"An Introduction: Empathetic Frameworks and Their Applications in Interpreting" 0.15 CEUs

10-11:30 AM ET

Workshop Description

Introduction to the concept of empathy as an anchor for professional conduct and  effective engagement with their community. 

1. Intro to empathy—defined  
2. Physiology of empathy—tracking the major systems of the concept and their evolution in humans  
3. Physiology of distraction and stress—how the amygdala impacts empathy and our capacity to communicate  
4. Strategies to engage the PNS and empathy—mindfulness/breathing to support empathetic communication  
5. Closing and resources

*Presented in English with ASL Interpretation*

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the physiology and neurobiology of empathy 
2. Be able to differentiate between empathy and related concepts like sympathy and emotional contagion
3. Understand the importance and utility of empathy in engaging diverse communities and as a professional charged with interpreting ideas from one community to another

Presenter: Kristin Moody (she)

"Interpreting is Not Just for Deaf Adults: Interpreting for Deaf children" 0.125 CEUs

11:45 AM-1 PM ET

Workshop Description

This workshop aims to provide participants with an opportunity to analyze and address power dynamics during an interpreting assignment with children. In general, interpreters receive training in a setting with the expectation of working with Deaf adults in academic/social/healthcare settings. As a result, interpreters usually do not have the interpreting awareness of working with young Deaf children in various capacities. This leads to the frequent infantilization of interpreting for Deaf children and impacts the quality of their service. 

Interpreters also often express discomfort while interpreting for a Deaf child in front of a Deaf parent due to fear of being criticized. This dynamic also has an impact on the Deaf child’s interpreting experience. Parents and caregivers who also use interpreting services experience feelings of disappointment and frustration that their child is not receiving the same quality and/or access as their parents/caregivers. 

As a parent/caregiver, we strive to maximize the in-depth awareness of child-interpreting dynamics so that the child will be able to utilize interpreting services and receive quality access as Deaf adults and for the interpreters to be linguistically aware of children’s interpreting needs and be in a position to deliver quality appropriate service.  

Awareness is a vital part of maintaining an ethical and high-quality interpreting environment for children. This workshop will be presented in a multi-approach format. This will allow participants the opportunity to reflect and analyze various techniques of working with Deaf children. This workshop aims to provide tools for strengthening or improving interpreter-child interpreting relationships and their interpreting team. *Presented in ASL*

Learning Objectives

An interpreter would be able to learn by the end of the presentation: 

1. They will demonstrate an application of the signing language register in the K-12, healthcare, social/recreation settings, and more. 
2. They will interpret in an appropriate professional setting for Deaf/HH children. 
3. They will implement the information from the presentation and apply for Deaf/HH children.

Presenters: Norma Moran (she), Najma Johnson (they) & Georginia Fitzpatrick (she)

"Modeling Visual Language in the Classroom" 0.125 CEUs

2-3:15 PM ET

Workshop Description

Educational interpreters are language models for Deaf students. For some Deaf students, their interpreter is their only language model for a signed language. This workshop will help you explore the meaning of being a ‘language model’ and how this modeling impacts students acquiring at least two languages within the school system, American Sign Language and English. The workshop then introduces concepts from cognitive linguistics to analyze how language provides access to knowledge structures through categorization and how each language provides a specific way of viewing, or construing, that knowledge. With this foundation in place, you will then review and practice the  depictive components of ASL. You will learn how each concept is used in the spoken language community, and then how the Deaf community has further specified and evolved these depictions into language and modality-specific units. After practicing these concepts, you will use real-world classroom stimuli to practice further entrenching these depictive techniques. One final goal in this workshop is to work toward becoming comfortable with using conventional depictive expressions in the ways, and with the frequency, that Deaf people do. *Presented in ASL*

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to define metonymy and give one example of how it is used in depictive devices in ASL

2. Participants will be able to demonstrate how the English word photosynthesis can be metonymically depicted in ASL

3. Participants will be able to define how domains and construal helps us understand linguistic utterances

Presenter: Windell "Wink" Smith Jr. (he)

"De-centering Ableism" 0.125 CEUs

3:30-4:45 PM ET

Workshop Description

This workshop is to provide an opportunity for participants to analyze and address power dynamics while working as an interpreter as a team or on the job by addressing unconscious ableism. Being intentional is a difficult thing to do, as we strive to be culturally responsive by addressing our bias and assumptions about disabilities or what we think that is a "disability".  Accountability is a vital part of maintaining an ethical and culturally responsive interpreting environment. This workshop will be presented in a multi-approach format. This will allow participants the opportunity to reflect and analyze various techniques addressing unconscious ableism. This workshop is geared to strengthen interpreter team relationships and the interpreter relationship with people who are receiving a variety of services. *Presented in ASL*

Learning Objectives

1. To understand and identify some people who harm may not realize that harm (oppressing) is not always intentional  

2. To identify and utilize fundamental skills to question their own bias about abilities and disabilities on evaluation

3. To identify some ideas on developing their understanding of the function of power and control across abilities vs qualifications  

4. To identify and self- recognize the harm of cultural blaming (intentional and unintentional) by managing their bias and assumptions To understand and recognize the importance of all of this and incorporate accountability in ethical interpretation work.

Presenter: Najma Johnson (they)

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