Flipbook Link: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/295aedfedf.html

How did the idea come up?

One of the participating interpreters Sasha commented: The thought of coming up with such a book is already an achievement.

That’s right, the idea to give advice to future interpreters didn’t occur to us until after having completed a series we did that compared professional interpreters to AI.

Starting from Interpreters and Music to Interpreters and Voices (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-QGEbwcTr2MdhbLPPGszMw8Rdc5J9aI), the 12 videos we’ve made in 6 months led us to a certain question:

• How are we going to pass the torch on to the future interpreters in the era of AI?”
• We began thinking about if it was possible for us to share advice to encourage the future of our industry.

Who did we reach out to?

This subject is bigger than our company (Monterey Language Services), so we reached out across the globe to various colleagues in the field to ask them what kind of advice they would give to future generations.

Judging by the number of quality, in-depth, and complete responses we received, it seems that our idea to seek out advice from colleagues was a step in the right direction.

Navigating the complex undertaking

Martha graciously shared the medal she was awarded for writing the bilingual publication. It was very inspirational and taught us that we can learn to open our mind beyond interpretation assignments! It awakened our awareness of our role and responsibilityto disseminate the value of our heritage to other language speakers.

As a result, we decided to pursue putting a face to their quotes and deliver even more layers of information to the project, and that thought has really elevated the project and made everything more intriguing!

Captions and pictures

We are totally in awe to receive amazing one-line captions, such as:

• Bing’s regarding “the wealth of information disguised as language”
• Lenne’s regarding eye contact on the job. Lenne brought it to our attention that there are many different theories as to how long to maintain eye contact and where to look while talking to someone vs. What an eye-opening piece of feedback from Lenne!
• When we received Elizabeth’s picture with lots of beautiful divine light on her face, we were blown away. She explained that her husband took that picture as she was preparing for prayer ministry at a Christian retreat.
• Elizabeth gave us 3 options for captioning. We picked one, but her other two are equally powerful:
• A peaceful heart helps our minds connect the right words. Don’t be overwhelmed; rely on help from above.
• The key to quick recall of obscure terminology is the peaceful alertness of a watchman.

Our director of translation, Mei-Ling, cannot agree more with Elizabeth that feeling peaceful is the way to cope with uncertainty or obscure situations that we often face at work. It’s at those times that we should take some time, get some space, clear our minds, and seek inspiration. Once we find our inner peace, we will know what to do and understand that things will work out.

• Virginia’s holiday picture from her family is an invaluable contribution because, not only is it the only picture in the book with more than just one person, but it also shows how important it is to have a support system behind every one of us, let it be your family, friends, colleagues, or a professional team.

Collaborating with others and not fighting alone are very moving pieces of advice, and can really help one to progress. The flipbook is testimony to that. After all, so many passionate professionals in the industry came out in full force to support, not only this project, but the future of our industry as well.

• Pictures of Ruth, Layla, Jose, and Mei-Ling show that doing extra-curricular activities actually sharpen your mind and thoughts and make us a stronger and better interpreters!
• The pictures from Rania, Elizabeth (Love What You Do), Lisa, Paulo, and Maria show core elements, skills, and practical tactics required of interpreters.

Last, but not least, we also would like to give thanks to Rania’s contribution. Thanks to her summary of all the major advice, everything fell right into place, which we couldn’t appreciate more. We are proud to echo what Bing says–  “the flipbook is well designed and exceptionally inspiring,” what Elizabeth says – “I am sure it will be a blessing to newcomers and seasoned professionals alike.”

Conclusion: AI vs. Humans

Finally, the conclusion of the flipbook is on pages 14, 15, and 16.

• On page 14, Helena and Sasha identify the elephant in the room –
• Then on page 15, Vanessa challenges AI saying – “if you interpret/translate like a machine, a machine could take your job, but if you bring your humanity into the work, you can really stand out.”
• On page 16, Jose further concludes that –
  “In our fast-paced digital world, the intrinsic human qualities of empathy and warmth remain indispensable in interpretation.”
• “So, continue honing your skills and nurturing those invaluable soft skills – they are your most powerful tools in this profession!”

We were amazed to see that the interpreters provided different perspectives on AI and Humans, and echoed each other so well! The participating interpreters’ conclusion coincides with what Monterey Language Services is convinced of after making 12 videos to compare the performances of professional interpreters to AI.

Wonderful insight and advice

The messages from all these accomplished interpreters with their fingers on the pulse of the industry, with their heartfelt words and their pictures – it’s all really come together to make something special that we’re excited to share with whomever needs to hear it, especially during this time of uncertainty.

We love the awesome quote from Bing “the wealth of information disguised as language”. There’s so much information coded in language, and it’s up to us as interpreters to decode it for others to understand, which is something that machines still fail to master.

We clearly see a bright future for those interested in becoming translators or interpreters! So keep calm and keep going!

“Keep calm and keep going” is a powerful reminder for everyone. Don’t get too much into your head or scramble for a fix, or rush to make progress. Just stay calm, do what you have to do, and carry on. With time, everything will turn out well, naturally. Thanks to Lenne for providing the perfect ending for such a complex undertaking that, as Martha put it, will benefit everyone in the world of languages.

As an IEP interpretation provider, we often think about what we can do or what information we can put out to improve the lives of the people we serve. In today’s blog, we will be going over techniques to create a growth mindset in your child, rather than a fixed one.

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset

Stanford University professor of psychology, Carol Dweck, has written extensively about mindsets and their effect on learning. Carol’s research is often based on the difference between a “fixed” mindset and a “growth” mindset, with “fixed” meaning that the person thinks that their abilities are static and can’t be changed, and “growth” meaning that the person sees setbacks as a chance to learn and improve from their mistakes.

As an example, consider a person who wants to become an artist. She may draw a picture and see only her flaws in it; and any constructive criticism from others makes her think, “I will never be able to get better, unlike the people who have natural talent.” This person would have a “fixed” mindset.

On the other hand, a person with a “growth” mindset would see the flaws and constructive criticism and think, “There is plenty of room for improvement. It might be difficult, but with enough practice and learning, I can become better.” While she might not become the next Michelangelo, this person might find joy in the challenge of improving herself and become a great artist in her own right.

How to Promote a Growth Mindset

1. Praise Effort and Perseverance

Even if your child doesn’t achieve “success” in project or endeavor, it’s still important to praise their attempts at success. For example, say your child wants to read a book aloud, but they read slowly or mispronounce words. It’s the act of doing something, often repeatedly, that allows many of us to improve and hone our skills. Encouraging your child for their effort and perseverance even through failure is vital.

You might do this by giving their efforts genuine interest—such as listening to their reading aloud, or watching them as they paint or color—and saying things like “I’m proud that you don’t give up,” “You’ve improved a lot,” or pointing out specific successes, even minor, like, “Good job on remembering how to read that word!”

2. Teach Leadership and Cooperation

It’s important to remember that, with humans being social creatures, we often have successes, growth, or otherwise positive impacts on ourselves and others through working as a team. While everyone has a different level of comfort with teamwork, teamwork is often a necessary skill in life. Talk with your child about what it took to work in a group, and what they may have done to help take responsibility for their team.

When encouraging leadership, remember that leadership does not correlate 1:1 with authority or a position of power. Rather than praising your child for giving terse, blunt commands, you should praise kindness, calm explanations, or presenting ideas.

3. Encourage Organization and Thoughtfulness

Organization is key in helping your child maintain good habits and mindsets. When a child has good organizational skills, they can keep better track of homework, chores, and the like, which gives them more room to grow. Thoughtfulness and intention are key to starting and keeping good organizational habits. Encourage your child to keep homework in special folders, put clothes away in the correct drawers, or to practice an instrument or sport at routine times, and praise them when they do.

Remember that each child is different. What works for your oldest child might not work for your youngest child, and some might need special assistance if they have a disability. Regardless, remember that your child is growing and learning every day, and that includes making mistakes or not knowing how to do things. Children need not only encouragement, but models to follow. If you’re not particularly good at organization, perhaps your partner or friend is. There’s no harm in asking for help.

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.

Monterey Language Services is offering a full-time project management position, to manage translation and interpretation projects in a large number of languages.

We are looking for a MATURE, ENERGETIC, SELF-MOTIVATED, AND RESPONSIBLE person with the following experience/requirements:

• At least one year of experience handling multilingual projects in the TRANSLATION & INTERPRETATION business
• Has a great sense of responsibility and passion about working as Project Manager
• Able to cooperate with others as well as work independently
• Good English communication skills – both written and verbal
• Experience using SDL Trados or similar as a Project Manager
• Experience using interpreter scheduling software is welcomed
• Likes working with technology and tools

If you are interested, please email your COVER LETTER, Resume and recent salary history to Mei-Ling Chen, Director of Translation, at mei-ling@montereylanguages.com

Monterey Language Services
www.montereylanguages.com