Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Roles and Responsibilities of Bilingual Interpreters

A. Name and define the major modes of interpreting and translating.

B. Identify and describe major interpreting settings and the role and responsibilities of the interpreter in each.

C. Choose the most appropriate interpreting mode for each situation.

D. List the skills and core competencies required of interpreters.

E. Identify the constituent parts of an interpreting session and describe the functions and responsibilities of the interpreter in each.

F. Explain the need for accuracy, completeness and contextual correctness in interpreting.

G. Define and explain the conduit, clarifier, intervener and advocate functions of interpreters.

H. Identify legal issues, responsibilities and liabilities in interpreting.

II. Ethical Issues Confronting Interpreters

A. Describe ethical issues and obligations surrounding confidentiality and the need to treat all information learned while interpreting as confidential.

B. Explain the need to maintain impartiality and refrain from counseling, advising or projecting personal biases or beliefs.

C. Define and explain the client’s privacy in all matters relating to the interpreting situation.

D. Explain how to maintain professional distance and refrain from developing inappropriate relationships with clients.

E. Identify issues of professional integrity and apply them to a variety of workplace scenarios.

F. Develop strategies to deal with issues of discrimination that may arise.

G. Develop techniques to promote mutually respectful interactions among all parties in interpreting relationships.

H. Explain how to apply ethical analysis and decision-making when faced with ethical dilemmas and conflicts.

III. Business and Professional Standards of Practice

A. List employment opportunities and job market trends in interpreting.

B. Describe financial costs, business practices and scheduling issues related to freelance interpreting.

C. Explain the need to practice effective workplace competencies, including time management, record keeping, reporting, accountability and teamwork.

D. Define and discuss field liabilities (injury, burnout, economic risks).

E. Identify uses of computer-related technology in interpreting.

F. Identify and explain the need for continuing education and ongoing professional development in interpreting.

G. Explain the use of professional portfolios to interpreters.

IV. Cultural Diversity and Cultural Competence in Interpreting Situations

A. List and define broad issues of cross-cultural communication and issues of cultural diversity.

B. Define and discuss the role of culture in interpreting.

C. Explain how culture impacts the work of interpreters.

D. Develop self-awareness of interpreter's own culture and own culturally based assumptions and beliefs.

E. Explain how language and culture interact by identifying and explaining the effects of race, gender and social class on communication.

F. List basic characteristics of Latino/Hispanic and other ethnic cultures.

G. Discuss the concepts of acculturation and culture shock.

H. Explain the role of the interpreter as a culture broker.

I. Explain the role of the interpreter as cultural teacher and clarifier.

J. Identify and resolve culturally based communication obstacles in interpreting situations.

V. Basic Concepts of Linguistics

A. Explain the differences between standard languages, regional dialects and accents, and how perception of such variations influences interaction.

B. Display adequate command of interpretation-related vocabulary, terminology and field jargon by compiling a bilingual glossary of terms.

C. Identify common interpreter errors, including code switching, false cognates and inappropriate word substitution.

D. Demonstrate the ability to use correct diction, grammar and syntax consistently when interpreting.

E. Explain basic concepts of phonetics and phonology as applied to interpreting.

Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Listening and Memory Retention Skill

A. Employ techniques of paraphrasing and restatement of spoken messages in order to improve listening skills.

B. Use retention techniques, such as repetition, visualization and association, in order to improve memory skills and recall interpreting message.

C. Employ techniques of attentiveness and concentration to shut out distractions and focus full attention on the message to be interpreted.

D. Employ concepts of contextual listening to improve accuracy of interpreting.

II. Consecutive Interpreting between English and Spanish

A. Define consecutive interpreting, explaining when and why it is used in interpreting.

B. Define and explain concepts of content, context, affect, register and style in interpreting.

C. Generate linguistically and semantically equivalent messages in the target language that are structurally, contextually and stylistically consistent.

D. Perform monolateral (non-interactive) consecutive interpretation in a mock presentation or speech setting.

E. Perform bilateral (interactive) consecutive interpretation in a mock discussion, conference or negotiation setting.

III. Sight Translations Between English and Spanish of Non-Technical Written Text

A. Define sight translation and discuss its value and uses in the legal setting.

B. Use skimming, scanning and reading ahead to sight-translate texts from English to Spanish and vice versa with little or no preparation.

C. Correctly sight-translate non-technical written forms, lists and instructions from written English to oral Spanish and vice versa.

IV. Communication Strategies to Enhance Interpreting Accuracy

A. Explain communication theory and interpersonal communication, including verbal and non-verbal factors, feedback, perceptions and culture.

B. Utilize appropriate public speaking skills while interpreting, with special attention to vocal characteristics of fluency and inflection.

C. Demonstrate abstracting skills by filtering irrelevant details while summarizing the main ideas of a spoken message.

D. Demonstrate note-taking skills by employing techniques such as finger counting, abbreviations and symbols in order to enhance accuracy of the interpreted message.

E. Employ effective feedback-seeking and clarification strategies in interpreting.

V. Organization and Intervention Techniques to Enhance the Success of Interpreting Sessions

A. Describe how to “set the stage” for interpreting in a manner that will put participants at ease and encourage accurate communication.

B. Apply a flow of communication in interpreting interviews.

C. Manage the triadic relationship in interpreting encounters.

D. Employ mediation techniques and problem-solving strategies for conflict management during interpreting encounters.

E. Apply effective intervention methods to enhance understanding in interpreting encounters.

Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Consecutive and Simultaneous Interpreting

A. Exhibit shadowing skills in Spanish and English by repeating verbatim what is heard in the same language.

B. Exhibit paraphrasing skills by rendering the meaning of an oral message presented in either Spanish or English into the other language using words different from those used in the original message.

C. Show adequate dual-task performance (e.g., reciting a well-known poem or song while writing numbers backward or forward at the same time).

D. Produce proficient lagging skills by repeating messages while maintaining a time interval between each utterance.

II. Core Skills used in Translation

A. Define the core skills and competencies required of a good translator.

B. Define key translation concepts, including those related to language, destination, text and equivalency.

C. Articulate and apply the four steps in the translation process (text analysis, documentation, actual translation, revision).

D. Apply rules governing the translation of proper names.

E. Utilize correct punctuation in both the source language and the target language and use correct punctuation in translating text.

F. Identify potential meaning, structure and culture-related problems in written texts and apply the general principle of translation to solve them.

G. Demonstrate oblique and direct translation techniques and discuss the uses, value and limitations of each.

H. Utilize computer-assisted translation tools and computer resources to assist in translation.

III. Non-Technical Written Documents

A. Utilize punctuation in the source and the target languages.

B. Utilize computer-assisted translation tools and resources.

IV. Comprehensive Skills Assessment of Interpreting.

A. Perform sight translation from English to Spanish and vice versa with at least 85% accuracy.

B. Perform consecutive interpreting from English to Spanish and vice versa with at least 85% accuracy.

C. Perform simultaneous interpreting from English to Spanish and vice versa with at least 85% accuracy.

D. Perform written translation from English to Spanish and vice versa with at least 85% accuracy.

E. Demonstrate adequate proficiency in conflict management, cultural competence, professional ethics and standards of practice.

Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Roles and Responsibilities of Bilingual Interpreters in the Legal System

A. Identify the major components of the American legal system.

B. Define the role and responsibilities of the interpreter in legal settings, including protocols at different stages of the process.

C. Discuss and apply the interpreter’s code of ethics as applied to legal interpreting.

D. Describe the appropriate attorney-interpreter and interpreter-client relationships in interpreting settings.

E. Summarize legal issues, responsibilities and liabilities in legal interpreting.

II. Cultural Competence in Legal Interpreting Situations

A. Identify and discuss traditional legal issues, practices and beliefs of Hispanic/Latino communities and their implications for legal decision-making.

B. Identify and discuss strategies to sensitize legal providers to issues of cultural diversity and the impact of culture, poverty and discrimination on legal decision-making.

C. Identify and resolve communication stumbling blocks with clients from other cultures.

D. Identify culturally sensitive strategies and approaches for working with diverse cultures.

E. Negotiate culturally effective and appropriate plans.

III. Knowledge of Spanish Legal Terminology

A. Render into the target language Spanish or English equivalents of legal-related terms.

B. Render into the target language Spanish or English equivalents of names of phases of the legal process.

C. Utilize appropriate vocabulary of Spanish and English terms related to common legal situations such as those used in municipal and state courts.

IV. Legal Interpreting in a Mental Health Setting

A. Explain the role of the interpreter in legal situations regarding mental health issues.

B. Describe settings and procedures for mental health interpreting, with special attention to specific concerns and cautions surrounding legal interpreting with clients who may suffer a mental disease.

C. List basic terms used in the mental health profession as they are applied in legal situations.

V. Interpreting and Translating Skills in Mock Legal Settings

A. Perform accurate sight-translations into Spanish from commonly used English legal forms, waivers, reports, etc.

B. Perform accurate consecutive and simultaneous interpreting in a mock legal setting by serving as the medium of communication between the attorney/judge and the non-English-speaking defendant during court hearings, attorney-client interviews, etc.

Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Mastery of Interpreting Skills

A. Attend assigned field practicum sites and participate actively in interpreting (30 hours of active observation and participation required).

B. Participate in classroom discussions with the supervising interpreter and classmates about observation and interpreting experiences.

C. Prepare and submit written summaries regarding the interpreting process, techniques, standards of practice and professional ethics following each session.

D. Write role-plays based on practicum experiences.

E. Discuss and develop a personalized plan for the next observation or interpreting session.

II. Working Interpreter's Environment

A. Discuss practicum observations with classmates and the supervising interpreter.

B. Comment on issues concerning interpreting problems, cultural influences, ethics, standards of practice and the professional interpreter's environment.

III. Personal Philosophy of Interpreting as a Profession

A. Prepare and submit a written statement on personal philosophy of interpreting.

B. Participate in class discussion of interpreting philosophies, values and ethics.