Western New York Teacher Center

Classroom Interpreting
 

Teachers...
Regular Education Teachers

The use of an educational interpreter is one important method that helps to incorporate students with a hearing loss into a regular education setting. However, the interpreter cannot integrate the student into the classroom on his or her own. Authentic integration requires work from all members of the educational team, including the educational interpreter.

Research shows that even the best interpreters cannot convey 100% of all classroom communication. There are many obstacles that can get in the way of communicating everything that happens. As a result of these obstacles, an interpreted education is simply not the same as the traditional education of students who can hear.

There is no magic solution for overcoming these limitations. There are several ways that the teachers and interpreter can work together so that students who are deaf or hard of hearing receive the most effective interpreted education possible. The deaf education teacher may also be valuable resource to the regular education teacher.

Open Communication

It is essential that the entire educational team, including the educational interpreter and the parent, is able to communicate openly. In order to keep communication flowing freely, a teacher should:

• Share plans with the interpreter − Of course, the classroom teacher is in charge of and responsible for the education of all students in his/her classroom, not just the hearing students. However, it is essential that the teacher share classroom philosophies and educational goals with the interpreter in order to help him/her produce the best interpretation possible.
  
  An interpreter will do a much better job if he/she understands the teacher’s teaching goals, style of classroom management, and general philosophy of learning. In order to interpret the teacher’s goals and intentions, the interpreter needs a good understanding of each of these elements. The more an interpreter knows about how a teacher teaches and what he/she will be teaching, the better the message will be conveyed through sign language.

• Talk with the interpreter − By talking with the interpreter, a teacher can learn what he/she does that helps makes the interpreter’s job easier or harder. It also helps the teacher learn about how the interpreter communicates with the student. For example, is the interpreter modifying what the teacher is saying to accommodate the student? Communicating regularly, accurately, and appropriately also gives the teacher a sense of how much, if any, assistance the interpreter is providing to the student. And, open communication gives the interpreter the opportunity to share observations and recommendations on how better to reach the deaf or hard of hearing student.

The Educational Interpreter is not an Aide

Teachers often have large classes with many students. It is tempting to view the educational interpreter as another adult in the classroom who can help with the numerous tasks that a teacher must undertake. However, the number one rule that a teacher must remember is that the primary job of the educational interpreter is to interpret. A student who is deaf or hard of hearing should never miss classroom communication or peer interaction because the educational interpreter cannot interpret.

There are times when the student is engaged in independent work and the interpreter is not needed. The interpreter should be given this time to prepare to interpret future lessons by looking at classroom books and teacher’s materials. The student will benefit more when the interpreter is prepared.

Sharing Teaching Goals

Teachers can make the interpreter aware of goals by:

• Providing full access to lesson materials − Educational interpreters should have access to a full set of teaching materials, including copies of student books and the teacher’s manual. The teacher’s manual can help the interpreter understand which concepts are important. If these concepts are new to the interpreter, he/she can learn about them before interpreting.
• Familiarizing with curricular goals − Many educational interpreters do not have any training related to education, curriculum, or teaching objectives, yet interpreting requires instant analysis of the points being made. The teacher can support students who are deaf or hard of hearing if he/she takes time to familiarize the interpreter about curricular goals ahead of time.

• Planning ahead − Vocabulary is often a critical area of concern for many students with hearing loss. Ironically, the interpreter may not have sign vocabulary for key concepts in a lesson. It is poor practice for the interpreter to create new signs on the fly, but she may be forced to do this without prior knowledge of lesson content. An interpreter who does not know the correct signs may resort to using incorrect or simpler vocabulary for advanced concepts. For example, an interpreter may incorrectly use the sign for “jury” to communicate the concept of “jurisdiction” or the sign for “fool” rather than “deceive.” These changes alter the meaning of the teacher’s language and may make the new concept more difficult to understand. Planning ahead allows the interpreter to prepare, helping assure more equal access for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Classroom Discussion

In a typical classroom, there are two factors that work against each other, making it difficult for the deaf or hard of hearing student to learn and to participate:

1. Good interpreting is delayed compared to the original language − The interpreter often needs to hear whole sentences before he or she can interpret them. An effective interpretation may lag one to two sentences behind the speaker’s language.
2. Teacher/student dialogue occurs at a fast pace − Good learning environments involve teacher and student dialogue, which often happens at a fast pace. Teachers ask questions, students answer, and everyone moves on.

These two factors make participation much more difficult for a student learning through an interpreter. By the time the student sees the teacher’s question in its interpreted version, another student has likely answered the question. Many deaf students report feeling frustrated and isolated because of this. This frustration often leads to the student becoming a passive learner, not an authentic member of the class.

A middle-school student who uses an interpreter said during an interview, “Sometimes, when I try to raise my hand, and I want to give an answer, the hearing students beat me to it. It’s hard for an interpreter to keep up so that I can also keep up with the hearing students.” *

The educational interpreter, the teacher, and the student must work together so that the student is able to participate in class discussions as a member, not an observer. By communicating with the interpreter, the teacher can learn more effective ways to structure discussions so that the student who is deaf or hard of hearing becomes an active participant in the classroom.

Accommodating the Interpreter in the Classroom

For many teachers, having an interpreter in the classroom is a new experience. Although there are no set rules for how to accommodate the interpreter, it is critical that the teacher make the interpreter feel welcome. In fact, deaf students report that when the teacher welcomes the interpreter, they feel welcome as well.

There are many ways to make the interpreter feel welcome, including:

• Talking about goals and expectations − The teacher can make the interpreter feel welcome by talking about his or her goals and expectations. By doing so, the interpreter knows that he/she is considered a member of the educational team.
• Providing a personal working space − The interpreter should have his/her own space to store personal belongings and to prepare for future lessons. The interpreter should not be permanently ‘parked’ next to the student who is deaf or hard of hearing. The student needs some independence just as the interpreter needs some preparation time.

• Including the interpreter − Include the interpreter in meetings regarding the student. Talk with the interpreter about what information he/she can share with parents. Talk with the interpreter about his/her perceptions on how the student is doing.