SeattleCentralCommunityCollege______
Division of Business, Languages and Cultures
Course: ITP 245; Applied Interpreting Experience
Credits: 4
Class hours: TH 4:30 – 5:30
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the 2nd year of Interpreter Training Program.
Instructor: Dave Morrison, MA, NIC: Advanced ; CI & CT
Office: BE 1125 Phone: 206-344-4353 Email:
and
Office hours: T & W 3 – 5 or by appointment
Course Description:
This course is designed to provide a practical application of interpreting skills learned in the classroom. Students are expected to observe working interpreters in field settings as well as work with student partners in mock interpreting situations. Observations and feedback from mock interpreting are kept in journal logs. You will also be supervised and observed during the quarter by the faculty members.
Instructor Philosophy:
This mock interpreting experience is all about being aware of your choices throughout your interpreting process, and being able to analyze those choices with your peers and instructors. You will find that each opportunity is unique and will stretch you and that there are no “black and white” answers. I hope that you will trust your instructor’s instincts when they give you feedback, as those instincts are based upon years of experience.
Student Outcomes:
1. Increase working vocabulary of ASL signs or their idiomatic use by 10 signs perweek AND / OR increase your English vocabulary by 10 words per week. You will do this by keeping a daily log with lists of new vocabulary and usage.
2. Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze the process of a peer’s work.
3. Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze your OWN process
4. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the RID Code of Conduct by exhibiting it during the ‘mock situation’.
5. Increase stamina
6. Complete 80 hours of ‘Mock Interpreting’.
Methods of Instruction:
As this course is primarily a ‘field work’ class; during our time together at the school the instruction will be in the form of large and small group discussions. Instructors will be visiting you during your “Mock” experience for feedback & evaluation.
Required Materials:
1. A bound notebook (NOT 3 ring binder) to be used ONLY for this class.
Assessment and Grades:
Grades will be: 90% of possible points = A / 80% = B / 70% = C
Mock Interpreting 80 hours: 160 pts
70 – 79 hours = 100 pts
60 – 50 hours = 50 pts
49 and below = ZERO pts
Faculty observations: (3 @ 100 each) 300 pts
Interpreter Observations: (3 @ 5 each) 15 pts
Log: (no partial credit given: “all or nothing” 30 pts
GOAL AND OBJECTIVE paper: 10 pts
TOTAL POSSIBLE: 515
Student Assignments:
1.Mock Interpreting hours: DUE BEFORE DECEMBER 1 (NOTE: This date WILL NOT CHANGE. If you do not have the hours by 5 PM on this date, the instructor will grade you on the hours you have accumulated thus far.)
HOW IT WORKS:
Students are matched with a peer. The team is assigned a real class to “interpret”. (No Deaf clients are involved here). This team will attend the class AS IF YOU ARE HIRED TO INTERPRET. (This means the team is responsible for: showing up, doing the research required, wearing the appropriate clothing, establishing working rules, backing up, feeding, etc.) This is YOUR class – behave as if you had a real Deaf client involved.
After 3 weeks, the teams will rotate and you will be assigned a new team AND a new class. You will repeat the process outlined above.
During each rotation, you will be evaluated by the faculty. If your partner does not show up for a scheduled mock assignment you should do the class by yourself for 15 minutes. If an instructor shows up to observe, you will still receive credit and your partner’s lack of responsibility will not affect your grade.
HOW YOU ARE GRADED:
1. Your hours. Each partner will count the class hours. (All outcomes)
2. Your log of interpreting experience. (All outcomes)
3.Observation of professional interpreters: (DUE Wednesday, Nov. 26) (Outcome #2)
Students are required to do 3 hours minimum of observation
of professional interpreters. The purpose of these papers is to examine the work of professionals in a real-life situation. You may discuss any parts of the interpreting process from the setting, to the environment, to the manner in which the interpreter handled a given situation. However, you MUST include the following:
A. Vocabulary: The list will include: SOURCE LANGUAGE and TARGET LANGUAGE. List the spoken word and the signed concept. Compare and contrast.
B. Processing: notice the TL from the interpreter. Compare it to the SL. What was the interpreter’s processing time like? Why do you think it was that long / short? Do you agree? How about the conceptual accuracy? Did the interpreter utilize expansion / compression / faceting / etc? How? Give specific examples.
C. DEBRIEFING WITH THE INTERPRETER IS REQUIRED. Talk to the Interpreter. Ask them questions about the work, the situation, anything important to the assignment. Include YOUR feelings about the situation and the interpreter’s comments. Do you agree? Why? Do you not agree? Why?
D. Prefer email submission. No minimum of word count, spacing or page count. HOWEVER – the full credit is given ONLY to critical analysis papers that are thoughtful and professionally worded.
4. Log of experiences. DUE THURSDAY, DEC. 4 AT CLASS TIME (All outcomes)
No late work accepted.
The purpose of the LOG is to keep a running ‘diary’ or ‘journal’ of your experiences throughout the quarter. It’s primary purpose is to aide you in your discovery of the profession. There is no standard look, format or design to a LOG, but must contain the following:
1. The first page of the LOG will be your ‘Goals And Objectives’ page. Using the Goals & Objectives Sheet, you will design goals and objectives for your AIE “Mocking” experience with an eye towards overall improvement in your interpreting skills. Your G and O’s should be very specific and related to your actual interpreting skills. This G & O sheet will be your ‘map’ towards enhanced skills as you progress towards your profession.
(ACCEPTABLE: I will learn to increase my processing time for better Target Language cohesion.)
(Objective: I will ask my Mock partner to assist me in monitoring the time between the production of the Source Language and the Target Language. I will then keep a running commentary about how the time adjustment felt and overall comfort.)
(UNACCEPTABLE: I want to improve my processing time.)
2. VOCABULARY: both ASL – to English and English – to ASL. Keep a running list of interesting words, unusual signs, various meanings for idioms, etc. Think about this part of the LOG as a resource you may use in the future when confronted with an unknown interpreting assignment.
3. Feelings, thoughts, ideas about your work; let this become a way for you to communicate with the instructors. While you’re working, jot down a question you want answered, or a situation you want explained. The instructor will read these through, answer any questions and provide suggestions.
FOR FULL CREDIT: Your LOG will be turned in by the due date, contain all the required information AND be up to date.
4. FINAL ASSESSMENT PAPER. DUE CLASS TIME ON THRUSDAY, DEC 4
On the day of the last class, students will turn in ONLY their mock interpreting log and assessment paper. Use the G & O document you created at the beginning of the quarter as a reference. Then, create a two page typewritten paper (following MLA format if necessary) that condenses the learning, surprises, frustrations and growth that occurred during the quarter drawn from your journal entries of each mock experience.
For full credit, the student will also include a plan / outline for future learning.
Your grade must remain 2.5 or above to stay in the ITP program. If the grade falls below a 2.5 you are placed on probation and may be asked to leave the program.
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, have emergency medical information to share with me, or need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.
ITP: 245 Fall 2008 Page 2 of 4