TSID 2001 Conference

Workshop Descriptions

 

“A Camouflage Approach Doesn’t Work, It Requires Heart & Soul:  The Preparation Process for Praise & Worship Interpreting” -- Ray James

Are you prepared to trek through the jungle of spiritual warfare? That is what you are doing when you are interpreting for Praise and Worship. You want to be the best you can be? Training and preparation is the key. Come and be fitted with the proper footwear and become equipped with the appropriate tools for battle. Learn what worship is about, how it affects you and then how you can effectively interpret praise and worship

“ASL Features – How to Incorporate Them Into Our Work” – Brian Barwise

Interpreters often struggle with how to incorporate many ASL features into their work.  Facial grammar, role shifting, body movements, classifiers and use of space are often not included because we are not exactly sure how to do it.  This workshop will discuss how to use ASL features when interpreting.  

“Becoming Familiar with the ADA” -- Randi Turner & Doug Dittfurth

This workshop will focus on three portions of the ADA:  Title I (Employment), Title II (State and Local Government) and Title III (Public Accommodations).   In order to clarify the intentions and implementations of the ADA, the following questions will be addressed:  What are the rights of persons with hearing loss as outlined in the ADA?  Who decides what accommodation is provided for persons with a hearing loss?  Will mitigating measures have an affect?  What case law decisions have impacted persons who are deaf or hard of hearing?  When an employee who is hard of hearing is in need of an amplified phone, who pays for it?   Is a qualified interpreter one who is certified?

Some individuals think they fully understand the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing under the ADA until the appeal is denied.  This presentation will include a break-out activity with follow-up discussion to help solidify comprehension of the ADA.

“Deaf Culture in the Midst of the Rainforest” -- Darlene Ballard

This three hours presentation will be focused on Deaf culture and its components.  The participants will be exposed to diversity of the culture from within.  The purpose is to offer the participants larger bird's view of the Deaf Culture and to realize there are diversity from within.  For example: Deaf young, Grassroots Deaf, Deaf Young Adults, Deaf Elderly, Deaf Blacks, Deaf Asians, Deaf Gay and many others.  The sensitivity topic will be discussed in regards of those diverse groups.  Some history of Deaf culture will be mentioned but will not be the focus of this presentation.

The goal of this is to teach the participants that there are many groups within the culture, and variety of languages used such as ASL, SEE, PSE, MLS, etc., so that the new interpreters will be more familiar with those groups and assist them in feeling comfortable when understanding their cultures and not allow those differences to interfere in their interpreting situations.

 “Defensive Interpreting” -- James Virgilio

In a defensive driving course, people focus not only on their own driving ability, but also on the other guy."  Defensive driving teaches us how to pay attention to the other drivers and people we may encounter while on the road in order to prevent accident and injury.

In "Defensive Interpreting," we will focus not only on our ability to function in an interpreting / transliterating assignment, but also focus on "the other guy."  We will discuss (I solicit examples and stories from participants) how to pay attention to people involved in the assignment in order to prevent "accidents," i.e. communication breaking down, and injury -- harm resulting from the breakdown.  We discuss "accident prevention" before and during the assignment, and "damage control," what to do if an accident occurs.

 “Educational Interpreting:  What is Legal, Should I Be Interpreting?” -- Randi Turner & Billy Collins

Interpreters who work in the education setting are often faced with interpreting situations where legal or mental health issues arise.  Some educational interpreters may not be qualified to interpret these settings. What does the law state regarding qualifications in the classroom and how does an interpreter know if they have the requisite skills needed for a particular situation?

 This PowerPoint-based presentation will focus on the steps necessary to determine the qualifications needed for and educational interpreter to interpret in non-educational related situations that periodically arise in grades K-12. Attendees will be acquainted with the various laws regarding interpreters including the definition of qualified interpreter as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, what the state of Texas requires of interpreters, and the impact of these laws on educational interpreters.  During breakout sessions participants will problem-solve on how to handle awkward situations and how to work with administration to assist in the provision of qualified interpreters for the student involved. 

“Intralingual/Interlingual Skill Development for Interpreters” -- Lauri Metcalf

Requisite skills form the foundation and structure of effective interpreting.  These requisite skills, including paraphrasing, prediction, discourse mapping, and chunking, give interpreters a way of breaking down the sometimes intimidating task of interpreting into more manageable parts.  As skills are mastered, interpreters increase not only their skills but also their confidence.  This workshop will give participants an opportunity to experience a variety of activities that will help develop requisite skills.

“Let’s Get Sign-tifically Technical:  Addressing Post Secondary Interpreting Nightmares” -- Ray James

You are not alone, all Postsecondary interpreters cry and wonder what are they doing interpreting! Learn what others are doing…or not doing, and what works…or doesn't work when working in Postsecondary settings.  This will be a brainstorming and vocabulary development session.

"Linklater Voicing Techniques" -- Sam Parker

The Linklater Techniques are actual exercises taught in theater courses to actors.  Sam Parker has adapted these techniques for interpreters to enable them to improve their voicing techniques. 

“Seeing Voices:  Visualization Techniques That Won’t Make You Crazy” – Lynne Eighinger

This workshop will focus on the aspect of interpreting employing a strategy called VISUALIZATION, the use of the mind’s eye. Visualization is a product of memory, which draws upon our experiences and knowledge of the topic to create a mental image of the people, objects and actions occurring. Visualization is a powerful tool enabling interpreters to transfer their mental processes into a clear, visual representation of the spoken English source message. Participants will analyze a variety of English messages and compare the various images created mentally to strengthen the ability to “let go” of the words (form) and render a target message that is culturally and linguistically equivalent in ASL.

“Self-Directed Study Skills:  Turning Aha into Tada!” -- Buddy Bauer & Dorothy Haley

This workshop is designed to provide the interpreter with an understanding and application of self-directed study methods founded on established learning theories.  Many interpreters have had the experience of going to a worthwhile training where they learned valuable information.  However, they were disappointed that the information did not transfer to their real world experience.  Through this workshop the participant will learn how to take information and apply it to skill.  Participants will acquire tools to organize a task analysis-based approach to independent study, identify individual needs, set goals and assess their progress.  This will be accomplished through a combination of lecture and activities.  Interspersed throughout the three-hour workshop will be a fun look at professional dress and how dress affects the professional.

"Theatrical Interpreting:  Accessing Those Creative Juices" -- Sam Parker

This workshop is designed to be interactive and will focus on creative signing, character shifts, visualization and descriptors, logistics of theatrical interpreting, analyzing songs, and rehearsals.

“Transliteration:  What Consumers Want, What Interpreters Do” -- Linda Stauffer

This workshop will take a look at a study conducted among d/Deaf consumers of interpreting services with emphasis on their perception of transliteration and the services actually being provided by interpreters.  Participants will be given help in the skills needed to provide transliteration services as requested by consumers.

“What Happens to Deaf Felons After Court?” -- Jerry Lee

This will be a workshop on working within the criminal justice system with convicted deaf felons.  The workshop will include videos of offenders telling some of their personal history and some of the history of their offense that put them in prison.  The workshop will touch on vocabulary used in prison and the daily living conditions offenders deal with.  Also included will be examples of conflicts with the code of ethics when dealing with high visual deaf offenders trying to cope in a hearing oriented prison world.

“Why We Do What We Do and How to Stay Excited About It” – Deidra Fuller

Professionals who love what they do or have a passion for their work, provide quality services. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of our work we must consider our motives and what drives us to remain professionals. Interpreters often experience burn out or develop cynicism towards the field; in order to alleviate the affects of burn out or to avoid cynical attitudes we must examine strategies to remain energized.  Interpreters who maintain positive and enthusiastic attitudes about their work should understand what drives them to maintain their attitudes and determination.

Education for interpreters is a current issue in the field of interpreting and individuals must explore the need for further education to augment and improve the services provided. Furthering ones education is a means to personal and professional growth, skill development and the enhancement of the profession.

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