Question for any ASL teachers/Interpreters out there . . .

[Helidore1983]

Hi, I was just wondering if there are any other people like me out there who want to teach ASL/Deaf culture as well as be an interpreter, and if so, or if you do, what were your requirements for your area? I can't find any programs in Virginia, and I have been told by my college that I may have to get a degree in Education and a degree for the Interpreting and then kinda use the both of them. Is this how it usually works? I think it may have been how it worked for my ASL teacher in high school but I have lost contact with her.

Any help would be much appreaciated, Thanks!

 

[Calphool]

Hi, I was just wondering if there are any other people like me out there who want to teach ASL/Deaf culture as well as be an interpreter, and if so, or if you do, what were your requirements for your area? I can't find any programs in Virginia, and I have been told by my college that I may have to get a degree in Education and a degree for the Interpreting and then kinda use the both of them. Is this how it usually works? I think it may have been how it worked for my ASL teacher in high school but I have lost contact with her.

Any help would be much appreaciated, Thanks!

I'm not an interpreter or ASL teacher, but I am an adjunct professor at a local college. I teach Computer Information Systems and Computer Science classes. I have a masters in CIS, and that's all they needed for me to be an instructor -- no teaching degree or anything (although I did have some experience teaching at work). I would think that ASL and Interpretting would be similar... once you get a degree in Interpretting, I would think you could teach. However, it might be difficult to land a job at the college level without at least a masters degree (some professorships require a doctorate).

A community college would probably accept someone with a bachelor's degree for some classes though -- particularly for something as specialized as ASL interpretting.

So I guess it depends on where you want to teach, and how much you want to earn. You've probably got multiple options.

 

[jillio]

I'm not an interpreter or ASL teacher, but I am an adjunct professor at a local college. I teach Computer Information Systems and Computer Science classes. I have a masters in CIS, and that's all they needed for me to be an instructor -- no teaching degree or anything (although I did have some experience teaching at work). I would think that ASL and Interpretting would be similar... once you get a degree in Interpretting, I would think you could teach. However, it might be difficult to land a job at the college level without at least a masters degree (some professorships require a doctorate).

A community college would probably accept someone with a bachelor's degree for some classes though -- particularly for something as specialized as ASL interpretting.

So I guess it depends on where you want to teach, and how much you want to earn. You've probably got multiple options.

In Ohio, you have to have a bachelor's in edcuation to teach k-12. You can teach as an adjunct at the college level with a master's degree, but correct that it doesn't have to be in education...just within the field that you are teaching classes in. We have 2 ASL adjuncts (both CODAS) that have a bachleor's degree, but have passed ASLTA certification so they waived the master's requirement.

 

[Interpretrator]

What is your background with ASL and Deaf culture? There can be resistance to hearing people with only a few years of experience teaching in these areas.

Personally, I got my BFA first and my A.A. in Sign Language/Interpreting sometime later. I worked as an interpreter for a while and decided to become an ESL instructor, so I got my master's in TESOL (everything but my thesis) and as it turns out I will be teaching writing to deaf college students come September. (I will never teach ASL.) In California you pretty much have to have a master's to teach at the community college level but depending on experience that requirement can sometimes be waived.

Your best bet is to check out the HR departments of the schools where you would like to work, or ones like them, and find the requirements for the position that you want. Or just call them up and ask. Good luck.