more interpreter issues...UGH!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Reba, you covered it well. I was more referring to the general roles and duties of an interpreter, which I knew you could address. Of course there are always individual circumstances that sometimes broaden the responsibilities (i.e. IEP that requires things beyond the general scope of an interpreter).

I agree with your point that young kids aren't really in a place to benefit from an interpreter, and should be in a class with a teacher who signs.
 
Reba said:
I don't get involved with the IEP process, so I can't address how that's handled.

In the elementary schools, I've noticed that the interpreter is more of a teacher's aid in that do additional duties beyond the scope of interpreter. This is especially true with multi-handicapped mainstreamed deaf kids. Honestly, I think elementary kids would be better served by having signing teachers rather than terps. I don't think the little ones understand the role of the interpreter.

Starting with middle school, I notice the terps become more like terp/tutors.

My personal opinion is the interpreters shouldn't be left to watch high school students when the teacher leaves the room. Classroom management should be handled the same way for all classes, whether a deaf student is present or not. I'm OK with the terp staying in the room if it's for communication purposes only for the deaf student. I'm not OK with the terp being left to keep an eye on all the students, unless it's a true emergency. It shouldn't be an expected routine duty.

I have the luxury of being a substitute public school terp. I tell the principal or sub coordinator up front that I will be interpreting only, nothing else. So far, they've been fine with that. I do know full-time school terps who have had additional duties, including administrative tasks, bus driving, diaper changing, and medication dispensing.
Click to expand...

When I worked for the self-contained deaf program at a public school here in Phx, I saw a lot of that regarding to the terps. One of the deaf ed teachers complained to the principal about how it was against the code of ethics and they kinda laughed at her. The terps werent certified nor even educated so they were clueless about the interpreting code of ethics. I saw so many unethical stuff going on but at the time I had just gotten a BA degree in Special ED so I wasnt trained in Deaf Ed so I didnt have enough knowledge to get my input in. Looking back, all I could think was "Oh my gosh...if I had known back then what I know now."
 
Reba said:
Good for you! Teachers shouldn't mind sincere questions.
Click to expand...

My questions always take long because terp so I don't like interrupt when I can easy ask terp or teacher after class.
 
shel90 said:
When I worked for the self-contained deaf program at a public school here in Phx, I saw a lot of that regarding to the terps. One of the deaf ed teachers complained to the principal about how it was against the code of ethics and they kinda laughed at her. The terps werent certified nor even educated so they were clueless about the interpreting code of ethics. I saw so many unethical stuff going on but at the time I had just gotten a BA degree in Special ED so I wasnt trained in Deaf Ed so I didnt have enough knowledge to get my input in. Looking back, all I could think was "Oh my gosh...if I had known back then what I know now."
Click to expand...

That's terrible on so many levels...
 
CSign said:
Some districts try to wriggle out of responsibilities, including not hiring certified terps. They achieve this by writing in the students IEP that they will have a classroom "aid" that signs, or something to that effect. This way they aren't legally obligated to provide a certified interpreter.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's a very common loophole. The other problem is that it's often left up to the student to file a complaint if they feel that the interpreting services are inadequate, and seriously, what kid is going to rock that boat? (Assuming he's even able to tell that the interpreting is inadequate. Did he fail the test because he didn't study hard enough, or because the interpreter did a poor job and left out critical information? How would he know?)

But even when the IEP specifies a certified interpreter, and an interpreter is hired strictly to provide that service, there may still be implicit and explicit expectations that they will perform other duties as part of the educational team.

These things are never cut and dry.
 
Mountain Man said:
Yep, that's a very common loophole. The other problem is that it's often left up to the student to file a complaint if they feel that the interpreting services are inadequate, and seriously, what kid is going to rock that boat? (Assuming he's even able to tell that the interpreting is inadequate. Did he fail the test because he didn't study hard enough, or because the interpreter did a poor job and left out critical information? How would he know?)

But even when the IEP specifies a certified interpreter, and an interpreter is hired strictly to provide that service, there may still be implicit and explicit expectations that they will perform other duties as part of the educational team.

These things are never cut and dry.
Click to expand...

This is where parents come in. They have to communicate with their children and see how it's working for them. We had a terp replaced this year because she was not a good fit for my son. He couldn't understand her. Fortunately, the terp that came in to replace her was fantastic, and he will be one of my sons terps for this year.
 
CSign said:
This is where parents come in. They have to communicate with their children and see how it's working for them. We had a terp replaced this year because she was not a good fit for my son. He couldn't understand her. Fortunately, the terp that came in to replace her was fantastic, and he will be one of my sons terps for this year.
Click to expand...

Yeah, parents who are uneducated will always come in just fine, right?
 
posts from hell said:
Yeah, parents who are uneducated will always come in just fine, right?
Click to expand...

What is that supposed to mean? I would hope parents would educate themselves about their Childs needs. Sure, some don't... But if they love their children they will get on board.
 
Hi, Posts from Hell. I like your avatar (thought it was hilarious). :laugh2: I've liked and appreciated a lot of your posts that I've read so far (although I haven't been here long). Since I haven't been here long, I haven't read all of CSign's posts, I don't know everything about her and her son's experiences, and don't know a lot about the "posting history" between the two of you. I don't want to get in the middle of a feud if there is one, but I am curious. :hmm:

So far my understanding is that she is a hearing parent of a deaf child. I know how hard it can be for hearing parents as my parents are hearing parents of a deaf child (me) and they were lied to/misinformed that mainstreaming me in a hearing school was what was best for me. So unfortunately I was raised as an oral deaf, which I am now trying to correct. While some hoh people with milder hearing loss are able to adjust perfectly fine when mainstreamed, I believe that I should have been considered "deaf" (moderate-severe hearing loss that declined to moderate/severe-profound) and had interpreter at the least if not gone to a deaf school. But that is besides the point.

posts from hell said:
It is. Truly unfortunate for the child especially when the school brings in a certified ASL interpreter and the child doesn't understand the terp.
Click to expand...

I believe somewhere CSign posted that at first she used SEE and is/will be transitioning to pure ASL with her son. I have no knowledge of whether her child is incapable of understanding a good certified ASL interpreter in general. But is it fair to assume that the child is the problem versus the possibility that the interpreter was actually inadequate (would another child with full knowledge/skill in ASL be able to understand that terp)? Please let me know if I am wrong here or if there is something (critical) I am missing and I will "withdraw my post". I completed a degree in Psychology because I am naturally curious about human behaviors/views and how those sometimes get "lost in translation" (even when both parties speak the same language). This post is not to inflame, but is an honest, respectful question. :ty:
 
=) I was speaking in generalities. I was making a point out that many parents are uneducated and go try things their ways which the deaf child has to correct later on in life.

it's a sad thing that we see almost everyday on this forum.
 
posts from hell said:
=) I was speaking in generalities. I was making a point out that many parents are uneducated and go try things their ways which the deaf child has to correct later on in life.

it's a sad thing that we see almost everyday on this forum.
Click to expand...

Yes, I can agree with and relate to that. :ty: for clarifying.
 
CSign said:
Ok. Then that's unfortunate for the child.
Click to expand...

It's also distressingly common. Many hearing parents who have a deaf child are so desperate to make their child "normal" that they're practically in denial concerning their child's condition which compels them to make a number of unfortunate choices.
 
Mountain Man said:
It's also distressingly common. Many hearing parents who have a deaf child are so desperate to make their child "normal" that they're practically in denial concerning their child's condition which compels them to make a number of unfortunate choices.
Click to expand...

Are you thinking that some parents don't fight against being assigned an uncertified interpreter because they are "desperate to make their child 'normal'"? Do you mean that they don't want to rock the boat and be seen as a troublemaker and are willing to let their child suffer with substandard services?
 
GrendelQ said:
Are you thinking that some parents don't fight against being assigned an uncertified interpreter because they are "desperate to make their child 'normal'"? Do you mean that they don't want to rock the boat and be seen as a troublemaker and are willing to let their child suffer with substandard services?
Click to expand...

There are many many like that.
 
GrendelQ said:
Are you thinking that some parents don't fight against being assigned an uncertified interpreter because they are "desperate to make their child 'normal'"? Do you mean that they don't want to rock the boat and be seen as a troublemaker and are willing to let their child suffer with substandard services?
Click to expand...

posts from hell said:
There are many many like that.
Click to expand...

Good Lord.
 
That's very sad.
 
posts from hell said:
It is. Truly unfortunate for the child especially when the school brings in a certified ASL interpreter and the child doesn't understand the terp.
Click to expand...

This, unfortunately, is not a unique situation. Nor is it unusual to have a child that is ASL fluent that is unable to understand the terp, because they are signing in a more English syntax and translation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top