Seattle Central Community College______
Division of Business, Languages and Cultures
Course Syllabus
Course: ITP 160 ASL to English Interpreting I
Credits: 4
Class hours: Mondays/Wednesdays 9-10:50am
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Interpreter Training Program.
Instructor: Dave Morrison, MA, NIC: Advanced ; CI & CT
Team Instructor: Brenda Aron
Office: BE 1125 Phone: 206-344-4353 Email:
Office hours: T & W 3 – 5 or by appointment
Course Description:
This course focuses on ASL to English interpretation. It is the first of three classes you will take in this area. This class begins the process by focusing on processing skills such as: distinguishing form from function, lexical substitution, paraphrasing, dual task performance, short-term memory building, paraphrasing skills, shadowing techniques, and visualization. Prereq: ASL 203 with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Coreq: ITP 161.
Student Outcomes:
By the end of the quarter, students will:
1) Demonstrate an understanding of ‘Equivalent Meaning’ from ASL – Written English
2) Apply appropriate English vocabulary to various instructor generated utterances
3) Display an understanding of the terms identified with “pre-interpreting” such as:
Closure, Memory Retention, Summarizing, Paraphrasing, Restructuring
4) Identify settings for interpretation by comparing the situation to the Colonomos model
5) Apply the Colonomos Theory and the Gish Model to ASL texts
6) Have a working knowledge of how to analyze your own work for equivalent meaning
7) Be able to evaluate the work of peers for message equivalence
8) Have continued their sojourn into the Deaf world by integrating themselves into the
Deaf community
9) Have continued to expand their ASL vocabulary
Instructor Philosophy:
Learning new skills is like a daunting journey; no matter how prepared we THINK we are; we often are not prepared for the feelings of fear, anxiety and inadequacies this learning may cause. But I believe the process of learning becomes easier if we learn in a safe, nurturing and supportive environment. Through the quarter let us all learn the unique skills this field requires, while conquering our fears with the power of humor, compassion and dedication.
A Bit About Interpreting:
Interpreting is a mentally demanding field. Remember your brain needs time and training to put the pieces of this puzzle together. During the course of your study in the ITP, give yourself this time. Allow yourself to make mistakes. Strive to be thorough and totally engaged in learning. You each have gifts to bring to the profession.
Above all, remember that as an interpreter, you walk into people’s private lives. Continue to spend as much time as possible in the Deaf community, meeting its members, learning the culture and the language. This shows respect.
Required Materials:
Access to email and the internet
Videotapes (2): To preserve the equipment in the lab, please buy the following brands
only: TDK, Maxwell, Kodak, Fugi, Sony, Memorex or BSAF
Textbooks: Gaining Word Power by Dorothy Rubin (Allyn&Bacon Publishing)
ASL Skills Development by Carol J. Patrie, PhD (ISBN: 1581211074)
Dictionary & Thesaurus
Participation / Attendance Policy:
You are going to be a working interpreter. Therefore, it is paramount that you will arrive on time for your jobs. It is vital for interpreters to be at interpreting assignments on time. The classroom is preparation for the “real world” and students will be expected to be in class and on time. Your training begins now.
You will be learning a great deal during the quarter working with your classmates and if you are not present or are tardy, you adversely impact the rest of the students.
* Students are allowed to miss one (2) classes without a penalty.
*Students are allowed one (1) late arrival to class without a deduction. (If you arrive late to class at any time during the quarter, it is your responsibility to let me know you have arrived).
Assignments and Tests: No late work will be accepted. Period. Please don’t ask.
· Attend two (2@ 5 ea.) events in the Deaf Community and write a Group Analysis observation for it. Due: Before Thanksgiving! (Outcomes 8 & 4)
· ASL Improvement Plan Due: Wed the 2nd week of class! (All outcomes)
· Attend AT LEAST five (5) hours of tutoring with the ASL/ITP tutor. Due: Dec. 1st (Outcome 9)
· Live interpreter observations (4@5 ea.) Due: Before Thanksgiving (Outcomes 8 & 9)
· Homework assignments (9) from the book Due: Weekly (All outcomes) *ALL HOMEWORK HANDOUTS ARE SUBJECT TO POP QUIZES!
· Weekly Vocabulary Tests: 8 chapters at 10 points each + end of quarter quiz. (Outcomes 1, 2 & 7)
· Watch videotape by Bonnie Kraft, “Tomorrow, Dad will still be Deaf.” Write an observation on the voice interpreter on the tape. Make a list of times when the interpreter “expanded” on the signs, made cultural mediations, adjusted to the audience, etc. Turn in your reaction papers (DS, typed, with a THOROUGH explanation of your opinions) Due: November 19th. (Outcomes 1, 3, 5, 6 & 9)
· Tutoring: students will work with the ITP Tutor for 5 hours and maintain a log of such hours. Due: November 26 by 3 PM
There will be three tests:
1 - Translation of an ASL story
2 - Consecutive voicing of an ASL story
3 – Simultaneous voicing of an ASL story
Final Grade:
Your final grade will the total of the points received in a 90% / 80% / 70% split.
Tests: 300 points possible
ASL improvement plan: 10 points
Deaf Community events: 10 points
Observations: 20 points
Tutoring for full hours: 10 points –for less than 5 hours ZERO points given
Bonnie Kraft video: 10 points
Weekly vocab quizzes: 90 points
Homework assignments: 45 points (ASL: SD is 9 units @ 1 per week)
Attendance: 0 points/ 2 absence allowed, then -10 pts per class
Professional Eval: 15 pts (to be completed by instructor at the end of term)
TOTAL POSSIBLE: 510 points
Turning in Assignments
It is always appreciated when students turn in their homework BEFORE the due date. It is also appreciated that assignments be emailed as attachments (please in .doc format) instead of printed, in an effort to save paper and stay organized. Please remember – NO work is accepted late for ANY reason. Please strive to turn in the work BEFORE the due date to accommodate for illness, hospitalization, a child’s mishap or death of a beloved pet; while these are tragedies, they will NOT be an acceptable excuse for missed work.
Your grade must remain 2.5 or above to Graduate from 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: 160 F’08 page 3 of 3