Educational Interpreters: Requirements, Role, and Supports

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Educational Interpreters Requirements, Role,
and Supports

• WCASS
• February 2008

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Interpreter Preparation Programs (IPP)

• Wisconsin has 5 interpreter preparation programs
  
• 4 in technology colleges
• 1 at UW-Milwaukee
• 2-year program (plus)
• out-of-state programs rarely include all required
  coursework. A 2-year provisional license may be
  awarded with direction to complete missing
  coursework.

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Requirement for Initial License

• Completion certificate from an Interpreter
  Preparation Program (IPP)
• General coursework
• Sign instruction
• Interpreting process
• K-12 practicum

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License Renewal

• Passing score on the Educational Interpreter
  Performance Assessment (EIPA)
• and
• 5-credits
• - or -
• Completion of a Professional Development Plan
  (PDP)
• that includes the EIPA.

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Mentorship CreditOptions

• With a student from an interpreter preparation
  program
• With a professional peer(s)
• With trained mentor (coming)

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Credit Options

• Math
• Reading
• Language arts
• Child behavior
• Other disability areas

• English Second Language
• Computers
• Spanish
• Etc.

Courses that build an educational KNOWLEDGE base
Other Interpreting performance tests that
demonstrate adult level skills
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PDP Sample Activities

• Mentorship
• Observation of accomplished peers
• Coursework
• Workshops
• Distance Education
• Conferences
• Study groups
• Professional reading, view of videotapes, web
  searches, etc

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REQUIRED for License Renewal Applications
EIPA with Passing Score
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Sign Systems and the Langauge Continuum
American Sign Language
ASL
Pidgeon Sign English
PSE
Manually Coded English
MCE
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Lingo
Interprretation
The process of working with 2 languages English
and ASL.
The process of working with 2 different forms of
the same language spoken English and
English-based signs.
Transliteration
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Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment

• National Assessment tool for K-12 interpreters
• Used in 28 states (and growing)
• Meets validity and reliability standards
• Managed through Boys Town Research Hospital -
  EIPA Diagnostic Center

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Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment is

• Video sample of real classrooms
• Provides personal Diagnostic feedback
• Scores range from 1.0 (low) to 5.0 (high) on 38
  skill items.
• EIPA does NOT measure any
• adult interpreting situations.

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EIPA Diagnostic Feedback

• Vocabulary
• Use of academic vocabulary
• Fingerspelling clarity and appropriate use
• Use of numbers

• Prosody
• Grammar
• Use of space
• intonation

• Overall Interpreting Process
• Appropriate use of discourse structures
• Overall message conveyed

• Sign to Voice
• Ability to convene the childs / teens message
  in spoken English

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EIPA Results What have we learned?

• Areas of Strength
• Vocabulary
• Sign to Voice
• Areas of Needed Improvement
• Prosody
• Interpreting Process

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Test day

• Warm-up 1 hour
• Alone with support from test proctor
• Review and select lesson plans with key
  vocabulary
• Review and select child signers.
• Complete paperwork.

• Test 1 hour
• Alone in test room
• Proctor places chosen tapes in the VCR, turns on
  the camcorder

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EIPA test includes
Expressive Options (teacher communication)

• Elementary
• 40 minutes of
• Early literacy,
• Science,
• Math,
• Social studies

• Secondary
• 4o minutes of
• English Literacy
• Science
• Social Studies

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EIPA test includes -
Receptive Options (student communication)

• Elementary
• 20 minutes of (select one)
• ASL
• PSE / ASL
• MCE / PSE

• Secondary
• 20 minutes of (select one)
• ASL
• PSE/ASL
• MCE

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EIPA Process in Wisconsin

• Test offered in 6 of the 12 CESAs each year
  (alternating even and odd). EIPA offered at CESA
  1 each June.
• EIPA test schedule mailed to all educational
  interpreters each September and on the DPI
  website.
• ALL test tapes are scored by staff at the Boys
  Town EIPA Diagnostic Center
• Results mailed to the interpreter within 3
  months. Score is confidential.
• Cost in Wisconsin 100 (real cost250)

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EIPA Written Test (not required) Core Standards

• Student development
• Cognitive development
• Language development
• Education
• Interpreting
• Linguistics
• Medical Aspects

• Sign Systems
• Tutoring
• Professional Conduct
• Culture
• Literacy
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Technology

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EIPA minimal scores

• Scores range from 1.0 (low) to 5.0 (high)
• Wisconsin requires a 3.0 or better to renew
  license

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Comparative Average EIPA Scores
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Current Questions

• With 20 of the educational interpreters, with 4
  or more years experience not earning 3.0
• is there a need to add EIPA to INITIAL
  licensure?
• Should the EIPA Written Test be required for
  INITIAL Licensure?

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EIPA Study with Interpreter Preparation Program
students

• During the 2006-07 school year, the EIPA was
  administered to IPP students in their last
  semester
• Score review 70 pass at 3.0 or better
• Possible revision to the Initial Licensure
  requirement add EIPA??

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Role of the K-12 interpreter DPI Bulletin 99.04

• Interpret / transliterate (Q6)
• Additional duties i.e recess or hall duty,
  correct papers, bulletin boards, assist other
  students (Q2)
• Tutor, with support from the teacher (Q 3)
• Function as an educational team member follow
  the ethical policy of the school (Q14)

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Role of the K-12 interpreter DPI Bulletin 99.04

• Extra-curricular activities, as appropriate (Q5)
• Informally assess students language use and
  needs (Q9)
• Know student communication needs and match those
  needs (Q1)
• Participate in the IEP team process (Q10)
• Prepare for classes (Q4)

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DPI License does not

• DPI license does not apply to any work outside of
  PK-12 settings.
• This includes parent meetings at school for PTA,
  parent-teacher conferences, after school
  programs, IEP meetings, etc (Q11)
• Summer community programs agreement with parents
  required.

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Role of an Educational Interpreter in

• Preschool setting
• Lower elementary
• Upper elementary
• Middle school
• High school

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Challenging situations

• When there is more than one student in the class
  especially if they have different learning styles
  and needs (Q7)
• When parents call the interpreter to ask about
  their childs progress in school
• When the IEP wants classmates to learn sign
  language (Q5)

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Supports for Educational Interpreters

• Workshops Outreach, Technical Colleges,
  Interpreter Organizations
• Summer Institute and activity of the Outreach
  Program held each August
• State Conferences WisRID, DHH Professional
  Conference
• Regional or national conferences RID

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More Supports (in development)

• Mentorship Program for K-12 interpreters
• Statewide Task Force met during the 2006-07
  school yr
• Stakeholders included Deaf community, IPP
  representatives, K-12 interpreters, Special
  Education Administrators
• Recommendations
• Training of mentors to work via the Outreach
  program with educational interpreters one-one.
• Work with educational interpreters with EIPA
  scores between 2.7-3.2.
• Provide workshops linked to EIPA skill sets and
  interpreter needs.

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DPI Tools Supporting Educational Interpreter
Services

• Sample Job Performance Rubric
• IEP Team Discussion Points to be used when the
  IEP team is not clear if the student needs an
  interpreter or what type of interpreter service
  is needed.

Check www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/hi_deaf.html
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How to advertise for an educational interpreter

• Contact any of the Interpreter preparation
  programs in Wisconsin, Illinois or Minnesota.
• See handout for contact information.

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Questions (Wis process)
Carol Schweitzer 608 266-7097 carol.schweitzer_at_dpi
.state.wi.us