Specialty Settings

Workshop Topic : SPECIALTY SETTINGS

 

ALCOHOL/SUBSTANCE ABUSE INTERPRETING

INTERPRETING AA: "CARRYING THE MESSAGE" IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE SETTINGS
Paul Hostovsky

"AA works if you work it." How do deaf people in recovery "work AA?" What is "the message" of Alcoholics Anonymous, and how can we best interpret that message? The oral tradition is alive and well at 12 Step meetings, where storytelling is the best medicine. How does a knowledge of ASL storytelling structures assist us in interpreting these stories?

Through discussion and group activities this workshop will consider the collective wisdom, literature, and jargon of AA and the 12 Step recovery model in general. Through hands-on interpreting exercises using both frozen texts and actual spoken texts from AA meetings, we will explore together the vast idiom and conceptual fabric of the language of Addiction and Recovery. This workshop is for both new and experienced interpreters interested in working in substance abuse settings.

 

MEDICAL INTERPRETING

THE RX FOR EFFECTIVE MEDICAL INTERPRETING
Craig Andersen

This is an all-day workshop for both novice and intermediate level interpreters and transliterators who wish to review best practices in medical interpreting. Participants will focus on improved understanding of the challenges and strategies in interacting with Deaf and non-Deaf consumers and other medical personnel. Through case studies, students will be able to reflect upon their practice and develop strategies for resolving the sometimes complex and challenging situations that they may encounter. Participants will work in both small and large group settings.

As an optional adjunct to this workshop, a unit on the English-to-ASL interpretation of human anatomy and pharmacology may be included with Deaf instructor.

Note: Due to the complexity of this topic this workshop may be offered as Part I and Part II.

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LEGAL INTERPRETING

INTERPRETER MENTORSHIP IN THE LEGAL SETTING
MJ Bienvenu and Risa Shaw
For Legal Interpreters only

We will look at the aspects of legal interpreting that are best taught and learned through mentorship, prerequisites for participation as a mentor or as a protégé, limitations imposed by the legal setting, forms a mentoring relationship might take, the legal knowledge that is needed, and available resources to support participants. We will focus on how Deaf and hearing people can mentor one another in a variety of combinations (Deaf / Deaf, Deaf / Hearing, Hearing / Hearing). All participants will begin and end together with separate time in the middle for the Deaf interpreter group to work with MJ and the hearing interpreter group to work with Risa.

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EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETING

EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETING: THE LANGUAGE OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
Elizabeth A. Winston

This workshop introduces the educational interpreter to the use of language in educational settings, especially in settings where mainstreaming or inclusion is expected to occur. The goal of this workshop is to develop an awareness of strategies and techniques used by both students and teachers during the course of the educational day. Participants examine specific types of discourse that occur in everyday classroom settings. These include 1) the evaluative responses from teachers that are so important to self-esteem that are so often missed by interpreters hurrying to catch up; 2) politeness strategies that we use everyday to judge a person's social skills and that are overlooked in "just getting the information out," 3) the effect of interpreting on the deaf student's access to language and education; 4) the fallacy of the interpreter as "language model," and 5) and the subtle effects of the interpreter's voice in place of the student's or teacher's. The ability to recognize and effectively interpret language use in educational settings is crucial if students are to succeed.

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INTERPRETING IN THE CLASSROOM: PROVIDING ACCESSIBILITY OR CREATING NEW BARRIERS
Elizabeth A. Winston

For parents, teachers, administrators, and interpreters, this workshop explores the myths and realities of interpreting as an educational tool for deaf students, discussing the process of interpreting as it affects the education of deaf students and the concept of visual accessibility through interpreting. There are many factors that affect the success of a deaf student mainstreamed into a public school classroom with interpreting services. Interpreting is the essential link in mainstreaming; too often it is the one aspect of the mainstreaming placement that is completely misunderstood or ignored. There are several factors that must be evaluated in relation to the interpreting process if mainstreaming is even to be even considered as a tool in the education of deaf students. These factors include: 1) the goals of those choosing mainstreaming for the deaf students must be compatible with the process of interpreting; 2) the interpreter must be skilled as an interpreter; 3) the student must be proficient in a language before interpreting can be effective; and 4) the classroom teaching style must lend itself to the visual requirements of interpreting.

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INTERPRETING FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES: STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
David Quinto-Pozos

This workshop will address issues involved in the complex task of interpreting for deaf students in foreign language courses. General issues and concerns that apply to situations with most foreign languages will be discussed, and specific examples of interpreting for Spanish language courses will be presented. Upon completion of this workshop the participant will be able to identify issues that must be addressed when interpreting for any foreign language course and be equipped with specific strategies for interpreting for Spanish courses.

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TEACHING/TRAINING

BUILDING A BETTER WORKSHOP: DESIGN AND PRESENTATION
John G. Lewis

This workshop is designed to help participants develop workshop curriculum, materials and visual aids -- all essential to dynamic workshop presentations. We will explore our own areas of expertise and discuss strategies for knowledge sharing, developing audiovisual aids, including Power Point presentations. Participants will develop short presentations and deliver a mini lesson to the group.

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