Interpreting Practice for Deaf Interpreters

This activity is designed for Deaf Interpreters to practice their interpreting skills to meet a range of consumers needs.  Each source text has  different interpretations designed for different consumers.

Title: World Federation of the Deaf
Abstract/Description: The speaker describes the history of the World Federation of the Deaf from its overseas origin, including those who were involved in its inception.
Originally retrieved from NIEC TerpTalks

Step 1: Choose a Target Audience

Click on a picture below to view videos of the four consumers who are the target audiences for these texts. You can assess the communication styles of these individuals so you can adapt your interpretation to meet their needs.

Step 2: Interpret the Text for Specific Consumer

Watch the source video and interpret it in a way you think would be most accessible for the consumer you picked. You can choose to pause the video and do a consecutive interpretation or you can do a simultaneous interpretation.

Step 3: Reflect on your interpretation

After you have created your interpretation, use the following questions to reflect:

  • What strategies did you use to meet the needs of your audience?
  • What was the presenter’s intent and how did that impact your interpretation?
  • Were there sections of the presentation that were more challenging?  What was happening in these sections?

Step 4: Review Sample Interpretation

Click on the interpretation below for the specific consumer you selected.  See what choices the CDI who created this interpretation made.

Step 5: Re-Interpret the Text for Specific Consumer

Watch the source video and interpret it again in a way you think would be most accessible for the consumer you picked. You can choose to pause the video and do a consecutive interpretation or you can do a simultaneous interpretation.

Incorporate what you learned from reflection and reviewing the sample interpretation from another Deaf interpreter.

Step 6:  Reflect on the Process

  • What did you learn from going through this process?
  • What changes did you make the second time you interpreted the text?
  • How were you able to adapt your interpreting to fit the needs of a specific consumer?
  • What other questions or thoughts do you have?

Repeat the Process

Now that you have worked with this text with one consumer, choose at least one other consumer and go through the six steps again.