2BCDI

INTERPRETING IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS (K-12)Following the passage of a number of laws concerning the education of deaf children, educationalinterpreting has become more common in elementary and secondary schools. This is a growingprofession and can be one way of making school programs and services more accessible tochildren who are deaf. As a member of the educational team, the interpreter should be an educatedand qualified professional.What is the role of the educational interpreter?The fundamental role of an interpreter, regardless of specialty or place of employment, is tofacilitate communication between persons who are deaf and hard of hearing and others.Educational interpreters facilitate communication between deaf students and others, includingteachers, service providers, and peers within the educational environment. Many educationalenvironments have a communication policy which should be clearly defined to the interpreterapplicant. The educational team may be composed of school personnel and parents and may bemore structured in some school districts than others. The educational interpreter is a memberof the educational team and should be afforded every opportunity to attend meetings whereeducational guidelines are discussed concerning students who are provided services by thatinterpreter.What responsibilities are appropriate for an educational interpreter?Interpreting is the primary responsibility of the interpreter. The interpreter may perform thisresponsibility in a variety of settings, in and outside of the classroom including:n instructional activitiesn field tripsn club meetingsn assembliesn counseling sessionsn athletic competitionsInterpreting is the educational interpreter’s primary role, and must take priority over any otherdemands. In some schools, interpreters may also interpret for deaf parents, deaf teachers, andother deaf employees.n Interpreters may have additional responsibilities when not interpreting.1 In determiningappropriate responsibilities, it is important to utilize specialized competencies and skillsof the interpreter and assign only those responsibilities for which the interpreter isqualified.Responsibilities that maximize the interpreter’s effectiveness during non-interpreting periods oftime might include:n planning and preparing for the interpreting taskn presenting in-service training about educational interpretingn working with teachers to develop ways of increasing interaction between deaf studentsand their peersn if qualified, tutoring the student who is deaf or hard of hearingn if qualified, teaching sign language to other school staff and to pupils who are not deafResponsibilities that tend to reduce the interpreter’s effectiveness may include:n copying and filingn playground supervisionn bus attendant dutyn lunchroom dutyn monitoring study hallSTANDARDPRACTICEPAPERINTERPRETING INEDUCATIONALSETTINGS (K-12)RID encourages use ofthese papers for publicdistribution and advocacy.Registry of Interpretersfor the Deaf333 Commerce StreetAlexandria, VA 22314703/838-0030 (V)703/838-0459 (TTY)703/838-0454 (Fax)www.rid.orgThe educational interpreter’s responsibilities and the relative proportion of time between interpreting and non-interpretingresponsibilities are likely to vary from one work setting to another and may be influenced by a number of factors whichmay include:n number of students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the school or district and distribution across grade levels andschool buildingsn possibility of physical injury due to stress or overuse.2n nature of the employment; full-time, part-time, or hourlyn interpreter’s background, knowledge, skill, and competenciesn qualifications and availability of the interpreting staffHow can confusion about the interpreter’s responsibilities be avoided?The role and responsibility of the interpreter is distinct from that of the teacher and that of other professionals in the educationalsetting. This distinction must be kept clear. For example, for the interpreter to provide classroom instruction anddiscipline directly to a student would be inappropriate because that is the teacher’s responsibility.A clear and detailed job description, prepared in advance of hiring and shared with the interpreter applicant and with otherswho need to understand the interpreter’s duties, will help avoid confusion and misunderstanding.Who should supervise the educational interpreter?A member of the educational administration staff who has an understanding of interpreting should supervise the interpreter.In most cases, hiring an agency outside the educational institution or using a teacher in whose class the educationalinterpreter works would not be appropriate. The interpreter’s supervisor may have interpreting skills, which is valuable,but the supervisor should at least know what interpreting is, how the interpreter functions best as a member of the educationalteam, and when interpreting is or is not the most appropriate service. If the supervisor is not qualified to evaluateinterpreting skills or performance, an outside consultant knowledgeable in interpreter assessment and skill developmentshould be hired.What qualifications should the educational interpreter have?Interpreting is a highly specialized professional field; simply knowing sign language does not qualify a person as an interpreter.Professional sign language interpreters develop their specialization through extensive training and practice over along period of time. In addition, skills in oral transliteration may be needed. Throughout their careers, interpretersimprove their skills, knowledge, and professionalism through continued training and through participation in RID. The useof a comprehensive written professional development plan will guide the educational interpreter to meet professionalgoals, including that of certification.In interpreting, as in other professions, appropriate credentials are an important indicator of competence. RID awards certificationto interpreters who successfully pass national tests. The tests assess not only language knowledge and communicationskills, but also knowledge and judgment on issues of ethics, culture and professionalism which form the essentialfoundation for quality interpreting. The assessments do not test for additional specialist skills necessary in educational settings.Many interpreters working in educational settings either already have or are working toward certification. An increasingnumber of states are requiring educational interpreters to have interpreting credentials.Educational interpreting is a specialty requiring additional knowledge and skills. In the classroom, the instructional contentvaries significantly, and the skills and knowledge necessary to qualify an interpreter vary accordingly. In the primarygrades, the interpreter needs a broad basic knowledge of the subject areas such as mathematics, social studies, and languagearts, and should have an understanding of child development. At the secondary level, the interpreter needs sufficientknowledge and understanding of the content areas to be able to interpret highly technical concepts and terminologyaccurately and meaningfully.How is reasonable compensation determined for the educational interpreter?Pay levels and employee benefits for educational interpreters should be competitive with that of other professional schoolemployees. They should be based on interpreting skills, education, experience, certification, performance, and job responsibilities.Creation of positions with appropriate pay and benefits is a key to attracting and keeping qualified professionalinterpreters.INTERPRETING IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS, PAGE 2How does the RID Code of Ethics apply to educational interpreters?The RID Code of Ethics is the statement of ethical principles for all interpreters, including those who work in educationalsettings. Within the boundaries of the educational team, the Code of Ethics deals fairly with the major issue of confidentiality.Where can I learn more about educational interpreting?The National Task Force on Educational Interpreting published a report entitled “Educational Interpreting for DeafStudents” which can be obtained from Rochester Institute of Technology, National Technical Institute for the Deaf.The Association believes that educational interpreting is one way of making school programs and services more accessibleto children who are deaf. The educational interpreter should be an RID certified, highly trained and qualified professionalwho can function as a member of the educational team.