Educational Interpreter Sign Language Job Description
Educational interpreters help provide communication access between the deaf/hard-of-hearing and hearing people in an elementary school setting to a college or graduate school classroom. They could interpret for large lectures or for a single student, for an extended period of time or only once. Interpreters in the classroom not only aid in mediating cultural differences among students from various backgrounds, they also allow deaf students the option to be educated in a mainstream, public school environment.
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General vs. Educational
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Educational interpreters differ from general ASL (American Sign Language) interpreters because those who work in the public school system typically work with a single student for a year or two, depending on state law, before moving on to work with a different student. This allows for the establishment of a comfortable linguistic environment where students adjust to the teaching style of their instructors and the specific signing style of an interpreter.
History
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When interpreting first began, the majority of interpreters worked as aides, giving advice and even making decisions without any input from the deaf person. This soon dramatically reversed to the concept of a machine--merely transmitting a message without any further involvement. These two soon blended to become an assistant in communication, and later slightly adjusted to a linguistic as well as cultural mediator.
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Education/Training
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Sign language classes and interpreting prep programs matter less than fluency, which candidates can attain by socializing with a deaf person for an extended period. Many colleges and universities, as well as groups or organizations associated with the deaf, do offer such coursework, however. Certification requirements vary by state and the specific desired profession. RID, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and NAD, the National Association of the Deaf, offer certification, as do some states. Acquiring a National Interpreting Certificate from RID/NAD means interpreters can travel state to state and not worry about local certification.
Typical Duties
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Interpreters must facilitate total access to communication--interpret all verbal communication into the preferred method of signing and all signed communication into spoken English while keeping the message as close to the original meaning as possible, and especially without altering the message with their own ideas in any way. Interpreters also provide cultural mediation if necessary. Deaf culture, like any other culture, has its own norms and values, and at times, the interpreter mediates those values and typical American culture. Interpreters working in a public school setting may attend IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings to assist in creating a student's specific educational plan.
Ethics
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Interpreters should follow the seven tenets of RID's Code of Professional Conduct, which include following confidentiality laws, complete objectivity while interpreting, and constant professionalism. Interpreters must follow these rules to avoid not only losing their license but also to avoid a potential career--and financially--crushing lawsuit.
Salary Information
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Many factors can influence an interpreter's salary, including geographical area, experience and education. Educational interpreters get paid on an hourly basis or yearly salary, depending on if they work for a company or organization or freelance. StateUniversity.com lists the median hourly wage for educational interpreters as about $16 an hour, but highly skilled interpreters can make as much as $50,000 a year, according to DeafLinx.com.
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References
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