Stepping Stones for Novice InterpretersDesigned for self-starters, Stepping Stones for Novice Interpreters is a self-directed track designed to support people seeking credentials as they enter the field of interpreting.  Courses will be provided in Canvas Learning Management system.

Below, you can see the course schedule for Year 3 of our grant (October 2023 – September 2024)

MONTH COURSE ASL DESCRIPTION ENGLISH DESCRIPTION
October Step by Step: Effective Skill-Focused Practice for Novice Interpreters In this course, you’ll learn about characteristics of effective skill-focused practice, do a self-check activity designed to help you identify areas for improvement related to effective practice, and then dive deeper into materials and activities designed to help you improve your practice skills & habits.   
Language at Work: Deliberate Practice for Novice Interpreters   Build your ASL and interpreting knowledge and skills for a variety of work settings! Interpreters work in a variety of employment settings. The way language is used will vary depending on the setting and the people involved. This online course is designed to give novice interpreters opportunities to review possible frameworks for approaching interpreting, with practical applications to work settings.
November  Preparing for Interpreter Performance Exams This self-directed course was developed for interpreters preparing to take professional performance exams or screenings and to provide resources and tools for reflection and practice. Participants will have the opportunity to self-assess interpreting samples, reflect on performance and readiness, and apply specific practice and preparation strategies. Course contains guidance and resources to support ongoing development and preparation.
CASLI Exam Prep for Deaf Interpreters The course focus is the CASLI Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters and the Gap Test that will be required for those having completed the CDI Knowledge Exam before 2021. This course provides test preparation content in manageable and distinct sections, a total of eight modules. The overall goal of this training is to help you understand the process of performance testing and practice skills that will be required on the exam so you can better prepare for the CASLI Performance Exam for National Certification.
January Interpreting Beyond Walls: Outdoors in a Conservation Corps Are you interested in nature and the outdoors while building your interpreting and language skills?  This course will introduce you to opportunities in Conservation Corps settings to provide access for Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing participants and gain valuable interpreting, language, and cultural experience with people from diverse backgrounds.
February Interpreting in Video Remote Settings for Novice Interpreters This course introduces interpreters to the work of Video Remote Interpreting (VRI). Details for equipment setup and software functionality are discussed, followed by an introduction to the Role-Space Model framework. Using the Role-Space Model, participants will analyze decisions made in a recorded VRI session and then have the opportunity to practice in the same mock situation. The course emphasizes reflective practice and peer discussion.
Interpreting Job Interviews In this course, we will explore the varying structures of job interviews (e.g., one-on-one, panel, video), their characteristics, participants, and strategies to prepare for and perform interpreting work in this setting. Similar to other settings, interpreting job interviews has a real life impact on all involved. As interpreters, we influence the impression that the applicant leaves with the hiring manager and, thus, their likelihood for hire, as well as the perception the applicant may have of the job for which they are applying. Recognizing power, privilege, and systemic structure, this course aims to support interpreters’ (hearing, hard of hearing, and Deaf Interpreters) readiness for this work.
March Ethical Decision Making for Novice Interpreters  This course is designed for ASL interpreters, Deaf and hearing, and has been created for two main purposes:  1) to prepare you for taking an ethical interpreting exam and 2) to achieve a broader view of ethics to guide your decisions on the job.  This course is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather to encourage curiosity about ethics and deepen your understanding and application of ethical decision-making.  One of the benefits of taking a closer look at ethics is that some of the frameworks can help you analyze the nuances of interpreting. It is our hope that you will come away from the modules in this course with an ability to apply these concepts in your real life work and on an ethics exam.
Dealing with Microaggressions for Novice Interpreters This course is designed to increase awareness of microaggressions from multiple perspectives: 

  1. How comments and behaviors by interpreters are contributing to microaggression experienced by other interpreters, particularly those who identify as black, brown, CODA, Deaf, or a combination of those identities, and 
  2. How microaggressions are negatively impacting interpreters, and
  3. How microaggressions are negatively impacting  black/brown Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities. 

Course content is amplified with videos of black/brown interpreters discussing their experiences and sharing personal stories to provide other black/brown interpreters meaningful opportunities for connection, reflection, and empowerment. Content and case studies are also shared to support learning and deeper understanding for interpreters who do not identify as black or brown, including strategies to address intentional and/or accidental microaggression occurring during professional practice.

April Reflective Self-Assessment for Novice Interpreters This course is designed to encourage thoughtful work production as well as ongoing reflection and evaluation of factors influencing interpreting decisions. Participants in this course will each begin by individually interpreting a source text. They will then examine the interpretation they created and reflect upon their work using categories adapted from the Interpreting Performance Assessment Rubric (TIEM Center). The Interpreting Performance Assessment Rubric supports unpacking multiple aspects of the interpretation, not just language fluency or vocabulary choices.  This course takes an additional step in examining interpretation and reflection by sharing the interpretations of this same source text by a group of expert interpreters who, similarly to this course format, had opportunities to reflect upon their work. Finally, participants can apply their discoveries to a personal professional development plan, including application of the reflective practice to other interpreting samples.
Business Practices for Novice Interpreters Under development
May  Preparing for Interpreter Performance Exams This self-directed course was developed for interpreters preparing to take professional performance exams or screenings and to provide resources and tools for reflection and practice. Participants will have the opportunity to self-assess interpreting samples, reflect on performance and readiness, and apply specific practice and preparation strategies. Course contains guidance and resources to support ongoing development and preparation.
CASLI Exam Prep for Deaf Interpreters The course focus is the CASLI Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters and the Gap Test that will be required for those having completed the CDI Knowledge Exam before 2021. This course provides test preparation content in manageable and distinct sections, a total of eight modules. The overall goal of this training is to help you understand the process of performance testing and practice skills that will be required on the exam so you can better prepare for the CASLI Performance Exam for National Certification.

Year 3 Offerings

October

  • Step by Step: Effective Skill-Focused Practice for Novice Interpreters

    In this course, you’ll learn about characteristics of effective skill-focused practice, do a self-check activity designed to help you identify areas for improvement related to effective practice, and then dive deeper into materials and activities designed to help you improve your practice skills & habits.
  • Language at Work: Deliberate Practice for Novice Interpreters 

    Build your ASL and interpreting knowledge and skills for a variety of work settings! Interpreters work in a variety of employment settings. The way language is used will vary depending on the setting and the people involved. This online course is designed to give novice interpreters opportunities to review possible frameworks for approaching interpreting, with practical applications to work settings.

November

  • Preparing for Interpreter Performance Exams

    This self-directed course was developed for interpreters preparing to take professional performance exams or screenings and to provide resources and tools for reflection and practice. Participants will have the opportunity to self-assess interpreting samples, reflect on performance and readiness, and apply specific practice and preparation strategies. Course contains guidance and resources to support ongoing development and preparation.
  • CASLI Exam Prep for Deaf Interpreters

    The course focus is the CASLI Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters and the Gap Test that will be required for those having completed the CDI Knowledge Exam before 2021. This course provides test preparation content in manageable and distinct sections, a total of eight modules. The overall goal of this training is to help you understand the process of performance testing and practice skills that will be required on the exam so you can better prepare for the CASLI Performance Exam for National Certification.

January

  • Interpreting Beyond Walls: Outdoors in a Conservation Corps

    Are you interested in nature and the outdoors while building your interpreting and language skills?  This course will introduce you to opportunities in Conservation Corps settings to provide access for Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing participants and gain valuable interpreting, language, and cultural experience with people from diverse backgrounds.

February

  • Interpreting in Video Remote Settings for Novice Interpreters

    This course introduces interpreters to the work of Video Remote Interpreting (VRI). Details for equipment setup and software functionality are discussed, followed by an introduction to the Role-Space Model framework. Using the Role-Space Model, participants will analyze decisions made in a recorded VRI session and then have the opportunity to practice in the same mock situation. The course emphasizes reflective practice and peer discussion.
  • Interpreting Job Interviews

    In this course, we will explore the varying structures of job interviews (e.g., one-on-one, panel, video), their characteristics, participants, and strategies to prepare for and perform interpreting work in this setting. Similar to other settings, interpreting job interviews has a real life impact on all involved. As interpreters, we influence the impression that the applicant leaves with the hiring manager and, thus, their likelihood for hire, as well as the perception the applicant may have of the job for which they are applying. Recognizing power, privilege, and systemic structure, this course aims to support interpreters’ (hearing, hard of hearing, and Deaf Interpreters) readiness for this work.

March

  • Ethical Decision Making for Novice Interpreters

    This course is designed for ASL interpreters, Deaf and hearing, and has been created for two main purposes:  1) to prepare you for taking an ethical interpreting exam and 2) to achieve a broader view of ethics to guide your decisions on the job.  This course is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather to encourage curiosity about ethics and deepen your understanding and application of ethical decision-making.  One of the benefits of taking a closer look at ethics is that some of the frameworks can help you analyze the nuances of interpreting. It is our hope that you will come away from the modules in this course with an ability to apply these concepts in your real life work and on an ethics exam.
  • Dealing with Microaggressions for Novice Interpreters

April

  • Reflective Self-Assessment for Novice Interpreters

    This course is designed to encourage thoughtful work production as well as ongoing reflection and evaluation of factors influencing interpreting decisions. Participants in this course will each begin by individually interpreting a source text. They will then examine the interpretation they created and reflect upon their work using categories adapted from the Interpreting Performance Assessment Rubric (TIEM Center). The Interpreting Performance Assessment Rubric supports unpacking multiple aspects of the interpretation, not just language fluency or vocabulary choices.  This course takes an additional step in examining interpretation and reflection by sharing the interpretations of this same source text by a group of expert interpreters who, similarly to this course format, had opportunities to reflect upon their work. Finally, participants can apply their discoveries to a personal professional development plan, including application of the reflective practice to other interpreting samples.
  • Business Practices for Novice Interpreters
    Under development

May

  • Preparing for Interpreter Performance Exams

    This self-directed course was developed for interpreters preparing to take professional performance exams or screenings and to provide resources and tools for reflection and practice. Participants will have the opportunity to self-assess interpreting samples, reflect on performance and readiness, and apply specific practice and preparation strategies. Course contains guidance and resources to support ongoing development and preparation.
  • CASLI Exam Prep for Deaf Interpreters

    The course focus is the CASLI Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters and the Gap Test that will be required for those having completed the CDI Knowledge Exam before 2021. This course provides test preparation content in manageable and distinct sections, a total of eight modules. The overall goal of this training is to help you understand the process of performance testing and practice skills that will be required on the exam so you can better prepare for the CASLI Performance Exam for National Certification.