Standardized Testing

ASL interpreters are often present in the classroom as educational interpreters. Similarly, interpretation is needed for providing instructions for standardized testing, such as the SATs in American schools. Sometimes the same educational interpreters can be called upon to interpret for standardized testing in their respective schools, but this might not be a certainty. The test may take place on a weekend and require a different interpreter to fill in, for example.

Standardized tests also don’t necessarily take place in a K-12 environment. For example, these tests might be taken to certify a job requirement or receive a passing grade to enter a special program.

American Sign Language and Foreign Sign Language

When we were asked to provide an interpreter for a patient who required Mexican Sign Language (LSM), we were able to send a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) who was familiar with both ASL and LSM. CDIs themselves are Deaf or hard-of-hearing and are native in sign language and Deaf culture.

The CDI assigned to this task was exceptional at interpreting between ASL and LSM. However, due to the fact that the CDI could not vocalize the client’s needs to the hospital staff, a second interpreter — this one for ASL — was brought in to interpret between the CDI and the staff. Thus, the communication flow looked like this:

Patient > CDI > ASL Interpreter > Hospital Staff, and vice versa.

The interpretation was successful in large part thanks to the hospital interpreter manager who was able to inform us ahead of time that they would require LSM, which gave us the time to comb through our large network of interpreters and send a right fit. The ability to identify a proper language is a very important prerequisite for a successful and smooth interpretation encounter. The hospital was our county’s public hospital Natividad Medical Center. Their excellent caregiving to the patient and hospitality to our interpreters were highly commendable. We appreciate all the hard work involved on all sides and are honored to share such an excellent work between foreign sign language and American sign language interpretation.

The Classroom

Typically in the United States, many ASL interpreters are known to interpret into sign language for deaf or hard-of-hearing students in the classroom setting, whether it be K-12, colleges, or universities.

Classroom interpreters may also be called “educational interpreters”—these interpreters aren’t just advocates for the students they interpret for, but also role models and supporters. Educational interpreters are part of the educational teams that are responsible for students’/children’s learning goals and outcomes. While the interpreter must maintain confidentiality, of course, confidentiality is not limited to themselves and the classroom teacher. Instead, the interpreter must speak with the student’s educational team about the student’s behavior, answers, development, etc. during classroom and/or school hours.

To properly teach a deaf or hard-of-hearing student, the interpreter and other members of the educational team must decide beforehand on a) what specific type of sign language is necessary to use; b) whether the interpreter should modify vocabulary and/or register (this is especially important if the child has a developmental disability); and c) what each lesson’s outline and expected learning outcome will be.

A Workshop

We’ve recently received a request to provide ASL interpreters for an upcoming workshop designed to promote leadership and effectiveness in the workplace. Workshops can be on any topic–technology, business, medical, community CPR and fire training, etc.

Depending on the length of the workshop and number of attendees, a team of interpreters might be better than a singular interpreter, as interpreting can be tiring with constant hand movement and so require sufficient breaks. If there is a speaker addressing an audience, an interpreter will stand up on stage as well and sign to provide interpretation (usually simultaneous), and can switch out with another interpreter as needed. Providing a team of interpreters can also allow for one or two of them to work with someone who may require extra assistance.

ASL interpreters may be asked to “voice” during the workshop. Voicing is the process of using spoken English in tandem with signing. Deaf or hard-of-hearing people using an interpreter’s services can benefit greatly in their understanding of the interpretation by reading the interpreter’s lips. Those with some level of hearing can also pick up on the morphemes (simply put, small units of spoken sound) coming from the interpreter. Depending on the needs of the situation, the interpreter may be asked not to voice during their work, too.

A Hospital or Forensic Setting

Hospitals are a very common setting for any type of interpretation, and it’s no different for ASL interpretation. Oftentimes, an emergency or a high-priority appointment will pop up. In those cases, time is of the essence to find an interpreter, and it takes a quick, calm, and agile manager or coordinator to find who is available and experienced to interpret.

Recently, we were contacted for a same-day ASL interpretation request concerning medical forensics. We worked fast to send an interpreter who not only could make it in time to the appointment, but also fluent in medical terminology with a proven track record of interpreting for potentially upsetting circumstances.

In our next post we will be highlighting more ASL interpretation scenarios, so please stay tuned.

1. Get a Routine

Get lots of sleep—really! Sleep is integral to how we function and rest our bodies. Getting into a personal routine for your sleep schedule is important. Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, missing sleep, sleeping too much, or sleeping at the “wrong time” for your body can upset your biological rhythm and leave you tired for days.

Humans thrive off of routines. Having a set time for meals, work, play, etc. can help us rest and recharge in a way just as important as sleep. For example, continuously chugging away at your computer drains on your mental energy—but if you take a good break when you start to feel down, you can come back feeling much more refreshed.

2. Synergize with Your Coworkers

Nothing really energizes you like a job well done. The sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing work to hand off to a partner is fulfilling to many people, and gives you a goal to work toward during your shifts.

Human beings, being social creatures, can thrive off of collaboration. Even if we’re tired, we can get a burst of energy from our peers—like cheering each other on. If you tend to work alone, try bouncing ideas off of a friend, or attempting a collaboration if possible.

3. Eat Well

This should go without saying, but eating well and avoiding certain types of food help keep your physical energy up. Vegetables, fruits, and protein are all very important for keeping human bodies going.

Don’t forget to pack healthy snacks as well if you’re heading out of the home to work, but try not to rely on sugary or carb-heavy snacks like donuts or pastries for these snacks. They might give you a boost, but sugar boosts don’t last long and leave you crashing. A healthy snack avoids the crash.

4. Relegate Work to Certain Spaces

This is difficult to do when so many of us have to work from home nowadays, but separating spaces for work and play helps keep our brains from mixing things up. If we view our homes as a place of rest, it’s harder to get in a mindset to work. If possible, setting up an office space in your home might help tremendously. And, very importantly, keep your work desk as a place of work only—avoid social media, videos, and other distractions, even while on breaks. Breaks should take place in other places than at your desk.

5. Exercise (Yes, Really)

You might think that exercising will make you more tired, but keeping up a good exercise routine will keep endorphins pumping throughout your body. It will generally help you sleep better as well, and given enough regular exercise, you will get more stamina for your energy reserves.

6. Take Breaks (Again: Yes, Really)

Continuously whiling away at your work can wear down your mental energy. Taking breaks allows your brain to get some time to rest and reset, allowing you to come back to your work with a fresh perspective. In fact, matching your break time with exercise time might help you even more. Lots of people like to exercise first thing in the morning and “get it out of the way,” but an afternoon or even a mid-morning workout during your work break can get your blood pumping. You might even get inspiration for your work.

7. Make Time for Yourself (and the Ones You Love)

The old English saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” still applies in today’s world, all work and no play not only takes away from your time to broaden your mind, but also makes you burnt out, with no energy left for anything.

Making time for your hobbies and loved ones—real, quality time—is essential for your energy reserves. Doing what makes you happy outside of work refreshes you and allows you to enjoy life to the fullest, and might help to keep you aware of what matters to you, giving you purpose when you come back into work.

We would like to share a video that we found. The science of health is always developing and changing, and the video below is only one example out of many.

As a commitment to raise awareness of health and wellness, we encourage everyone to continue your own search for a healthy living style that suits you, and we wish everyone good health and happiness.

Here are some of the video’s key points:

From 1935-2005, people believed that the major source of nutrients should be meat, eggs, and other animal products, but this idea has changed. People have begun to realize that plant-based foods contain thousands of the most important nutrients, so fresh fruit, vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds should actually be the main part of a healthy diet, not animal products.

Science now teaches us that the best way to live longer, function better, and protect ourselves from disease is to make low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods the basis of our daily diet, such as green vegetables, broccoli, kale, tomatoes, sprouts, lentils, sunflower seeds, almonds, fruits and many more!

Monterey Language Services is committed to bridging the world’s languages by providing quality, professional and efficient translation & interpretation services in over 175 languages. Please feel free to request a quote from us.