Student won't watch me interpret! What should I do?

[diehardbiker]

I'm not sure how common for school to direct hire Interpreter. If this is the case, then it is whole different ball. I was thinking of Interpreter works as independent with an agency.

 

[Jiro]

In a school setting, who do you think that is?

from my experience in high school, my school hired an agency to provide me a CART service. So the CART reporter's boss would be the manager/supervisor of agency.

I thought this is the case in most of schools.

 

[Jiro]

Right, that is because it is within same company.

exactly. that's what I said but yea I later clarified that interpreter should ask her boss for advice, not school principal.

 

[diehardbiker]

Yeah, like I said in the beginning, just follow the description of the position. If an Interpreter works for school, then Interpreter is bound to follow the school policy. If Interpreter works for different agency, they are bound to follow the policy of that agency not school.

Bottom line is not to overstep the boundary.

exactly. that's what I said but yea I later clarified that interpreter should ask her boss for advice, not school principal.

 

[diehardbiker]

Not every school settings are the same.

In a school setting, who do you think that is?

 

[Reba]

from my experience in high school, my school hired an agency to provide me a CART service. So the CART reporter's boss would be the manager/supervisor of agency.

I thought this is the case in most of schools.

When I subbed at public schools, I did so as an independent contractor. In that case, I had no "boss." I would show up at the schools, check in with the office, get the student's name and schedule, and head for the classroom. Sometimes I would get a little guidance from the teachers as to what was going on and where to sit/stand. Sometimes there would be a team terp on the staff who would give me a little background information. For the most part, I was on my own. No one told me how to behave with the students or how to interpret. As a professional, I was expected to know all that when I showed up.

At the end of the day, I went to the office and checked out. That was it.

The longest sub stint that I did was six weeks straight. After that, it was usually a day or two at a time, sometimes longer, sometimes half a day. At one school I subbed so often they thought I was a staff member. Never during any of that time did anyone act as my boss or supervisor.

CART wasn't used in the schools of my experience so I don't know how they would be managed. I would guess that other than the initial hiring arrangements by the agency, the CART reporter would work autonomously at the school without any direct supervision.

 

[Jiro]

When I subbed at public schools, I did so as an independent contractor. In that case, I had no "boss." I would show up at the schools, check in with the office, get the student's name and schedule, and head for the classroom. Sometimes I would get a little guidance from the teachers as to what was going on and where to sit/stand. Sometimes there would be a team terp on the staff who would give me a little background information. For the most part, I was on my own. No one told me how to behave with the students or how to interpret. As a professional, I was expected to know all that when I showed up.

At the end of the day, I went to the office and checked out. That was it.

The longest sub stint that I did was six weeks straight. After that, it was usually a day or two at a time, sometimes longer, sometimes half a day. At one school I subbed so often they thought I was a staff member. Never during any of that time did anyone act as my boss or supervisor.

CART wasn't used in the schools of my experience so I don't know how they would be managed. I would guess that other than the initial hiring arrangements by the agency, the CART reporter would work autonomously at the school without any direct supervision.

valuable insight in various situations.

 

[Reba]

exactly. that's what I said but yea I later clarified that interpreter should ask her boss for advice, not school principal.

The principal is the "boss" of the school staff but in reality has very little interaction with the terps. Terps are usually school district employees, not school employees. That means they can be transferred to other schools as needed. In school districts with small deaf student populations, there are times when some schools need terps and some don't. The terps have to be moved out of the schools that don't have students to the ones that do. Sometimes the terps "graduate" with the students from their elementary schools to middle school.

At least, that's the way it's done in my area.

 

[Reba]

Not every school settings are the same.

That's true. From reading various threads here I'm often :jaw: .

 

[Reba]

Yeah, like I said in the beginning, just follow the description of the position. If an Interpreter works for school, then Interpreter is bound to follow the school policy. If Interpreter works for different agency, they are bound to follow the policy of that agency not school....

Well, all terps have to follow the ethical professional guidelines of RID/NAD. Usually, an agency that sends a terp to a school expects the terp to follow the established procedures of the school as long as those procedures don't conflict with RID/NAD ethics.

 

[authentic]

If I was interpreter, I would just address to his teacher that he is not paying attention to me, and it is YOUR job to follow up with him to make sure he follow through with the class thru me (interpreter). If he is behind with the education, not my problem at least I warned his teacher.

I'm curious does interpreter get involved with his IEP plan or no?

 

[FireTiger]

Are you allowed to ask the kid?

Probably not.

When I tutor and a kid does that (stops paying attention in the middle of a sentence) I ask why. You'd be surprised by the answers. Also sometimes they are not aware they are doing it.

Regardless if you can ask him you might be able to address the problem better.

 

[Anij]

Here's my take on this, based on my University experience with 'terps (and conversations with my 'terps about situations just like this)

If you are hired as an interpreter (not a TA & interpreter) then regardless of what the student does, just keep interpreting 100% correctly, even if the kid actaully falls asleep!

You almost certainly aren't privy to the students actual audiogram, or any information other than that the student gets an interpreter for classes. The student may well have quite a bit of residual hearing, and may have fluctuating hearing loss which allows them to (depending on the situation/day etc) follow along aurally to a certain degree - you are his/her "back up" to make sure they get everything.

They may also not have had an interpreter before, or had a lousy one ... so it may well be that it just takes a while for the student to get used to having a proper interpreter who they then learn they actually can rely on. Unfortunately I know of too many situations where the "interpreter" was basically a TA that had taken ASL 203 (ie far from fluent in ASL let alone actual interpreting).

When I take university courses, I always request an interpreter (or team) and a notetaker, depending on the day, class size, content etc I many rely entirely on the interpreters to access what's happening in the class, or be able to follow quite well listening (residual hearing) and "checking" what I hear with my 'Terp Team.

I'm always very open with my interpreters, I explain the type of Hoh/Deaf I am (ie that I'm totally deaf on my right, have mild/mod flux HL on the left and also have APD) - I'm not required to tell ANYONE that, but I personally prefer to explain upfront that sometimes I'll be relying 100% on them but other times I might be able to follow fairly well - so if I look away or seem not to be paying attention, it's not me being rude.

One other thing that I'm sure you're aware of - many of us Hoh/Deaf, especially signers have excellent peripheral vision. This means that even if your client isn't looking right at you, they may still very much be following what you are saying. I have a visual range that is basically 180degrees - I can follow someone signing who is 80degrees off centre quite easily, especially for short amounts of time, like when I'm getting things ready for class etc.

Many of my interpreters have told me of classes where they've interpreted for a student who's so asleep that they're snoring - as professionals they've been hired to interpret the class, regardless if anyone is paying attention or not (and honestly, you never know if there's another person in that class who's also benefiting from your interpreting, even if they aren't the official "client".

If you aren't hired as a TA or other "behaviour intervention" role, then you interpret regardless of what is happening. You could mention to the teacher that you are there solely to interpret the content of the class and that you are not permitted to comment on or handle any behavioural issues regarding your client - if the teacher has an issue with how that student is behaving they need to handle it directly with the student (which you will interpret for them.).

 

[Reba]

Students sleeping, snoring so loud as to drown out the instructor's voice, slumping over, eyes rolling up until just the whites show, drooling . . . oh yes.

I just keep interpreting as though I don't notice.

Sometimes I do have to glance away . . . those eyeballs rolling in the sockets get to me.

I have seen other terps poke or lightly kick sleeping clients. I don't recommend that. It's not only unprofessional, it could be dangerous. Some day a person startled awake might just come to swinging!

 

[Reba]

Are you allowed to ask the kid?

The only thing the terp can ask would have to be related to the interpreting process. For example, when arranging the seating and lighting, the terp could ask the client, "Can you see me clearly?"

When I tutor and a kid does that (stops paying attention in the middle of a sentence) I ask why. You'd be surprised by the answers. Also sometimes they are not aware they are doing it.

Tutoring and interpreting are two different situations, and come under different guidelines.

 

[C.C.Sinned]

interpret in your underwear, that will keep the kids attention :P

 

[kokonut]

One time at George Washington University in an engineering class of about perhaps 15 students we had another deaf student who brought his interpreter with him. I always sit in the front. The professor spoke well and so I listened without any problems but from time to time I looked at the interpreter...and found myself distracted...realized this I had to totally ignore the interpreter so I can re-focus on the professor. I was much better off with the professor speaking. The interpreter wasn't mine and I had no need for one but the other deaf student did.

 

[Reba]

One time at George Washington University in an engineering class of about perhaps 15 students we had another deaf student who brought his interpreter with him....

I want to clear up a common misconception.

Students don't bring their interpreters with them. Students and terps live totally independent of each other.

It might seem that they arrive together, especially if they're both coming from another class at the same time. Also, adult students and terps can develop friendships over time. However, the student and the terp aren't joined at the hip, and the terp works for the college, not the student.

Did you know that a terp can be fired for giving the student a ride in the car to or from class? Yes, it happens.

The Deaf student no more brings the terp to class than the hearing students bring the instructor.

People have asked me if I'm related to the student, or they say that I'm being such a nice friend to "help" him. I gently but firmly straighten out their misconceptions.

 

[Anij]

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

Thanks Reba !!!

I don't know how many times I got asked how long me and the 'terp had been friends (um, I just met them in the lobby 2mins ago!).

Or something like "it so nice that you have a friend to come help you out" - huh? Again, not my "friend", they're hired professionals, and this prof is SLI (doesn't Sign aka sign language impaired), the interpreters helping them as much as me).

Urgh

 

[kokonut]

I want to clear up a common misconception.

Students don't bring their interpreters with them. Students and terps live totally independent of each other.

It might seem that they arrive together, especially if they're both coming from another class at the same time. Also, adult students and terps can develop friendships over time. However, the student and the terp aren't joined at the hip, and the terp works for the college, not the student.

Did you know that a terp can be fired for giving the student a ride in the car to or from class? Yes, it happens.

The Deaf student no more brings the terp to class than the hearing students bring the instructor.

People have asked me if I'm related to the student, or they say that I'm being such a nice friend to "help" him. I gently but firmly straighten out their misconceptions.

It was his same interpreter throughout the day at his classes. I wasn't trying to infer anything else.