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Dissertation Abstracts, Victoria Stuard, Kimberly J. Hale, Linda K. Stauffer Dr.

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

Bilingual Dual-Role Staff Interpreters In The Health Care Setting: Factors Associated With Passing A Language Competency Test, Lisa C. Diamond, Regina Otero-Sabogal

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Although using trained interpreters can improve care for patients with limited English proficiency, using untrained interpreters may impair it. Without a valid language skills test for interpreters, it is difficult for health care organizations to identify bilingual staff who can serve in a dual role as interpreters. We hypothesized that individuals born outside the U.S. with a higher education level and prior interpreting training and reporting high confidence in interpreting abilities would be more likely to pass a test to function as a dual-role interpreter. We surveyed and tested 387 dual-role interpreters in a large, integrated health care organization. There …

Intake Tests For A Short Interpreter-Training Course: Design, Implementation, Feedback, Jim Hlavac, Marc Orlando, Shani Tobias

International Journal of Interpreter Education

This article discusses features of an intake test for potential trainees for short, locally focused training in rural areas of Victoria, Australia. First, the design and choice of test components are discussed, with reference to the testing tools commonly employed in community interpreting training and in light of the fact that testers could not directly test proficiency skills in the language/s other than English (LOTE). The intake test itself elicited information such as level of motivation, knowledge of skills required of interpreters, and educational and occupational experience. Information elicited through the test provided a basis for diagnosis of testees’ linguistic …

Do You See What I See? Using Elan For Self-Analysis And Reflection, Della Goswell

International Journal of Interpreter Education

This commentary discusses the application of video annotation software (ELAN) in the Auslan–English interpreter-training program at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. It gives an overview of the program’s context and highlights experienced-based learning as one of the key pedagogical approaches being used to foster student self-analysis and reflection. In order for students to analyze their own interpreting performances, they must first be recorded, so the article touches on the rationale and some techniques for the video capture that provides the data for subsequent ELAN analysis. Examples of activities based on the use of ELAN software are then discussed.

Moving Interpreter Education Online: A Conversation With Sherry Shaw, Douglas Bowen Bailey, Sherry Shaw

International Journal of Interpreter Education

In this Open Forum conversation between Doug Bowen-Bailey, a signed language interpreter educator and resource developer, and Sherry Shaw, a signed-language-interpreter educator, Sherry shares her experience of establishing and teaching an online master’s program in interpreting at the University of North Florida. The conversation shares insights into the structure of the online program, as well as the benefits and challenges of teaching in an online environment. These include issues of time management for both students and faculty, faculty recruitment and retention, choices in technology, and establishing a program within an institutional environment.

Exploring Remote Interpreting, Erica Alley

International Journal of Interpreter Education

This article examines the field of remote interpretation in both signed and spoken languages. Remote interpreting is used throughout a range of specializations including medical, mental health, education, conference, and legal environments. Video interpreting is here to stay, despite obstacles that continue to pose a challenge; many who fight this technology do so against the natural paradigm shift that the field will take. I propose that rather than resist the expansion of technology, interpreter educators instead teach interpreters how to use it effectively. In this article I identify important topics for educators to address, to help interpreters make ethically wise …

Creating Your Own Interpreting Materials For Use In The Classroom, Fatima Cornwall

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Currently, there are a few excellent manuals and books on the market for practicing the 3 modes of interpretation. However these materials are more appropriate for advanced spoken language students of court interpretation or practicing interpreters interested in polishing their skills. The speed of the recordings (105–165 words per minute) is very challenging for inexperienced but long-term prospective court interpreters. In this article, the author focuses on how to develop activities that require students to create their own scripts and recordings—that is, their own classroom materials—for use in an Introduction to Court Interpretation course. The author also reflects on the …

Striving For An "A" Grade: A Case Study Of Performance Management Of Interpreters, Karen Bontempo, Bethel Hutchinson

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Research regarding the efficacy of an interpreted education for deaf students has suggested that the practice is fraught with challenges. This could be because interpreters provide merely the illusion of access in a mainstream setting (Winston, 2004), or it may be because many education systems are simply not interpreter ready (Patrie & Taylor, 2008), among other factors. A primary concern is often the proficiency and skill level of interpreters working in education settings. In this article, the authors report on a best-practices process of diagnostic skills analysis, performance management, and a tailored series of ongoing training opportunities undertaken by a …

Editorial: Education, Educating, Educational..., Jemina Napier

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

The Teaching Of Pragmatics As Interpreter Training, Annette Sachtleben, Heather Denny

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Research undertaken in 2010 with an interpreting class at a New Zealand university showed that explicit teaching of pragmatic features of New Zealand English discourse helped develop the students’ awareness of the differences between the semantic meaning and the pragmatic purpose of an utterance.

In this research project, the authors intended to test whether explicit classroom instruction of pragmatic features and these features’ impact on meaning through the use of recorded discourse samples would be effective, considering that explicit language instruction to language learners has been researched and was found to assist success (Kasper & Roever, 2004). In the classroom, …

Developing Expertise Through A Deliberate Practice Project, Gertrude Schafer

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Ericsson (2001) defines expertise as follows, “Expert performers can reliably reproduce their performance any time when required such as during competition and training” (p. 194). Merely practicing a skill repeatedly will not result in expert performance. However, “deliberate practice” can improve performance. Deliberate practice is defined as “…tasks that are initially outside of their current realm of reliable performance, yet can be mastered within hours of practice by concentrating on critical aspects and by gradually refining performance through repetitions after feedback” (Ericsson 2006, p. 692). Mindset effects deliberate practice. Dweck (2006) describes two types of mindset: fixed and growth. A …

Characteristics Of Effective Interpreter Education Programs In The United States, Lisa Godfrey

International Journal of Interpreter Education

The goal of this study was to expand the limited research that currently exists in the field of interpreter education—specifically, as it relates to the readiness-to-credential gap, the consensus in the field that students graduate from interpreter education programs (IEPs) but are not ready to obtain the minimal interpreting credentials set forth by the field at both the state and national levels. To accomplish this goal, in this article the author identifies programs that have a low readiness-to-credential gap and analyzes the characteristics that are contributors to each program’s success so that improvements can be made in current IEPs. In …

Dissertation Abstracts, Julie White Armstrong, Joe Mclaughlin, Rebecca Minor Dr., Jessica Bentley Sassaman, Bruce Sofinski, Linda K. Stauffer Dr., Mary Thumann, Julia Weisenberg

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

Dissertation Abstracts, Noraini Ibrahim-González, Elizabeth Mendoza, Melissa Smith, Anna-Lena Nilsson, Risa Shaw

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

Universal Design In Technology Used In Interpreter Education, Daniel Roush

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Interpreter educators need to consider whether the educational technology they use is maximally accessible and usable. This paper discusses the application of universal design (UD) principles to educational technologies that have been adopted for use in interpreter education. Particularly, the focus is on the design of video annotation software features used in the assessment of interpretations. Some features currently being used meet minimal standards of accessibility but do not fully comply with principles of UD. This paper provides an overview of a pilot study of the development of prototype annotation features that would not only accommodate specialized needs for users …

Book Review: Basic Concepts And Models For Interpreter And Translator Training, Revised Edition, Sherry Shaw

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

Skill Transfer From Sight Translation To Simultaneous Interpreting: A Case Study Of An Effective Teaching Technique, Zhongwei Song

International Journal of Interpreter Education

In this article, a case study is presented that demonstrates the potential of a new sight translation (ST) teaching technique for simultaneous interpreting (SI) training. By using animated, time-controlled PowerPoint presentations instead of texts on paper, this method induces constraints such as time pressure and attention splitting, thus making ST essentially an on-line information processing activity, closely resembling SI. Apart from reviewing how to design the method, the author compares it with the two existing methods (i.e., ST with prior reading and ST without prior reading), makes some hypothetical analysis of its functionality in SI training, and discusses some preliminary …

Editorial: And So It Goes..., Jemina Napier

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

Mentoring: A Vital Learning Tool For Interpreter Graduates, Jemina Napier

International Journal of Interpreter Education

In 2007, the Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association [Victoria; ASLIA (VIC)] and the Victorian Deaf Society (Vicdeaf) ran a twelve-month pilot mentoring program for new graduate sign language interpreters who lived in the state of Victoria, in collaboration with Macquarie University and the Centre of Excellence for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the Northern Melbourne Institute of Technical and Further Education (NMIT). Fourteen mentees and matching mentors participated in the program. Both ASLIA (VIC) as a professional body, and Vicdeaf as an employer, shared a commitment to professional development for practitioners and also a keen desire …

Teaching Goals Of Interpreter Educators, Stephen Fitzmaurice

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Angelo & Cross (1993) found substantial differences in the teaching goals of faculty from different disciplines, yet they found no differences for educators based on their employment status or the type of institution in which they worked. The current quantitative study compared the teaching goals of interpreter educators with those of educators from other disciplines. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of 52 goal statements from Angelo & Cross’ Teaching Goal Inventory (TGI) in terms of what they aim to have students accomplish in their courses. The data suggest that interpreter education constitutes a separate discipline from the nine …

Training For Interpreting In Mental Healthcare In Ireland, Krisztina Zimány

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Interpreting in mental healthcare is a very specialized activity, and given the comparatively low demand, few interpreters receive full-time, area-specific training. As part of a larger research project completed in Ireland, mental health professionals who have worked with interpreters as well as interpreters with experience in working in mental health care shared their views on the subject. The interviews reveal what is available as well as what is lacking in terms of training for this specialised sub-domain of community interpreting. The findings, in general, suggest that there is room for improvement. In addition, there appears to be a difference between …

A Competency Model For Video Relay Service Interpreters, Norma Oldfield

International Journal of Interpreter Education

The development of Video Relay Services (VRS) has resulted in a new specialization in the field of sign language interpreting. However, the supply of highly skilled practitioners falls short of the increasing demand. Though interpreters are being placed in VRS call centers, there is no standardized model by which to measure VRS interpreter performance. This study uses a classic competency model design to guide the development of a competency model that identifies and describes sign language video interpreter competencies related to VRS work. A VRS competency dictionary and rating tool were created and used to measure current practitioners, and both …

Culture Brokers, Advocates, Or Conduits: Pedagogical Considerations For Deaf Interpreter Education, Campbell Mcdermid

International Journal of Interpreter Education

In a qualitative review of interpretation and Deaf² studies programs in Canada, some educators described their experiences teaching Deaf students. Most of the Deaf instructors had worked as Deaf interpreters (DIs). Given the challenges they faced as a DI, and in light of research concerning interpreters from other minority cultures, the conceptualization of their subjectivity should consider their ethnicity; perhaps the role of culture broker or advocate is appropriate in some settings. The inclusion of Deaf students in the programs led to many benefits, as described by the participants, including a heightened awareness of power, Freire’s (2004) conscientização, …

Issues In Interpreting Pedagogy, Leelany Ayob

International Journal of Interpreter Education

This paper attempts to uncover some of the issues that are relevant to the training of interpreters: (a) optimal training at the undergraduate or postgraduate level; (b) training consisting of teaching language, as opposed to teaching translation only; (c) theoretical input as a means to assist and improve translation and interpreting; (d) text typologies as a pedagogical tool; and (e) evaluation and errors. These issues are also discussed in the Malaysian context. By uncovering the issues pertaining to the training of interpreters, steps can be taken to allow further improvements to be made, not only for training purposes but also …

Effective Strategies For Teaching Consecutive Interpreting, Debra Russell

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Current research in the field of spoken and signed language points us in the direction of using consecutive interpreting; however, signed language interpreter education programs report inconsistent approaches to incorporating this research (Russell 2002b). This paper describes a frame of reference used to shape learning activities that help students to acquire the competencies required for proficient use of consecutive interpreting. This framework includes guidelines for structuring observation and analysis of interpretations. In addition, we present a typical progression of skill sequencing and material selection criteria. Finally, we suggest that programs that structure the teaching of consecutive interpreting from a holistic …

International Development Of Interpreter Specialization: Assumptions And Principles For Interpreter Educators, Anna Witter- Merithew, Brenda S. Nicodemus

International Journal of Interpreter Education

Specialization of interpreting practice exists in the field of interpreting and interpreter education through de facto and de jure processes. Interpreters are de facto specialists when they self-designate as having specialized competence for working in a particular setting, with certain populations, or within unique functions. Conversely, interpreters may be designated as specialists through external (de jure) processes such as adhering to national standards, completing advanced educational programming in specialty areas, and achieving specialty certification. There are a variety of factors that have shaped the evolution of specialization in the United States—several of which have application to the specialization of practice …

Vital: Virtual Interpreting Training And Learning, Javier González, Francesca Gany

International Journal of Interpreter Education

This paper describes a distance learning solution for the training of medical interpreters: the Virtual Interpreting Training and Learning (VITAL) Program. VITAL was developed to offer an effective, efficient, and scalable learning alternative to conventional models. The main objective of VITAL is to increase the pool of trained medical interpreters, while providing the same quality of training as in-person programs. Currently, VITAL is used in training bilingual (i.e., English and Spanish) individuals to perform as medical interpreters. An expanded pool of trained medical interpreters will ultimately lead to enhanced communication between providers and their patients and reduce the occurrence of …

The Master's Degree In French/French Sign Language Interpreting At Esit, Philippe Séro-Guillaume

International Journal of Interpreter Education

This paper presents the master’s degree in French/French Sign Language Interpreting at École Supérieure d’Interprètes et de Traducteurs (ESIT) at Université Paris III–Sorbonne Nouvelle. First, it describes the situation of deaf people, sign language, and spoken language interpreting practice and training in France. Second, the paper explains the specifics of the ESIT master’s degree.