
An example of federal law that trumps the RID Code of Professional Conduct is Child Welfare Act that delineates Mandatory Reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect. ● Social Workers
● Teachers & Principals
● Other school personnel
● Physicians & Nurses
● Healthcare workers
● Counselors/Therapists
● Other Healthcare Providers
● Child Care Providers
● Medical examiners/coroners
● Officers & 1st Responders
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/manda.pdf#page=1&view=Professionals Required to Report
e h t s a h o h W ? ? ? r e w o p
Deaf/DeafBlind
Hearing
Interpreter as Mediator •
Why is being in the role of a mediator difficult? – Power issues/taking over – Importance of staying neutral, not having influence – –
in the setting Influencing other parties due to our cultural perspectives Fear of violating CPC
Interpreters are in a constant decision-making process all throughout their work: •these are conscious and subconscious decisions •overlapping communication - who goes first? •what information gets voiced or doesn’t •what environmental information gets included or doesn’t
Decision -making
= POWER
-it is important for interpreters to understand ‘perceived power’ -automatic members of privilege
“...interpreters, by virtue of their ‘hearing heritage’ and the context in which they work, run a serious risk of behaving in an oppressive manner.”
Characteristics of Oppressed and Oppressor Peoples: Their Effect on the Interpreting Context by Charlotte Baker-Shenk http://www.interpretereducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Characteristics-of-the-Opressed_110314.pdf
It’s Not Me, It’s Me • Asking for clarification • Interrupting to ask a question/make a comment • Confusion during transliteration
It’s The Little Things
Mirror interpreting & shadow interpreting
Ethical Scenario #2 You are working as an educational interpreter with a middle school student. The Social Worker comes to you and says the student’s IEP meeting is coming up and asks if you have anything to add. You respond with the following: A. I am not allowed to comment.
B. I’ll write up some comments & share with you.
C. I will talk with the student’s mother & get back to you.
D. I would like to attend the meeting.
E. B & C
F. B & D
G. None of the above
H. Other
3
AFTER...
How you handle what happens AFTER an assignment can be just as important as what happens during the assignment‌
After the assignment... • confidentiality • reflection on the event • identifying strengths & areas of improvement • problem-solving areas that were challenging • connecting with a mentor • consumer relations • if the client or paying agent contacts you directly • providing feedback to the hiring agent • sharing any issues/concerns & positive experiences • submit invoice in a timely manner with correct assignment details
Ethical Scenario #3 You have interpreted two appointments for a consumer in the past. At the end of this assignment the consumer & paying agent asks if you are available for the next appointment so they can book it on the spot. You respond with: A. I am not allowed B. Yes, I am to say. You must available. Go contact the ahead and book it. agency.
C. I am available but you’ll need to contact the agency.
D. None of the above.
Ethical Scenario #4 The assignment is scheduled from 9:30am10:30am (with a minimum billable time of two hours). After that job is completed a brand new job arises on-site. You are available and can accommodate. This job is also 1 hour in length. How do you bill for this assignment? A. 2 hours
B. 3 hours
C. 4 hours
D. Other
Resources NIC Candidate Handbook 2015 - Tasks and Knowledge & Skills Statements https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-_HBAap35D1dkRUb2gydlJ4Umc/view RID Standard Practice Paper - Team Interpreting https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3DKvZMflFLdVzZpaUtraW5xZG8/view RID Standard Practice Paper - Use of a Certified Deaf Interpreter https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3DKvZMflFLdbXFLVVFsbmRzTVU/view RID Standard Practice Paper - Billing Considerations https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3DKvZMflFLdQVc0bmd1TGJPWEE/view Deaf-Hearing Interpreting Team Reflections http://www.streetleverage.com/ili-panel-discussion-deaf-hearing-interpreter-team-reflections/
See you Monday! Webinar #3: The Professional Presence
Professional Development Series
Evaluation: http://bit.ly/Webinar2Eval Do not copy or distribute without permission.