What would you do? Interpreter Situations
A lot, probably all, Deaf folks have experience using interpreters in many situations. Jay Krieger explains his three real-life situations; then asks what you would do if you were in these situations. Jay then explained what he actually did by clicking on the vLogs below.
What I Did: Meeting
What I Did: Interview
What I Did: Auditorium
19 comments:
http://my.videoegg.com/video/dKwRTB
According to my experience with indept interpreters when I need good ones. I requested to interrupt that appointment to get better interpreter. Report to the agent who send that interpreter who can not read your spelling or understand your ASL comments. Their receptive are poor should not have that kind of job. It happened to me in the operating room that Interpreter couldn't interpret Dr and I personally have to reverse interpret the whole session since I am very good in lipreading and told that indept interpreter what Dr was trying to tell me of this or that. He was so embarrassed that I am ware of inexperience in doing that job. Before you request for an interpreter be sure to tell the agent what the reason for the need of interpreter...medical or court or school or etc.
For job interview, I would use a laptop or write back and forth, I want to create the best impression as much as I can and to show the employer that there are various ways of communicating besides using an interpreter. As for the auditorium, I would make sure that I give my written script to the interpreter, work with them in advance, make sure they understand signs and all that so they don't make me out as a fool. Some intepreters would voice exactly what you signed in, that is the absolutely WORST interpreting work that they could do. It makes a deaf person look like a fool or not smart. This is always my worst fear when I encounter interpreters like this or if they cannot read my fingerspelling or interrupt me too often. Sometimes they may omit what the other person is saying and insert their own words which is not good and can be confusing. This is why sometimes when you are talking with another person, you aren't sure if you understood that person clearly or not because of the interpreter inserting their own words or whatever. Many interpreters think that they can do the job very well and will accept many jobs as much as they can and then end up doing much worse job than they should be. There are many good and bad interpreters out there.
Exactly 3 things i would do, I appreciate you telling in the meeting to reschedule the meeting, it really caught the interpreter off guard that he/she was doing an awful job, and did not fit your needs, Kudos to you.
1. Meeting: I would inform people in the meeting that the interpreter is not used to this kind of the meeting and the technical vocabulary. Ask people in the meeting if they want to continue this meeting that may require some kind of interruptions from the interpreter to clarify or rescheduling.
2. Interview: To let the boss know that the interpreter is not used to technical vocabulary like I said in above but the same time your boss watch you how you handle the situation. I would suggest you to continue and to be patience with interpreter. If it leads to a problem, then you can type the laptop back and forth.
3. Auditorium: Aahhh! Must Must have high-qualified interpreters. No question about it. If you are required to give a lecture and they provide you an ok interpreter. I suggest you to give an interpreter a transcript and to have a meeting with the interpreter before the assembly starts.
Now I go, check and see what you did.
Smile, Aidan
You did three things, I will do same thing. I don't want looking bad. You did right thing. Thanks for sharing with us.
You did right 3 lists, smooth and very gentle. So she/he feels so embarrassment in lot of people. If she/he feels that they are not qualification enough experience for technology in ASL then they have to telling them truth instead of embarrassment and bad record on their name and letting Deaf people know about her/him. So they should not hungry for money but it is about their skillful and professional interpreters.
meeting.. How did people and VP react ur reschedule mtg due to lousy interpreter?
interview..Did u get hired on this interview via laptop? Hope so!!
Auditorium..U did right thing. Get ur best interpreter and get her prepared before the presentation. Awesome plan!!
DWL
#1. Yikes. I never had that experience. You handled it very professionally
#2. It did happen to me, only it was a dr appt. I did exactly the same thing you did, telling the interpreter to sit quiet while I talk and use the computer back and forth with the doctor.
#3. Advance preparation with a highly qualified and trustworthy interpreter is a must for a big presentation and I've used this method, too.
I am not totally familiar with interpreter situations, since I usually try to opt out of an interpreter if I possibly can.
However I wanted to add here that "initials" are where some people are weak. I am deaf but I am weak there and I can imagine many interpreters are too. An interpreter who can work in ALL professional situations would be quite rare in my view. If I had to make a speech in front of entirely hearing people, I would make darned sure I had a good, long meeting with the interpreter beforehand! If this interpreter did not appear to meet my needs, I would get a different one.
I hope this helps.
Which did you requested Deaf Interpreter or ASL Interpreter?
Same problem Greek Blind person which will he be need interpreter Greek or Blind at Museum?
You did right thing to do with various approaches. I agreed with you.
Number 2 about your job interview. I learned some tips from Robert Mathers, a deaf lawyer at National Training Conference in two years ago in Washington, DC. He shared about job interview approachings. Interesting enough, when you come in the office, the interpreter is in the same room with you. She/he reads your resume and converse with you while you monitor his/her sign language skills. If you feel that she/he is not great, then tell your interviewer that the interpreter is not READY. Ask them to reschedule for another job interview appointment with high-qualified intepreter. Otherwise, Jay's suggestion is good to use laptop in order to communicate with your interview by using your knowledge to exhibit and to demonstrate yourself. Hope it helps you?
Nick
I think you handled each of the situations very well and professionally. I hope you got the job!
I wonder if you informed the interpreting agency about what happened - especially the one that assured an interpreter who could interpret technical stuff. Shame on them! Sometimes the interpreter is innocent, being sent to an unknown assignment at the last minute - at the mercy of him/herself and the client.
It is your fault because you're supposed to fingerspell then show the interpeter sign abbreviations so the interpreter will know. You CAN NOT expect your interpreter to know all of the sign abbreviations such as "DB" (database). You can't blame your interpeter for not knowing all your sign abbreviation.
I rarely have these situations occur because I take steps to PREVENT them from happening. For example, for all job interviews, I request to meet the interpreter 30 minutes in advance so that we can go over technical terms, my background, etc. If I'm giving a presentation, I provide a transcript and ask if they have any questions. I also go through any specific signs that I will use so that there is no confusion. It works!
Yes, I am laughing because I can related to your frustration because I am into the computer field as well and do encounter the same frustration. I think RID should offer a new specialist certificate such as SC:C (Specialist Certificate: Computer). I do see specialist certficates in Legal and Performing Arts. Computer terminologies are somewhat like "foreign words" for terps.
2> did you get hired ?
Gee.. You do have the rights to stop the interpreter before it get worse especially in the middle of something important. Everyone needs to be educated to have GUTS and RIGHTS to approach any interpreting situation anytime. I need to borrow your guts!..
For your information, many people thought that you only have one vlog ---deaf mutes ..and I told them there are many more vlogs on right side of the screen and click on them.. Probably you will need to make it clear for others to know there are more than just one vlog --thanks! Love reading your vlogs and hope u will have more for us!!!
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