| Workshop TItle | Presenter | Description | Subject |
| “You (don’t) speak ______?”: Considering the roles of language identity and interactional competency inside and outside of the interpreting assignment Part I | Sarah Compton | This seminar addresses the relationship between our language identities and our participation in social interactions. Our pathways into the interpreting profession can be traced back to how we entered a language community – as a learner. These language learning pathways influence both how we view ourselves within language communities and how we are viewed by others. We will examine the concepts of native and non-native speakers/signers; heritage language learners; and multiple identities. We will consider questions like: what expectations do (native/non-native/heritage) language users place on themselves? What expectations are placed upon them by others? | Trilingual |
| “You (don’t) speak ______?”: Considering the roles of language identity and interactional competency inside and outside of the interpreting assignment Part II | Sarah Compton | In this second part of the workshop, we will then turn to consider interactional competencies: How familiar are we with the rules for engaging in a conversation? How do we strike up a conversation, continue the conversation, interrupt someone and end a conversation? How are these rules managed in interpreted interactions? Self-reflection activities and small group discussions will help us synthesize these concepts. | Trilingual |
| Are You an Ethical Religious Interpreter? | Leyel Hudson | Working in religious settings often presents unique types of ethical scenarios not often seen in other settings. The consumers we work with are often close to us (both Deaf and hearing), some of our work may be pro bono, music and collegiate level lectures are a weekly dynamic, and we are often understaffed. In this workshop, we will explore some of the ethical quandaries found in religious settings and we will discuss possible solutions to these issues. Come put on the armor of God and equip yourself with the knowledge of ethical business practices. | Religious/Ethics |
| Awful Happens, do - do? Realtime Resilience Sklls for Sign Language Interpreters | Lynne James, M.A. | There have been Numerous articles published in our field about the Vicarious Trauma we experience in our work and how we deal with it. The reports are not positive and NOW is time for training to commence. Realtime Resilience Skills will equip Interpreters with tools and skills to deal with the Vicarious Trauma that we experience in our work. Resilience Skills can be used in REALTIME, and empower the Interpreter to deal with the Vicarious Trauma whether in VRS or Community Interpreting. The presentation includes tools and skills that have been researched, implemented and proven to be effective. The interpreter will leave the workshop with an enhanced understanding of their Thinking Style, will know their level of Resilience, and will have a solid foundation of Resilience Skills to utilize in their personal and professional lives. The participants will learn how to overcome their Resilience weaknesses and build on their strengths. | Health/Wellness |
| BEYOND BURNOUT: Secondary Trauma in Team Interpreting | Malibu Barron | SafePlace Counselor/Educator, Malibu Barron, will provide a research-based presentation related to secondary trauma, burnout, and self-care for interpreters and student interpreters. This interactive presentation will weave together two themes in interpreting: the essence of interpreter’s code of ethics and becoming informed about secondary trauma when interpreting in vicarious scenarios with team-approach strategies. This workshop will be presented in ASL. | Teaming/Mental Health |
| Blockbuster: Cinematic ASL | Wink | Have you ever seen an ASL story and thought, "That's like watching a movie!"? Cinematographers use certain conventions (their "grammar") for filming and editing. This workshop examines the parallels between cinematic techniques and ASL grammar conventions such as use of space, depiction, sign modification, and facial affect. Cinematic ASL techniques are not only for theatrical settings. They are commonly used by native signers when discussing anatomy, conducting an interview in a legal setting, teaching history, or telling a story. Incorporating these techniques supports linguistic integrity in interpreted messages. In addition to producing them, it’s imperative interpreters are able to recognize them receptively to deduce their intended purpose. This workshop includes some of the most important conventions for conveying meaning through particular cinematic techniques which relate directly to ASL grammar as employed by native ASL users. *Presented in ASL* | Linguistics/Interpreting Skill |
| Building Confidence: Applying Social Identity Theory to Courtroom Settings | Gwendolyn M. Bennett | Typically the courtroom setting attracts only the best and brightest. However, even the best and brightest can experience a lapse in confidence when accepting a court assignment. This workshop introduces participants to the basic principles of Social Identity Theory, the application of Social Identity Theory to the courtroom setting, and confidence building techniques to aid the practicing court interpreter in identifying herself/himself not just an interpreter, but also as a legal professional. | Legal |
| Charting a Path to Competency in Healthcare Interpreting: Using a Career Lattice to Define Entry to Specialized Practice | Richard Laurion | American deaf consumers report they find it most difficult to find interpreters in Healthcare; and when interpreters are located, they are often not qualified or ready to interpret the demands of the setting (Cokely, 2009). Research has identified that the better the communication between provider team and patient, the better the healthcare outcomes (Street, 2009). The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to increase access to healthcare for patients through improved communication (ACA, 2010). More than ever providers are obligated to ensure their communication is effective. However, how do they know the interpreters they work with are ready for the task? Are you ready to interpret in healthcare, how do you know? This presentation will lead participants through the Healthcare Interpreting Career Lattice designed for ASL/English interpreters to better understand the progression toward competency in healthcare interpreting. Participants will examine what parallels might exist for other interpreting language pairs. | Medical |
| Committee in My Head: Self-Talk in ASL-English Interpreters | Dr. Laura Maddux | This presentation will introduce attendees to the concept of self-talk in interpreters by describing the results of a research study done on the topic. Ideas of frequency, valence, overtness, self-determination, motivation, and function will be explored as they relate to self-talk. The presentation will include interpretation practice, self-reflection, small-group discussion, and brainstorming about how to harness self-talk during interpretation. | Interpreting Skill |
| Consecutive interpreting in trilingual settings | Corrie Pond and Vernon Leon | This workshop will provide interpreters a framework for understanding and implementing consecutive interpreting in trilingual settings. Attendees will learn the difference between simultaneous and consecutive interpreting and will explore appropriate settings for each. Strategies and techniques for successful consecutive interpreting including chunking, note taking, memorization, and moderating the length of the source will be introduced. Participants will be given opportunities to practice implementing the techniques during small group activities with practice stimulus materials. | Trilingual |
| Deaf-Hearing Interpreter Teams as Gatekeepers: “What’s the Point?” in Interpreting Discourse | Eileen Forestal, Natalie Atlas, Alicia McClurkan | As Deaf interpreters, we have been utilizing team processes that allow dialogues within teams of Deaf and hearing interpreters in settings, such as medical, mental health, and legal venues. The team processes include interactive dialogues, which apply gatekeeping techniques to ensure that the interpretation is based on social and cultural norms as well as discourse norms between ASL and English. Coordination within the team must be considered for gatekeeping as effective interpreting and cultural brokering. The traditional view of gatekeeping will be discussed and how research has redefined gatekeeping within the Deaf and hearing interpreter teams. Gatekeeping enables rapport with all parties, especially Deaf consumers. A case will be made that there is a need to move away from current teaming practices, especially within the teams to allow interactive dialogues. Research-based examples from videos will demonstrate how the DI-HI teams are gatekeepeers for effective interpretation. | Teaming/CDI |
| Deliberate Practice, How? | Wink | What does it take to become an expert? Passively listening to a lecture, reading a skill development book, and watching vlogs will not transform that practitioner into an expert, nor will working eighty hours a week. The key is to incorporate deliberate practice: identify a narrow goal, and practice that skill unit until it is mastered. Wink brings research from Simon and Chase, Ericsson, and Bloom to sign language interpreters to forever dispel the myth that mastery is unattainable.This workshop breaks down how participants can analyze and identify their own goals for practice, demonstrates how to deliberately practice discrete linguistic aspects, and provides an opportunity to begin this process. *Presented in ASL* | Interpreting Skill |
| Deliberate Practice: Voicing | Kiva Bennett | We improve through deliberate practice. So I did some research and found some interesting ways to approach the very broad topic of voice interpreting. This workshop will look at the tools for constructing English messages, both source and target, dividing English into sound and words. When we interpret into English, we often sound like we're reading. This is because, in essence, we are. Actors must learn to deliver character through a crafted persona. Voice actors must achieve the same round character without the aid of a physical presence, which adds additional layers to the vocal demands. Signed stimulus material will be used in order for participants to identify patterns in their work and play with new ideas in a safe environment. This workshop will be presented in ASL, with participants using English for practice activities. | Interpreting Skill |
| Dysconscious Audism, Deaf Identity, and Leader Preference | David W. Hylan, Jr. | The interpreter-consumer relationship is fundamental in the constructs of interpreter centered professional organizations, the interpreting assignment, and in the context of non-professional social contexts. Audism is the attitudes and behaviors toward deaf people in which the inability to hear and speak is considered inferior. Dysconscious Audism is the internalization of audism by deaf individuals whereby they simply accept their perceived inferiority and do not explore, analyze, or challenge culturally sanctioned assumptions, myths, and beliefs. This presentation explores the affects of Dysconscious Audism on the interpreter-consumer relationship and the possible role of Dysconscious Audism in leader preference. | Audism |
| Effectively Interpreting a Psychiatric Evaluation: A Deeper Look | Eileen Forestal and Natalie Atlas | This three hour workshop will examine why psychiatric evaluations take place, their ramifications in court proceedings, what happens during the evaluation, and will provide tools and resources to ensure that the DI-HI or HI-HI practitioners utilize best practice to maximize the potential for a successful interpreting outcome. | Teaming/CDI |
| Ethics and Beyond: Deaf and Hearing Interpreting Teams | Deborah Martinez and Alicia McClurkan | This workshop is geared towards deaf and hearing teams in specialty settings (medical, mental health, legal, etc). We will address the ethical implications of working with and without deaf interpreters, best practices for deaf and hearing teams in the given settings, as well as provide an opportunity to learn how to team. Workshop will be a combination of lecture and hands on activities. The lecture portion will be presented in ASL. Both English and ASL will be used within the teaming activities. Participants will be involved in large and small group activities, practical and ethical discussions, and teaming practice. This workshop is geared towards all levels of interpreters and students (hearing and deaf). | Ethics/CDI |
| Ethics and You | Leyel Hudson | The application of professional ethics in the interpreting field are crucial for every working interpreter to understand. With the advent of new state and federal laws, new technologies, and ever-changing languages, the "what if" situations continue to expand. We will explore the ins and outs of the Code of Professional Conduct and work to analyze sample ethical scenarios. | Ethics |
| Follow the Yellow Brink Toad??: Forensic Listening | Bonnie Faye Gibson-Brydon | What tools does an interpreter use to enhance listening? What is the role of intuitive and inferential listening? Implicit v. explicit listening? What is your response when what was heard doesn’t make sense? Listening includes so much more than hearing, yet in our rush to get to the point, or the rush to predict – we discover our skill-less listening affects the message adversely. This workshop will address specific listening techniques to enhance comprehension. The participant will practice implicit “active listening” vs. explicit as well as linear vs. visual listening. Forensic listening opens the door to a more comprehensive accurate interpretation of the message. Without realizing, do we create mental conflict? How can we grasp the message when we are second-guessing ourselves? All this - and laughter too. Join us! | Interpreting Skill |
| Getting and Staying on the Professional Path: Skills and Tools for the Journey Part I | Ari-Asha Castalia | Once course work and fieldwork are completed, there remains other learning and expertise important to meeting your professional goals. Different situations/teams/consumers/working relationships are always being encountered, and for the new practitioner (who sometimes struggles to simply to interpret a message), interacting with and managing the interrelationships among these various entities can be overwhelming. Our ability to foster and maintain relationships guides engagement in our profession. This experiential workshop explores the dynamics of how relationship to self and others (colleagues, consumers, referral agencies, and employers) influences our ability to be successful, ethical and fulfilled professionals. Participants will be exposed to innovative exercises and learn specific strategies to use in recognizing choices as well as aiding their decision making and interpersonal communication processes within the field of interpreting. This workshop is designed for current IPP/ITP students and new practitioners with less than five years of professional working experience. | Professionalism |
| Getting and Staying on the Professional Path: Skills and Tools for the Journey Part II | Ari-Asha Castalia | Once course work and fieldwork are completed, there remains other learning and expertise important to meeting your professional goals. Different situations/teams/consumers/working relationships are always being encountered, and for the new practitioner (who sometimes struggles to simply to interpret a message), interacting with and managing the interrelationships among these various entities can be overwhelming. Our ability to foster and maintain relationships guides engagement in our profession. This experiential workshop explores the dynamics of how relationship to self and others (colleagues, consumers, referral agencies, and employers) influences our ability to be successful, ethical and fulfilled professionals. Participants will be exposed to innovative exercises and learn specific strategies to use in recognizing choices as well as aiding their decision making and interpersonal communication processes within the field of interpreting. This workshop is designed for current IPP/ITP students and new practitioners with less than five years of professional working experience. | Professionalism |
| Got CEU's? | Monica Parks and Melissa Rodgers | Tenet 7 of the RID CPC is to engage in ongoing professional development. This workshop explores the ethics of professional development, why RID and State QA certifying entities have CEU requirements for recertification, and will demonstrate the many ways of getting CEU’s, from conferences to online sources including PINRA and Independent Studies. The workshop will help participants select professional development activities that fit their personal learning style. | Ethics |
| Have a Heart Part I | Caren Stringer | Have a Heart; part 1 is a training that will address a medical interpreter’s knowledge of the circulatory system. Throughout the training medical concepts will be addressed regarding the structure and function of the system. We will also trouble shoot questions regarding how to visually express the system. By building on prior knowledge, review and introduction of details, I will present ways to expand concepts that will empower an interpreter’s ability to effectively interpret medical concepts as they relate to the circulatory system. | Medical |
| Have a Heart Part II | Caren Stringer | Hands on practice after part 1 | Medical |
| Healthcare Interpreting: Using Case Conferencing as a Tool for Building Decision-Making Skills | Richard Laurion and Carrie Wilbert | Do you interpret or want to interpret in healthcare settings? How do you measure your readiness to provide effective communication between patient and provider? Research has shown that improved health outcomes only comes with better communication between healthcare provider and patient, (Street, 2009). The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was intended to promote good communication between providers and patients (ACA, 2010). Yet, recent surveys of Deaf consumers find them sorely disappointed in their communication access in health care. They complain that interpreters are often not qualified or are poorly trained to handle the demands of the setting (Cokely, 2009). This interactive workshop will examine a key aspect of the work and provide participants successful strategies for improving decision-making. Please join us and experience how case conferencing may be used to assist you and your colleagues to improve the decisions you make and the interpreting you provide. | Medical |
| How to Ethically Start and Run Your Business | Laura Cole | Are you scared to start your own business? This workshop will walk you through everything you need to know to become an Independent Contractor. You will learn about all legal documentation involved, the steps to opening your business, and how to obtain the highest profit. We will cover all bases from choosing a name to retirement. This workshop will be your step-by-step guide to start and run your own profitable business. | Business/Ethics |
| I Graduated! Now What?! - Navigating the School-to-Work Gap | Krystal Sanders and Ashley Eshnaur | Congratulations, you’ve graduated! Now what?! From diploma to dream job, let Krystal and Ashley help you navigate the school-to-work gap by sharing their experiences, both triumphs and speed bumps, and giving you a few tools to take with you as you embark on your new career! This workshop is for students, recent grads, new interpreters and anyone who may feel like they need a little support finding their way through this seemingly complicated phase of interpreting. | Interpreting Skills |
| I think I need a CDI! I have failed!!!!! Breaking down the stigma of using Certified Deaf Interpreters | Amber Galloway Gallego and Alicia Mcclurkan | In our field we, the hearing interpreters, have known about Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI’s). When asked where is a CDI used they often say, “CDI’s are used only in court and Deaf/Blind interpreting”. Interestingly, we have seen a dramatic change in the dynamics of where and how to use a Deaf interpreter in the last few years. There are many misconceptions as to what a Deaf interpreter does and what that means for the hearing interpreter. This workshop will open up the minds of how to make beautiful working relationship between Deaf and hearing interpreters without any stigmas attached. | CDI |
| Idioms: Do You See What I’m Saying? | Wink | English idioms can be an interpreter’s worst nightmare. However, idioms are a common form of expression, used with purpose. Imagine interpreting the phrase, “there is more than one way to skin a cat.” When I was a kid, I signed that — almost verbatim — to my Deaf father. Let’s just say we spent an additional 15 minutes clearing up why the mechanic would want my dad to skin our cat. This workshop isn’t limited to only practicing these idioms. Rather, interpreting idioms becomes easier with a little theory to build these interpretations upon. This workshop sets the groundwork for deconstructing English idioms in order to determine their core meaning and strategies to effectively interpret them into ASL concepts. *Presented in ASL* | Linguistics |
| Infection Control and Industrial Safety for Medical Interpreters | Linda Golley | Medical Interpreters are expected to know how to practice safely in the dangerous health care environment, yet few have ever been trained on how to do so. This presentation spells out in detail how the interpreter can practice safely in the clinic and hospital settings: immunizations needed, how to use hand hygiene and barrier methods properly against infections, how to minimize risks from mechanical injury, how to work safely with prisoner and mental health patients. | Medical |
| Interpreting for Deaf youth: Ethical considerations | Eileen Forestal | Interpreting in child welfare matters is a challenging task. Due to sensitive nature of interpreting for Deaf children who may have been sexually molested (including rape), Deaf interpreters, along with their team members, must consider effective approaches in working with the investigator, social worker, an agent from child protective services and the Deaf child. What considerations need to be undertaken for the language of the Deaf child, specific signs, background information about the Deaf child, the role of the Deaf interpreter and the team member? Case studies will be presented in a video for group discussions on ethical considerations, approaches, strategies to assist in providing effective interpretation. Each group will have an opportunity to present their case study analysis with guidance and recommendations from the workshop leader. A framework will be presented for a critical analysis and decision-making processes. Self-care strategies will be discussed to prevent vicarious trauma. | Teaming/CDI |
| Kundalini Yoga and Meditation for Interpreters | Mandi Chase Wolfe | Three one and a half hour self study classes for improving overall health, communication and mental neutrality through posture and meditation | Health and Wellness |
| Legal Ethics: What's the Difference!? | Deborah Martinez | This workshop will explore ethical decision making pertaining to legal and courtroom settings. We will discuss how and what makes legal interpreting unique yet applicable to other genres of interpreting. Legal documents such as the guilty plea, the miranda warning, and others will be analyzed for interpreting implications. Additionally participants will explore legal case studies, analyze the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, and participate in small group discussions. Materials will be supplied ahead of time for optimal learning. Prior legal training is helpful but not required. Presentation will be conducted in English. | Legal/Ethics |
| Math + ASL Part I | Paul Glaser | There is increasing importance being placed on the role mathematics signs play in teaching and learning in the classroom. Many teachers and interpreters have different signs for certain mathematics terms and it is possible that a lack of standardization may influence learning. There is a particular need to discuss perceptions of technical signs in order to help prepare new teachers and interpreters who pursue careers in mathematics education for the deaf. The present workshop was designed to assist new and experienced mathematics teachers and interpreters for the deaf as well as students interested in learning about mathematics signs. Most teachers and interpreters did not have signs for advanced mathematics terms and fingerspelled those terms to avoid inventing signs. This workshop helps you to be familiar with mathematics terms and how to apply to interpreting settings. | Interpreting Skill |
| Math + ASL Part II | Paul Glaser | There is increasing importance being placed on the role mathematics signs play in teaching and learning in the classroom. Many teachers and interpreters have different signs for certain mathematics terms and it is possible that a lack of standardization may influence learning. There is a particular need to discuss perceptions of technical signs in order to help prepare new teachers and interpreters who pursue careers in mathematics education for the deaf. The present workshop was designed to assist new and experienced mathematics teachers and interpreters for the deaf as well as students interested in learning about mathematics signs. Most teachers and interpreters did not have signs for advanced mathematics terms and fingerspelled those terms to avoid inventing signs. This workshop helps you to be familiar with mathematics terms and how to apply to interpreting settings. | Interpreting Skill |
| Moving From Eating our Young to Embracing Change | Windy Rossi | Our profession historically has an environment of horizontal hostility, plainly, you could call it bullying. Instead of being supportive of each other, we have a tendency to be competitive, negative and back stabbing. I think the nature of our business fosters the competitive part. We have agencies call us and ask "what is your rate". We try to figure out what a good rate would be, one not to high or too low. We are hesitant to recommend other Interpreters for fear they will be contacted in the future and some how "take a job away from us". We are not supportive of newly certified Interpreters. For our profession to move forward, we need to change our environment. We discuss "Deaf Heart" for our clients, but, what about our attitude to our colleagues? | Interpreting Skill |
| Our Journey as Gatekeepers: How did we get here? | Eileen Forestal, Natalie Atlas, Alicia McClurkan | This presentation will bring to the table on the journeys of Deaf interpreters and hearing interpreters and how we collectively arrived to this point. It is the journey that we must look into, rather than the destination, to find the tools and knowledge as effective interpreters and as gatekeepers in teams of Deaf interpreters and hearing interpreters. Discussions will revolve on how our interpreting profession can move towards to being gatekeepers for Deaf interpreters as well as the interpreting profession. Participants will have opportunities to explain, evaluate, and reflect on how these techniques would guide teams for effective interpretation and as gatekeepers. | Teaming/CDI |
| Partition Zones | Wink | Interpreters sometimes wish for an additional hand or the ability to summon a twin to complete a concept. Unfortunately, we currently do not have the technology or the magic to accomplish this. We therefore must rely on peer-reviewed linguistics. ASL linguists have identified partitioning as designating a section of your space to represent another object. This technique, native to ASL grammar, can help signers to better produce what is so clear in their mental landscape.This workshop covers partitioning in various ways: manual articulators as partitionable zones, scales of blends, how onomatopoeias coincide with blends, and how non-manual signals can be partitioned. *Presented in ASL* | Interpreting Skill |
| Professionalism: It's More Than Black Clothes | Amanda M. David | Professionalism is an often discussed concept, but what exactly it means and how it applies to the field of Sign Language Interpreting can sometimes be a bit ambiguous. This session will address the concept of professionalism and the various defining aspects that exist in the field. The workshop will include discussions on the differences between a “job’ and a “career”, delve into interpreting attire and how it relates to various situations in which interpreters find themselves, explore communication strategies, and discuss pre-conferencing with clients. | Professionalism |
| Silencing the Negative Committee: Tools for Self Validation | Bonnie Faye Gibson-Brydon | We mentally hold ourselves back from believing in our own strengths. We can discover our patterns through reflection and learn tools that help to Silence the Negative Committee and step into our Self-Validation. In a moment of doubt or denial, we prevent the spontaneous development and learning that occurs within each challenge. When we are busy doubting ourselves, we deny intuitive listening or inferential learning. We find ourselves justifying rather than validating. Challenges are not to be perceived as “bad.” Together, let's step away from insecurities. We have much to communicate and share in regard to lessons learned. That is where professional growth occurs, in sharing and listening. We are accountable for our thoughts and actions. …and that is where I start my workshop… | Interpreting Skill/Wellness |
| Sound Culture | Cory McMahon | Sound Culture is a presentation that explores the impact and evolution of the sign language interpreter’s influence on American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture through their work. Topics of discussion will include hearing privilege, current deaf community linguistic discourse, social media exposure, cross generational culture, and the cultural roles and responsibilities of the interpreter. | Power and Privilege |
| Source Attribution: Research and Practice Part I | Dr. Laura Maddux | This 6-hour session will begin with a discussion of the topic of source attribution (SA) and how it is used in interpretations. The second part will focus on describing a research study using a SA instructional method to teach interpreting students. The results of this study contain many implications for interpreting students, interpreting practitioners, and interpreter educators. The third part will incorporate aspects of the first two parts to allow both Deaf and hearing attendees to practice interpreting using SA in their work. Lecture, discussion, group work, interpreting practice, self-analysis, and peer feedback, will be included throughout the day. The presenter recommends that participants bring a video recording device to the presentation to assist in analyzing their interpreting work. | Interpreting Skill |
| Source Attribution: Research and Practice Part II | Dr. Laura Maddux | This 6-hour session will begin with a discussion of the topic of source attribution (SA) and how it is used in interpretations. The second part will focus on describing a research study using a SA instructional method to teach interpreting students. The results of this study contain many implications for interpreting students, interpreting practitioners, and interpreter educators. The third part will incorporate aspects of the first two parts to allow both Deaf and hearing attendees to practice interpreting using SA in their work. Lecture, discussion, group work, interpreting practice, self-analysis, and peer feedback, will be included throughout the day. The presenter recommends that participants bring a video recording device to the presentation to assist in analyzing their interpreting work. | Interpreting Skill |
| The Baby Boomer Effect: Mentoring as a tool for Succession Planning and Talent Development for Court Interpreters | Gwendolyn M. Bennett | The exodus of baby boomers from the workforce has a severe impact on the profession of interpreting, even more so for those interpreters who work in courtroom settings. This workshop discusses the baby boomer effect on the population of court interpreters, and models a mentoring program as a succession planning tool for recruiting, retaining, and developing interpreters for work in the courtroom setting. | Legal |
| The Courtroom: A Different Set of Rules | Gwendolyn M. Bennett | This workshop introduces participants to the basics of the courtroom environment, the roles of an ASL interpreter in the courtroom, and the difference in interpersonal dynamics between the Deaf consumer and the ASL interpreter when in the courtroom setting compared to community settings. | Legal |
| The Demise of the Free Lance Interpreter – The Case of Employee Misclassification | Anne Tomkinson and Pasch McCombs | In the past few years, state and federal revenue agencies have taken a keen interest in employee misclassification. Essentially, when an employer uses staff and free-lance employees to perform the same job, the government takes the view that the free-lance employees are misclassified and the employer is responsible for past unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation premiums and payroll taxes. In the field of sign language interpreting, this issue has arisen as agencies have been audited causing interpreting agencies to re-classify their free-lance interpreters as W2 employees. This session will explain the labor department’s misclassification concerns, the IRS’ six factor economic realities test and will provide practical options from experience for handling the re-classification of free-lance interpreters in an equitable manner. | Business |
| The Professional Path for Seasoned Interpreters: Reconsidering and Recommitting to the Journey Part I | Ari-Asha Castalia | Want to inject some spark back into your work? Noticing that you are tempted to become a contributing participant while you’re interpreting? Are the number of people you’ll work with or places you’re willing to work dwindling? This workshop encourages a look at professional choices that influence your work, with a goal of checking in to see if those choices are still serving you or if it’s time to make new decisions that will open up new possibilities for your practice. We’ll discuss capacity, habits and boundaries, and culminate in a commitment to reconsider some aspect of your professional life. | Professionalism |
| The Professional Path for Seasoned Interpreters: Reconsidering and Recommitting to the Journey Part II | Ari-Asha Castalia | Want to inject some spark back into your work? Noticing that you are tempted to become a contributing participant while you’re interpreting? Are the number of people you’ll work with or places you’re willing to work dwindling? This workshop encourages a look at professional choices that influence your work, with a goal of checking in to see if those choices are still serving you or if it’s time to make new decisions that will open up new possibilities for your practice. We’ll discuss capacity, habits and boundaries, and culminate in a commitment to reconsider some aspect of your professional life. | Professionalism |
| The Work is You | Danielle Hunt | If someone asked, “Who are you?” how would you respond? For American Sign Language-English interpreters, this is a complicated question. As a part of the practice of interpreting, we have been taught to hide our identities. Instead, I suggest that we embrace them. I explored how a professional interpreter identity forms and changes over time. Current research in Interpreting Studies focuses on the process of interpreting, the product of an interpretation, and the role of the interpreter in an interpreted interaction; however, this research does not address the interpreter as a person with all of the complexities that make-up an individual. Take a second and think about how you identify yourself. | Professionalism |
| Trilingual Interpreter: What does it take to be one? Part I | Ruth de Jesus | I speak Spanish, English, and ASL. Can I be a Trilingual interpreter? Learn what it takes to be one. What settings do trilingual interpreters work in? How can I get certified? Informative workshop on what the BEI Trilingual tests consist of interactive activities to get you ready for the test. | Trilingual |
| Trilingual Interpreter: What does it take to be one? Part II | Ruth de Jesus | I speak Spanish, English, and ASL. Can I be a Trilingual interpreter? Learn what it takes to be one. What settings do trilingual interpreters work in? How can I get certified? Informative workshop on what the BEI Trilingual tests consist of interactive activities to get you ready for the test. | Trilingual |
| TX DARS Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services: What Do They Really Do? | Randi Turner | The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) works in partnership with people who are deaf or hard of hearing to eliminate societal and communication barriers to improve equal access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. DHHS advocates for people of all ages who are deaf or hard of hearing to enable them to express their freedoms, participate in society to their individual potential, and reduce their isolation regardless of location, socioeconomic status, or degree of disability. Join us in this interactive session and learn how the DHHS can benefit the community of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. This session will cover how a person qualifies for specialized telephone equipment, how Deafness Resource Specialist can advocate for interpreter services, how individuals with hearing loss can obtain a college tuition waiver, and more. | Advocacy |
| We are All Interpreter Trainers | Leyel Hudson and Chris Orta | Interpreter trainers are not only found on college campuses. Quite to the contrary, it takes a village to raise qualified interpreters. In this workshop, we will discuss the issue of bridging the gap from graduation to becoming a qualified working interpreter and how the whole community can be involved. We will analyze some of the scars and hard feelings that many in the Deaf community harbor related to interpreters and what we can do to improve community relations from a training and mentorship standpoint. Be a part of raising the next generation of interpreters! | Mentoring |
| Work and Play: Improving Working Memory | Kiva Bennett | Many common errors made by interpreters can be traced back to deficiencies in memory. Some of these errors stem from having too short a processing time. Once more information can be held in working memory, processing time can be improved. Many errors in the form of omissions could be avoided if the information would just stick around in the brain long enough to be processed and delivered. Research shows that we can make improvements to our memories by applying strategies in our deliberate practice, and that certain activities can improve our ability to capitalize on our existing capacities. This workshop is activity-based. There will be a brief introduction into how working memory operates. Participants will then learn a variety of drills and games designed to improve working memory. These will include individual, partner, and group activities. | Interpreting Skill |
| You be You and I'll be You | Justin Lee | The mantra of every practicing interpreter should be, “You be You and I’ll be You”. We do not all speak in the same manner; why should all of our clients? Discovering one’s own sociolinguistic biases and propensities is crucial to any interpreter. Learning these subtle, though sometimes overt, influences on interpretation will remove the ‘me’ from the interpretation, allowing the speaker to shine through uninhibited to the interlocutor. During the workshop participants will learn more about the fifth level of language known as discourse, diving into the study of register and sociolinguistics. There will be opportunities to have fun while applying the learned principles within the realm of sociolinguistic interpreting. **Explicit terminology and vernacular will be used in this workshop** | Interpreting Skill |
| You're Never Fully Dressed Without Your Prep | Amanda M. David | Being prepared for assignments is key to creating a successful interpretation…. but how do we best do that? This workshop will educate participants about different types of preparation, while guiding them through preparation for a specific assignment. Participants will produce work both before and after preparing and compare the quality of the pieces. Join us and find out how much helpful information is already in your head and at your fingertips! (Workshop participants are asked to bring a phone, tablet, or other device with video recording capabilities.) | Professionalism |