How to be a better interpreter

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I wanted to talk about interpreters and to give advice on how interpreters can improve their skills in multiple different settings. For SVRS interpreters, I used to work at Sorenson, make sure everyone is ready before you go ahead with the call. Also, have a good attitude and smile! Try to match what the Deaf person is signing with your facial expressions rather than showing no emotion. It’s important that interpreters are clear as well and not pushy or impatient. If you have a bad attitude, it makes the consumer feel disrespected and upset. At the same time, don’t take our feedback personally because we are trying to help you! What’s nice about SVRS is that they have a feedback form that people can fill out with comments on how to improve. That’s a great opportunity for interpreters to learn more about themselves and get better like agency interpreters or ZVRS or Purple.

For interpreters working in educational settings, like post-secondary, make sure you introduce yourself to the student and have a good attitude. For example, if you work with an oral student like me, make sure your interpretation is clear and the relationship between interpreter and student is strong before you start interpreting. If you feel like you don’t understand what the teacher is saying, interrupt them! It’s also a good idea to talk with the teacher ahead of time so you aren’t disrupting the whole class. This is also important because you can explain to the teacher that there’s a deaf student in the class and to make sure you’re both on the same page.

The cool part of being an interpreter is that they can get better and learn by being involved in different events, like an expo! By socializing with different deaf people, your skills improve. Also, never forget that it’s important to be yourself!