Educational. Services the Deaf (RID) or any other certifying body, nor does it guarantee employment. 1s t Prin ting, 1996

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2 CLScope... Limitations... Copyright Information..." T his publication was developed over a three month period for the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning, Division of Special Education for use by educational interpreters in Minnesota. Due to the on-going nature of research in ASL and interpreting, much of this information will be superseded by more current work. In addition, the information in the modules is by no means an exhaustive study of each content area. The material was never intended to be used in isolation, but to be used as one component of a comprehensive skill development plan. These self-paced learning modules are designed to be tools that educational interpreters can use to enhance their skills in pursuit of certification. Successful completion of this module series does not guarantee the interpreter will successfully obtain certification from the National Registry of Interpreters for Services the Deaf (RID) or any other certifying body, nor does it guarantee employment in an educational 1996 Minnesota Educational 1s t Prin ting, 1996 Any interpreter working with these modules must understand that the Minnesota RID, RID and/or Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning are not responsible for an interpreter's success or failure in taking any national certification test or in his or her pursuit of employment. This document is published by Minnesota Educational Services, a state tax supported public/nonprofit agency. Any portions of this document not specifically covered by pre-existing copyright or work for hire agreement(s) by, between or with the original authors shall hereby be claimed as the copyright of MES on behalf of the State of Minnesota and its interests. Credit must also be given to the Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (MRID) and the Module authors; see biographies on pages 1-5 and 1-6. Permission to duplicate or distribute this manual is granted for nonprofit educational uses. All copies must bear this copyright notice. Requests seeking permission to reproduce any part or all of this document must acknowledge compliance with any pre-existing agreements, and that the Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning (and MES) can grant permission only within those boundaries and has no further authority, responsibility or liability other than releasing its own claimts). Address copyright permission requests to: Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. Manager-Division of Special Education, Room 811 Capitol Square Building, 550 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN These above publicly funded agencies and associated units of government as well as the private individuals who worked on the development of this product do publicly declare that they do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, or disability. Catalog # E985 MRID Self-Paced Modules for Educational Tel. (612) lnterpre ter Skill Development or toll free (within MN) T his publication is available within Minnesota for $38, plus $4 for National WATS line shipping and outside Minnesota for $49.95, plus $5 for shipping from the Minnesota Educational Services which is supported by the State of EXT, 2401 Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. You may contact FAX (612) Minnesota Educational Services at Capitol View Center, 70 West Co. Rd. B2, Little Canada, MN Please add $3.00 Post & Packing per order.

3 Acknowledgments T his module project was created as a result of the Minnesota Legislature passing the Quality Assurance law in This law requires by July 1,2000, "American Sign Language / English interpreters or sigl I transliterators working for school districts hold current interpreter and transliterator certificates awarded by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or the general level interpreter proficiency certificate awarded by the National Association of the Deaf." The following year, the legislature allocated $250, to support the skill enhancement of interpreters and transliterators to assist them in meeting this requirement. We are grateful for the insight and wisdom of the Minnesota Legislature, the members of the Deaf Community, the Minnesota Commission Serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, and the many other concerned citizens and organizations who supported this important piece of legislation and accompanying funding. A portion of those funds supported this module package and project. This module package is a result of our work over a 4 month period and was specifically designed with Minnesota educational interpreters and transliterators in mind. For the development and production of the module package and resource guide, we are extremely grateful to: our families and close friends, for their love, support and patience. They saw much less of us over the course of this project than any of us ever expected. Marty Taylor, Ph.D., for her ground breaking research on which we based our work. Sandra Gish, for her support, feedback and encouragement throughout the project and for generously letting us use so much of her work. Amy McQuaid for her advice, support and feedback. the MRID Board for taking the risk and supporting our efforts. Special thanks to Michael Rosen for taking care of the finances and for developing and maintaining the MRID Web site.

4 MRID Educational Interpreter Grant Project the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division and - the Regional Service Centers, for their valuable assistance and cooperation. the many interpreters and educators who have taken this journey before us and so generously shared their expertise and experience with us, including: the developers of the Connecticut Module System, Dr. Bill Isham, Linda Stauffer, Marina McIntire, Jenna Cassell and Sign Enhancers, Inc., Gary Sanderson at California State University - Northridge, Maggie Holt at Northcentral Technical College - Wausau, WI., Brenda Eddy and the Kansas State Board of Education, the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, the Seattle School District, and many others who allowed us to reprint their work. our desktop publisher, warren d. mosier of Advanced Printing Design, for his patience, sense of humor, and incredible talents in presenting our work in a user-friendly and professional format. Our thanks to you all... The MRID Educational Interpreter Grant Project Team: Susan Boinis Paula Gajewski Mickelson Patty Gordon Lauri S. Krouse Laurie Swabey

5 Introduction *About the Project Team Susan Boinis S usan Boinis, MA, IC/TC, CI has been interpreting since She first obtained IC/TC certification in 1981 and currently holds a certificate of interpretation (CI) from the RID. Susan graduated from Macalester College after studying French and Linguistics and went on to earn an MA from Gallaudet University in Linguistics of Signed Languages. Susan has interpreted in various post-secondary settings in Washington, D.C., Albuquerque, NM, and the Twin Cities. She currently freelances full-time in Minnesota and nationally, and teaches part-time at the College of St. Catherine, Minneapolis' Health Care Interpreter Program. Because of her interest in other cultures, Susan has worked with various Deaf immigrant populations and gives workshops on interpreting for persons with minimal language skills. Other workshop topics have included: Team Interpreting, Linguistics of ASL, ASL-to-English interpreting, and interpreting for Persons with Deaf-Blindness. Paula Gajewski Mickelson P aula Gajewski Mickelson holds an Associate Degree in Educational Interpreting from Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, WI and a Bachelors Degree in Human Service Administration / Human Resource Development from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN. She has been an RID certified interpreter since 1985, earning her IC/TC, and in 1991 earning her CI and CT certificates. In addition to being a freelance interpreter and adjunct faculty member of the College of St. Catherine in Minneapolis, she has offered numerous workshops and presentations on topics including: interpreting and transliterating skills labs and development, inservice training, providing observation and feedback sessions, resource development, team building, problem solving and strategic planning.

6 MRID Educational Interpreter Grant Project Patty Gordon P atty Gordon has held the RID Certificate of Interpretation since She has a B.A. in Linguistics from Metropolitan State University. She was selected to be a staff interpreter for the 1996 Linguistic Society of America's summer Linguistic's Institute. She gives workshops on artistic interpreting, team interpreting, the interpreting process and other related topics. She has taught at Western Oregon State College and the Health Care Interpreting Program at the College of St. Catherine, Minneapolis. Lauri S, Krouse L auri Krouse has a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College. She has been certified as an interpreter since 1983 and presently holds a Certificate of Interpretation. Lauri is a freelance interpreter working in various settings and specializing in legal interpreting. Since becoming an interpreter she has also taught various workshops to practicing interpreters and is an adjunct faculty member at the College of St. Catherine's Health Care Interpreting Program. Laurie Swabey L aurie Swabey has been an interpreter educator for the last16 years. Before moving to Minnesota in 1990, she was the director of the interpreting program at the University of New Hampshire where she developed a four year bachelor degree curriculum in ASL/ English Interpreting. In the Twin Cities, she is a faculty member for the Health Care Interpreting Program at the College of St. Catherine. She also has taught spoken language community interpreting courses at the University of Minnesota. Some of her other activities include presenting workshops at the national RID and CIT (Conference of Interpreter Trainers) conventions and serving on the CIT board. She completed her undergraduate degree at CSUN in psychology and then went on to earn a masters degree in Deaf education from Louis and Clark college in Portland Oregon. She is currently on leave from the College of St. Catherine in order to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. She has held the CSC since 1976.

7 Introduction Introduction Assumptions I n this binder you will find eight modules to help you build your knowledge and skills about interpreting and transliterating. To borrow from a well-known saying, learning to be a skilled interpreter is a journey, not a race. You will benefit the most from these modules if you approach them with a long-range plan that includes both short term and long term goals. These modules were designed to meet the needs of self-directed learners in both rural and urban areas. As these modules were constructed, we made some assumptions about the interpreters who would be using them. We assumed that this module system would be used by interpreters who are not yet certified, and have varying degrees of experience, education and language fluency. You may be a seasoned interpreter with 15 years of experience but with very little formal training. Or, you may have recently completed an interpreting program but have only a few years of interpreting experience. These modules will be most effective for interpreters who have a strong command of the English language, are fluent signers and have a good command of ASL. We strongly recommend that you have a diagnostic skills assessment before using the module system. By doing so you will be able to more effectively plan the amount of time you need to spend in each skill or knowledge area. Throughout these modules, the term "interpreter" is used in the generic sense to refer to both interpreters and transliterators. For the terms "interpreting" and "transliterating," we are using the definitions that the national RID uses. Another important facet of this module system is that it assumes that you, the interpreter, are committed to taking responsibility for your own learning. These modules are not a "quick fix" nor are they similar to a paint-by-the-numbers kit. These modules offer interpreters a wealth of information. However, they do require the individual interpreter to seek out materials, equipment, Deaf mentors, colleagues and other learning opportunities. With these modules, you have the tools to design a program that best fits your needs.

8 MRID Educational Interpreter Grant Project Resources s was mentioned above, these modules require access to equipment and materials as well as to skilled practitioners, consumers and colleagues who can work with you at certain times as you progress through the modules. Information about how to access these resources is covered in the MRID Educational Interpreter Module Orientation workshops. Each Regional Service Center (RSC) will have a videotape of the orientation that was given in their service area. If you missed the orientation, you may borrow this videotape of the orientation session from your local RSC. At the end of this binder, you will find the MRID Module Resource Guide that will be extremely helpful to you as you gather the resources that you need. Module Format E ach module basically follows the same format. There is a brief introduction to the module followed by a pre-test. From there, you will delve into reading material, videotapes and practice exercises. At the end of each module there will be a post-test and some references for further study. You have the flexibility to expand or contract each module as you see fit. If you do well on the pre-test and feel confident with the readings, tapes and practice materials then you may wish to finish that module and move on to the next one or you may wish to pursue that area further by investigating additional readings and more difficult practice materials. On the other hand, if you do poorly on the pre-test, and/or the exercises and materials are new and unfamiliar, you may wish to slow down your pace and take more time with that set of materials. It may be that you will want to take a class or workshop, work with a mentor or organize a series of classes for interpreters in your area. As an independent learner, you have many options available to you. Be creative - use these materials in ways that maximize the skill areas you want to develop.

9 Introduction Sign-to-Voice and Voice-to-Sign interpreting A 11 of the modules deal with working both into sign language and into spoken English. Traditionally, this has been called voice-to-sign and sign-to-voice interpreting. In the modules, we are more specific, using the terms English to ASL and ASL to English when talking about interpreting and English to Sign and Sign to English when talking specifically about transliterating. We do this because it is important, when we move across languages, to specify the languages we are working between. So, even though we use the generic "interpreter" to represent the person and the mental process, we will be specific when we are talking about the actual product the interpreter creates. As you peruse the module system, you will notice that there are not separate modules specifically on voice-to-sign and sign-tovoice interpreting. We have taken this approach because the mental process is the same whether or not you are interpreting from a signed language or a spoken language. To this end, we highly recommend that you begin with the module entitled The Interpreting Process: Introduction and Skills Practice. The most challenging component of interpreting is the way in which you take in information and process it. Once you are comfortable with the mental process, you will notice improvements in both your sign-to-voice and voice-to-sign interpreting. Take your time with this module, for it lays the foundation for all your future work. One reason interpreters feel weak in working from English to ASL is that they may not have had sufficient exposure to ASL to truly develop the necessary fluency to interpret between these two languages. This lack of fluency affects both your English to ASL interpreting and your ASL to English interpreting. Your diagnostic skills assessment will help you focus in on specific areas you need to work on in order to further hone your ASL skills. By working on how you process information, further developing your ASL fluency and doing the practice exercises in all the modules, you will find you have the necessary tools to increase your competency in both sign-

10 MRID Educational Interpreter Grant Project to-voice and voice-to-sign interpreting. Lastly, in each module you will find both sign-to-voice and voice-to-sign exercises. As you use the modules, you can structure your work to emphasize the skills areas you deem most necessary to meet your own goals. Where Do I Start? I deally you will begin with a diagnostic skills assessment and by taking the orientation workshop. After that, think about developing your long term goals as well as a time line for reaching your goals. In this introduction section, you will see a sample calendar. You can use this to help you plan your approach and timeline for working through the modules. Next, peruse the MRID Module Resource Guide and get a sense for the materials, equipment and people you will need to work with. After that, you are ready to begin. We strongly urge you to start with The Interpreting Process: Introduction and Skills Practice module for it will lay the foundation for all the future modules. And, if you have questions or need some extra support, review the commonly asked questions (with answers) about the module system in the fact sheet and check the MRID Web Site.

11 Fact Sheet Who are these self-paced modules for? Interpreters currently working in preschool - 12th grade Minnesota public schools who will be pursuing national interpreter certification. Why would educational interpreters want to pursue national interpreter certification? The Minnesota Deaf Community, along with other concerned citizens and organizations, approached the 1994 Minnesota Legislature expressing concern about the quality of interpreting services in the Minnesota educational system for D/deaf and hard of hearing students. They recognized that interpreters are not only content transmitters but also serve as language models for these students. In the spring of 1994, a Quality Assurance (QA) law was passed requiring by July 1,2000, "American Sign Language / English interpreters or sign transliterators working for school districts hold current interpreter and transliterator certificates awarded by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or the general level interpreter proficiency certificate awarded by the National Association of the Deaf." Schools not adhering to this law risk losing state reimbursement for the interpreters' services. What is the module package? A set of self-paced learning modules, each covering an area of the interpreting process that has been shown in research to be areas in which interpreters generally need improvement. The module package also includes a resource guide which will list local, state and national resources interpreters can utilize to supplement their work with the modules. How do I get them? The project team will be conducting 10 two-day orientation workshops across the state (2 metro and 8 in Greater Minnesota) to disseminate module and resource packages and to lay the foundation upon which educational interpreters can begin their work toward certification. For school administrators and Minnesota educational interpreters unable to attend a workshop, orders for module packages will be accepted by mail from May 1 to June 30,1996.

12 Will these modules guarantee certification? No. No educational program can guarantee certification. However, the modules will be designed with the certification standards in mind. The modules should be seen as a tool educational interpreters can use to enhance their skills in pursuit of certification. What will I need to use these modules? Each module will have a list of materials and equipment needed. Many modules also list materials and activities interpreters may pursue for further skill enhancement. Information needed to obtain these materials is available in the resource guide. Generally, basic audio/video equipment will be needed. How much will this cost? The cost for a module package is $50.00,* which covers printing. (*If ordering by mail, a fee to cover postage and handling will also be charged.) Will school districts pay for this? Educational interpreters are encouraged to contact their supervisors to pursue this as an option. Each individual school district must decide how much they will support the interpreters on staff in this endeavor. How will educational interpreters know their current level of skills and where to begin improvement? Educational interpreters may address this need by participating in the St. Paul Technical College grant program addressing assessment and the development of an individual portfolio. Alternative assessment materials developed in 1991 specifically address the diagnostic assessment of educational interpreters' work. These materials were developed and presented at the 1991 Conference for Educational Interpreters and are available from the libraries located at the Metro and 5 Greater Minnesota Regional Service Centers for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People. Advancement Seminars, Inc. provides diagnostic assessment of educational interpreters skills, as well as many local trainers. Information needed to contact these resources is listed in the resource guide. When will the module package be available? In the spring of How do I get more information? Until June 21,1996, contact Paula Gajewski, MRID Educational Interpreter Project, Hanover Lane, Apple Valley, MN 55124,612/ v/tty. After July 1,1996, please contact Mary Cashman-Bakken at the Minnesota Resource Center: Deaf / Hard of Hearing, PO Box 308, Faribault, MN / v/tty, or v/tty, or 507/ fax.

13 Introduction Introduction to the Sample Calendar w e strongly suggest you make your own plan for completion of the modules and taking the RID Certification test. The next few pages are a sample calendar with timelines mapped out for completion of the modules. Steps toward RID Certification are also built into this sample. Feel free to follow the sample or create your own. Creating a timeline helps you measure your steps to success!

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