As a practicing interpreter, you understand how important it is for individuals to be able to connect with service providers, such as doctors, social workers, lawyers, and others. Interpreting requires more than just speaking two languages. An interpreter’s role requires strong communication skills and awareness, research competency, a solid understanding of roles and protocols, and so on. Clear communication is essential to providing effective and safe care.

In Canada, an important aspect of ensuring equitable access to healthcare includes providing language interpreting services for patients with limited English proficiency or who are deaf or hearing impaired.

Interpreters working in American Sign Language or in Arabic, Punjabi, Mandarin, or a host of many other languages, provide important support access for individual patients, as well as help maintain a high level of quality for the healthcare system overall. Interpreters trained specifically in health care interpreting are imbued with the necessary skills to provide high-quality interpretation services in healthcare settings. Effective communication is essential to ensure that patients receive appropriate care, as any miscommunication due to language barriers or cultural differences can have serious consequences.

Guest Instructor

Jane Langes is the Executive Director and ASL / English Interpreter at E-Quality Communication Centre of Excellence (ECCOE) and an interpreter educator. She has been a sign language interpreter for over 30 year and has been training spoken language interpreters for the Province of Manitoba for over 17 years, supporting training programs for healthcare at hospitals and clinics, community services, social services, and advanced training for both legal and educational interpreting.

By providing training through The Interpreter’s Lab, Jane will be assisting with spoken language interpreter training in BC, for the first time. We are excited to have Jane’s expertise available through this valuable training program.

For more information about the Interpreting in Healthcare training at TIL, click here.

What will you learn from this course?

1

Interpreting in Healthcare emphasizes the importance of patient confidentiality and ethical considerations. Interpreters who work in healthcare settings often have access to sensitive medical information, and it is essential that they understand their ethical obligations to maintain patient confidentiality. The training can help interpreters to understand their ethical responsibilities and to develop strategies for maintaining patient confidentiality in a healthcare context.

2

Training covers topics such as cultural competency and cultural sensitivity, which can help interpreters understand how cultural factors can influence healthcare experiences and outcomes. This understanding can help interpreters to better support patients from diverse cultural backgrounds and ensure that their healthcare needs are met.

3

Interpreting in Healthcare training also helps interpreters to understand the professional standards of practice for healthcare interpreters. This includes understanding the importance of accuracy, impartiality, and confidentiality in interpretation, as well as the importance of ongoing professional development. By understanding these standards of practice, interpreters can ensure that they are providing high-quality interpretation services that meet the needs of patients and healthcare providers.

Join Jane Langes and help improve language access for all. Take part in The Interpreter’s Lab training program and become a skilled interpreter equipped to bridge communication gaps and ensure effective and safe care for all patients.

REGISTER TO INTERPRETING IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

Interpreting in court and legal settings is a highly specialized field that requires a unique set of skills and knowledge. Legal interpreting involves interpreting for a wide range of legal proceedings, including depositions, trials, hearings, and other legal proceedings. It requires a deep understanding of legal terminology, legal procedures, and cultural differences that can affect communication.

Dr. Debra Russell is a sign language interpreter (ASL/English) but conducts research and teaches also for spoken languages. Dr. Russell was TIL’s 2023 kick-off guest speaker for the January Professional Development Speakers Series (The Function of Questioning in Legal Settings) and spoke to the need for a specialized skill set to work in legal and court settings. The workshop gave us an overview of the complexities involved in working in these formal and important environments. Now, Dr. Russell will join us once again as this year’s guest educator for TIL’s Interpreting in Legal and Court Settings – starting May 2.

As a Canadian certified interpreter, educator, and researcher with a practice spanning over 30 years, Dr. Russell has focussed much of her research and work in the legal sphere, as both an interpreter and educator. We asked Dr. Russell why specialized training is necessary.

Watch Dr. Russell’s response at The Interpreter’s Lab site HERE

Training in legal interpreting can open a world of opportunities for interpreters. Specialized training for legal interpreting ensures that interpreters have the knowledge and skills necessary to provide accurate and effective interpreting services. Legal proceedings can be complex and nuanced; the consequences of misunderstandings can be significant. As interpreters explore new areas of work, expanding beyond healthcare and other public sector services, it is important to advance by building a solid set of skills that will enhance their existing expertise and experience.

Legal proceedings can be intimidating for anyone, and without an informed understanding of protocols that govern the interactions in a courtroom or court-like setting (e.g., administrative tribunals, examinations for discovery, etc.), even a practiced interpreter can become overwhelmed and anxious. Specialized training in legal interpreting facilitates the interpreter’s contextual knowledge and allows them to better understand and navigate the legal system in which they are working.

Skilled and trained legal interpreters work with law firms, all levels of local, provincial and federal courts, administrative tribunals and other legal establishments, and can command higher rates of pay.

If you’re an interpreter who wants to take your skills to the next level, consider investing in specialized training in legal interpreting. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with one of Canada’s most respected and eminent educators.

Registration for Interpreting in Legal and Court Settings closes April 22, 2023.

Find out more and register by CLICKING here

Debra Russell, PhD, is a Canadian certified interpreter, educator, and researcher. Her interpreting practice spans over thirty years. Her interpreting focus is medical, legal, mental health and employment settings. She has had a long history of leadership positions at the local, national, and international level, serving on several volunteer organizations. She is the Past President of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI).

Dr. Russell is extensively published in the field of interpretation, including as the co-author of Interpreting in Legal Settings and the author of Interpreting in Legal Contexts: Consecutive and Simultaneous Interpretation.

She continues to teach both spoken language and sign language interpreters. She loves to travel and has presented in over 64 countries.

Dr. D Russell: Interpreting Strategies in Legal Discourse 

Dr. Debra Russell to Launch The Interpreter’s Lab  2023 Professional Development Series. 

The Interpreter’s Lab is honoured to have Dr. Debra Russell as the first presenter for this year’s Professional Development Speaker Series. With over 30 years of experience in the interpreting field working as an ASL interpreter, interpreter educator, and consultant, our esteemed colleague, Dr. Russel, will be leading an important session on The Role of Questioning in Legal Settings. Join us on Thursday, January 19th. It is not too late to register.

Dr. Russell’s session will cover the different questioning techniques employed in legal settings and courtrooms, highlighting their importance and modes of application while guiding us in exploring the different techniques that are deliberately and professionally employed. Interpreters working in legal, court, and law enforcement settings will benefit from learning the intent behind the questions, so that they can accurately interpret the message.

If you cannot attend this professional development session, but want to learn more about how to successfully and professionally work in legal, court and law enforcement settings, we encourage you to enroll in the Interpreting in Court and Legal Settings training course. Dr. Russell will be our guest instructor this year – with over 30 years experience as an interpreter, researcher, and interpreter educator  as well as her expertise in legal settings – her teaching is sure to give you an incredible foundation as a legal and court interpreter. Interpreting in Court and Legal Settings starts May 2, 2023.

You can register for this, and any upcoming sessions offered by The Interpreter’s Lab, on our website. Our Professional Development Sessions are a monthly feature, designed to further your education by introducing an expertly curated list of topics presented by different speakers who are experts in their respective fields. They can be attended as monthly stand alone sessions, or in tandem with our Interpreter Training classes, which provide in depth interpreting knowledge in legal, healthcare and community settings.

Further information about the classes we offer can also be found on the Interpreter’s Lab website.

Multilingualism and FIFA

 With FIFA currently in our sights, I started wondering just how the communication flows between all the players, on and off the field. Have you ever wondered what language all those players and referees are speaking to each other on the pitch? How do they all communicate without interpreters in the mix?

FIFA is host to 32 different countries speaking up to 20 different languages, so it makes sense to wonder if there have been any negative outcomes due to miscommunication, especially because we do not see any interpreters running around on the field with them. Multilingual Magazine recently wrote on this very topic and, as can be expected with all things intercultural and multilingual, errors have occurred.

 “On Sunday, South Korea’s head coach Paulo Bento spoke to reporters about the status of two injured players, Kim Min-jae and Hwang Hee-chan. Korean-speaking spectators were disappointed to hear that both players would be sitting out at the next day’s match against Ghana, but it turns out the misunderstanding was the result of an erroneous interpretation.

Speaking in his native Portuguese, Bento said that he would make a game-day decision about whether or not Kim could play, and that Hwang would sit out the next day’s match. The Korean interpretation, however, led audience members to believe that neither player would be able to participate in the following game.

According to a report from The Korea Times, the Korean Football Association filed an official complaint with FIFA over the error the next day. FIFA claims to be taking steps toward ensuring that future incidents like this do not occur.”

Well, it will be interesting to see just what steps FIFA will take to mitigate these errors in communication. Read the full article here.

And Yahoo news says that English has become the de-facto language of choice, not only for FIFA but also, it seems, the Olympics, where English has usurped French as the go-to language. This Yahoo News Story also shares another incident of alleged miscommunication, between a Japanese referee and a Croatian player.

Giving Tuesday is a generosity movement with core values rooted in selflessness. It seeks to support and give to the community around us, and globally with the help of the Giving Tuesday Organization. The first Giving Tuesday took place in 2012, as a response to the rampant self-driven consumerism surrounding Black Friday, and the subsequent Cyber Monday.

Recent price increases have made me stop and think about where it is I want to put my money, and if I really need all the things I think I need. This reflection, caused by external factors, has been a very positive thing. As I reflect on all that I do have instead of what I don’t, I find myself more connected to the Giving Tuesday movement, and the morals it has.

Happiness is cultivated from within. Loving, kindness, gratitude and sharing are all acts that give us far more joy than consumerism and fad purchases, while building character and showing us what happiness truly is. Times are tough right now, and I am in no way trying to understate that reality. In this difficult period, many of us find ourselves purchasing small gifts and things as a reward for the financial, emotional and multitude of other hardships that we work through every day.

Changing the way you shop, and the ways in which you reward yourself is not an easy feat, nor one that will occur overnight. But supporting the people around you, as well as those you do not know, can fundamentally change the reality for all of us.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday all take place in the span of 5 days. On Friday we are encouraged to buy, to race to the deals, to get what we can at the lowest price. Cyber Monday is an extension of that, with deals being featured online, inciting people to continue shopping and spending. Giving Tuesday instead asks us to look at what it is that we can give, what we can share. It can be a small kindness, or a larger gift. The size does not matter, what does is the intention behind the act. Do not give to fulfill a quota but give because you care.

In honour of Giving Tuesday, The Interpreter’s Lab will be donating one full Premier Membership* to be drawn on December 15th. And for our current Premier Members, we will give an additional 20% discount (in addition to the current membership benefit of 15% discount) on any current or upcoming course – for 35% off course fees ($350 savings)**.

Both prizes will be drawn on Thursday, December 15th.

We are also instituting the gift of Premier Membership as a Giving Tuesday annual event.

If you are interested in submitting your name for the draw, please complete this form and your name will be entered. We will contact you via email.

*Note that you must not currently be a member to be eligible for this Membership Gift.

“Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.”

Isaac Asimov

I love that quote by writer and professor Isaac Asimov – “Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.” In the real world of interpreting – in fact in the real world of life – things are never simply, right and wrong or black and white. There are always shades to everything we do. Our sense of morals is our internal barometer and may conflict with the rules we are given in our professional life as to what the “right” thing to do is.

There is no Right and Wrong

I recall a workshop on MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) that we ran last year at The Interpreter’s Lab and the chat conversation that ignited as the presenter spoke. There were some very important points made on the difficulties of working in such a traumatic setting and situation. And then there were the few comments from some that had not really interpreted in the MAiD program, but nonetheless had a point of view to state. Death, choosing death over life, is an act that touches on many feelings, some of which are deeply ingrained and trigger a moral judgement. Let’s condense the comments into one example that most succinctly summed up the others in the same vein: “MAiD is wrong”. But MAiD is not wrong. MAiD is a legally sanctioned medical and legal act in our community. So, whether your own morals agree with MAiD, it is not intrinsically wrong or right. It just is. And as a professional participating in the process, you need to just do the “right’ thing.

Why is this Session Important?

We only come to an awareness of our professional obligations through dialogue and sharing of ideas. We cannot simply assume that what we believe is “right” is, in fact, right. The possibility of interpreters making mistakes in practice due to assumptions that there are universal beliefs of right and wrong is always present. In training, interpreters are taught ethics and, if they attended a good program, an exploration of ethical decision making, dealing with dilemmas, and assessment of one’s own values and ethical grounding. But even if they did receive these critical lessons in their training, the nature of interpreting requires a constant attention to new situations and conflicts that confront us. As a community of practice, how we understand and deal with new and emergent challenges comes to our awareness in discussion,  through sharing stories, and in understanding expectations and obligations.

This cross-Canada panel will offer a format for discussion and exploration of different perspectives of what doing the “right” thing might mean depending on the situation and individual. As professionals we MUST follow our code of conduct, and the rules of the agencies with which we work, as human beings we need to reconcile those feelings of discord to maintain a healthy emotional and mental balance.

HOW TO JOIN:

This session is FREE to all TIL Members (as are all of the monthly workshops).

If you are not member, consider joining and sign up for a year’s worth of workshops covered by your membership fee. Find out more here aboutTIL Membership

Or, register for this 2-hour workshop as a single session HERE

While technically we are still enjoying the summer, there is something about September that just feels like a transition to a new season. Maybe it’s the back to school and back to routine that signals the change. Whatever it may be, we at The Interpreter’s Lab are also feeling ready to enjoy a shift into something different (but we’d like the sun to stick around for a time still!)

Fall Course Schedule

Check out the new course schedule for the fall. We know that many of you have been waiting for some of our not-so-regular courses to become available, such as Interpreting in Court & Legal Settings and Interpreting in Mental Health Settings. Because our courses are live, interactive, and instructor led, we rely on a necessary number of students before we can run the course. It really is about making the learning as meaningful and engaging for you, the student. We do not rely on asynchronous learning, meaning that we don’t expect you to go at it alone. We know that learning happens with the guidance of a teacher, a mentor who can share not only knowledge but also experience. And as adults we learn best when we talk and connect our new learning to our own life experiences. At The Interpreter’s Lab, it really is real training for the real world.

If you plan on attending any one of these upcoming sessions, we recommend that you register as soon as you can, thus allowing us to also plan and secure the course schedule. All class times listed are in the Pacific time zone.

What our courses offer:

• Live, instructor led classes
• Expert instruction by leading professionals who are practicing interpreters
• Instructors who are Certified Medical, Community and Court Interpreters
• Content matter experts
• Supportive, responsive teaching
• Easy access portal
• Flexible attendance – miss a class? No problem, watch the recording
• Access to online modules and class recordings for up to 3 months from start of course
• Free exam access, with two attempts
• Certificate of Successful Completion
• Support and guidance in connecting to the marketplace to turn your learning into a career

See the full fall 2022 schedule of courses here: Interpreter Education at The Lab  and register soon!

Professional Development – Upcoming Sessions and Masterclass 2022

You will not want to miss the next 3 professional development workshops and Masterclass 2022.

September 15^th – Skills Improvement for Consecutive Note-taking with Katharine Allen (spots still available)

Katharine is back at The Lab this year for a 2-hour workshop. If you attended Katharine’s session last year, you know that this will be a workshop packed with learning and hands-on practice. There is still time to register. This is a unique opportunity to learn from this dynamic, expert interpreter educator.

Members – Free / Non-Members –$55

October 20^th – Interpreting in Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Programs with Baljit Khun-Khun

Working with survivors of violence and sexual assault can be very difficult on many levels for interpreters. Understanding the process and the context of the work of healthcare and other practitioners in these settings can support the role of the interpreter and lessen the impact.

Members – Free / Non-Members –$30

November 17^th – A Canada-wide Panel Presentation on Ethics in Practice with Kiran Malli (PHSA/BC), Allana Carlyle (WRHA/Man), Jane Langes (ECCOE/Man) and Grace Eagan (AALS/Ont).

Join this special presentation and hear how the leaders of 4 of Canada’s largest healthcare interpreting services talk about ethics and their expectations of what ethical conduct really means in practice. It will be an important dialogue.

Members – Free / Non-Members –$30

October 8^th – Masterclass 2022 with Evelyn Cervantes – Best Practices in Remote Interpreting

This 4.5 workshop will give you information, practical knowledge, resources, and hands-on experience. Join us and find out why working as an interpreter in remote settings means so much more than just picking up your mobile phone, or logging into a Zoom call. In addition to looking, acting, and sounding professional, and therefore gaining that professional advantage, not paying attention to the right protocols and equipment can have disastrous effects on an interpreter’s physical and emotional health. Don’t risk it. Learn how to do it right, from start.

Members pay only $44 (register before September 30^th) / Non-Members – $249

REGISTER/MORE INFORMATION 

The Interpreter’s Lab Professional Development Speaker Series 2023 is ready for a sneak preview!

This is what we have coming up in 2023, and that’s just the beginning of the year!

The Role and Function of Questioning in Legal Settings      

Dr. Debra Russell

Understanding Pain Descriptors in Medical Settings

Dr. Priodarshi Roychoudhury

Taxes for Freelancers – What’s New for 2022       

Anisia Hurst

CPA and Financial Advisor

Interpreters and Healthcare Practitioners in Dialogue:

Interactive Panel with Oncology, Occupational Therapy and Medical Social Work Practitioners

Ethics and Self Care -Demand Control Schema

Lorena Castillo

Certified Interpreter/Interpreter Trainer

Professional Advocacy – How ISO Standards can Help Improve Working Conditions (ISO) ISO

ISO TC 37/SC 5 Project Leaders

Become a member today and get all of these workshops included in your membership package. Membership starts when you register and is not based on a calendar year. Become a Member today, and you will get a full 12 months of sessions.

Professional Development Updates and More

Things are already heating up for 2023 and we still have some wonderful sessions coming up in 2022!

Make sure to join us for the following workshops.

Remember that as Members of The Interpreter’s Lab you are automatically registered in the ALL workshops.

September

On September 15^th, the wonderful Katherine Allen will be presenting, and teaching, Skills Improvement for Consecutive Note-Taking. This special 2-hour workshop is free to all Members of The Interpreter’s Lab. If you would like to invite a friend to attend, they can register online HERE.

October

On October 20^th, Baljit Khun-Khun, a nurse with BC’s Women’s Hospital Sexual Assault Program, will speak on Interpreting for Women’s Sexual Assault Programs. This can be a particularly challenging and sensitive setting for interpreters.

November – Final Workshop of 2022

On November 17^th we bring you the final session of the 2022 series, and it is a special one – a Pan-Canadian Panel Discussion on Ethics in Practice with the leaders of 4 of Canada’s largest community and healthcare-based language service providers:

• Kiran Malli – The Provincial Health Services Authority
• Allana Carlyle – Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (soon to be a part of Manitoba’s Provincial Health Authority)
• Jane Langes – E-Quality Communication Centre of Excellence – in Winnipeg
• Grace Eagan – Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services / RIOMIX

I am so grateful to these wonderful women to take the time to come and talk to our members. It will truly be an important dialogue.

The 2022 Masterclass in on October 8th. Members can join for only $44 – that is a $205 discount. But you must register to participate. You can REGISTER HERE using the coupon code you’ve been given for the $205 savings.

The 2023 Speakers Series

Coming in the new year – each workshop at The Lab is eligible, hour for hour, for PDUs / CEUs with CTTIC member bodies and OCCI (Ontario only)

January                        The Function and Role of Questioning in Legal Settings

February                      Understanding Pain Descriptors in Medical Settings

March                           Tax Strategies for Freelancers – What’s New for 2022

April                             Using Standards to Push the Advocacy Agenda (ISO)

May                              Interpreters and Healthcare Practitioners in Dialogue: Interactive Panel

June                              The Challenges of Non-Binary Language in Community Interpreting

July                               Demand Control Schema – A Model for Ethics and Self Care

August                          Interpreting – Transferable Skills to Open New Opportunities

September                   Terminology: Best Practices for Interpreters

October                        TBA

November                    TBA

Masterclass                  TBA

If you have any other suggestions for topics, or speakers, or perhaps you have a favourite from 2021 or this year who you would enjoy learning from again – we would love to hear your ideas as we continue to put this schedule together.

Find Out More About Membership

Members Only Updates

Small group discussion coming to the Monthly Workshops

After 6-months in the current format, we are implementing improvements to Member benefits. One of the biggest complaints I hear from our students and members, and interpreters in general, is that the work can be isolating. Frequently interpreters do not have a place to connect on a more personal, or individual level. While our monthly workshops are amazing (given all the wonderful speakers and topics) the member-only portion of our time together could be improved. So, we will be introducing small group discussions so that we can better share and connect.

After the speaker has completed their hour or designated time (sometimes it is a longer session), we will break into small groups of 4-5 to share and discuss. To keep things efficient, each group will be assigned a facilitator/moderator (timekeeper) and a reporter (to take brief notes) to share with the large group. These roles will be volunteers from the group.

At times, it might make sense to break off into same language groups, or at other times it may be totally fine to stay in the large group. At The Lab we are responsive to your needs.

Goal

• To provide a forum for interpreters to share and learn from each other in a safe space
• To provide a space to debrief about challenging situations (ethics/difficult customers or clients/ working conditions, etc.)

Quarterly Cycle (months of occurrences): October, January, April, July

Dates:

1^st Friday of the month 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.  PST

2^nd Wednesday of the month 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. PST

Schedule and process will be provided through your member portal and you can sign up for one of the session in the months of occurrence)

Process:

1. Small groups created in Zoom
2. Moderator and Reporter are assigned (volunteers will be selected from the Members in attendance)
3. Breakout rooms open and small groups divide
4. Small groups share for 15 mins
5. Large group sharing highlights for 15 mins

Why is the format changing?

The format is changing slightly to allow for more equal participation and discussion. Not everyone is comfortable speaking in a large group. The Lab is intended to be a safe, non-judgemental space for interpreters, and we hope that this small change will facilitate networking and discussion.

What if I can’t stay, will I still get a Certificate of Attendance?

If you usually time your participation around the speaker’s presentation and have other commitments, that’s ok! If you are in attendance for the topic and the speaker, then you will get your certificate. Of course, we would love to have you stay for the full time, but we understand that life is busy.

See you in September with Katharine Allen and remember to check into your Community Hub for more updates and latest information

Angela and the TIL Team 

In a previous blog post, on Why being an interpreter is a good career move for foreign trained health care professionals, I wrote that interpreting in healthcare settings is a smart professional career move for health care professionals who were trained outside of Canada, and it’s true! It is a smart move, not just for foreign trained professionals, but for anyone who is interested in a deeper, closer look into the systems that provide all our public services.

While community interpreters, those who work in community-based settings such as healthcare, legal, social services, and even courts, may not enjoy the bonus of early morning executive breakfast meetings, or touring famous sites with delegations, or even enjoying a free buffet lunch at conferences as conference or diplomatic interpreters might, the role does come with definite perks. An often-unrecognized benefit of working as an interpreter is the privilege of access to forbidden places – settings where the common citizen, unless personally affected, is unlikely to go, such as operating rooms, prisons, psychiatric wards, judges’ chambers, etc.  While these places may not be glamorous or thrilling, the education they offer is undeniable. To be present, to witness (as a participant) how the events unfold, the protocols required, the ways in which the parties communicate with each other, the relationships and expectations involved – these nuggets of information and experience can never be learned in a classroom.

Becoming an interpreter provides a view into a professional realm that is often reserved for the professionals who work within. An interpreter, as a language professional, comes to share that space in their role as language and communication mediator, and comes to learn the inner workings of so many varied and unique places.

“I think the course is great and I highly recommend it. It opens doors for you. And if you are afraid with how everything works with agencies, this will explain a lot for you. You will have more confidence.”

Mayra

Spanish | English Interpreter

In my earlier blog post on healthcare interpreting, I stated that, “the post-secondary education – the lessons and courses taken – to become a healthcare professional are taught as a formal program, but it is often the unspoken and informal that is most difficult to learn. There are no lesson plans for that, and the few intercultural or cross-cultural workshops that exist may still not provide in-the-field experience. The education of understanding a new system, creating new networks, observing how people interact with each other and with patients, that is an education that is best gained by doing”. This practical observation applies across professional and occupational roles.

Being bilingual or multilingual is a talent that we share with close to 60% of the worlds’ population but utilizing that talent, by gaining the education and training and working as an interpreter, launches that talent into something that not only brings you an income, but also gives you a view into other worlds.  That insight–that valuable exposure–can bring you a return that you may never have even imagined.

Join us for a short-term course that packs a great big return!

See our Course Schedule here

In closing I leave you with the words of another Interpreter’s Lab student:

“I’m always very keen to learn new stuff. I wanted to see what’s in it – because I already knew English and Punjabi – what are the things that they’re going to teach me that I don’t know about?  But once I got into it, then I found out the little I did know…. then you know how much you don’t know – interpretation, going into community settings, or health settings or legal settings… all the valuable vocabulary, there’s so much behind the scenes that you learn in such a little time. It’s just night and day.”

Nick

Punjabi | Hindi | English Interpreter

Curiosity is a valuable trait in interpreters, and one that is commonly associated with those interpreters that excel at their work. Curiosity leads to the pursuit of answers, answers lead to gains in knowledge, and knowledge, in turn, becomes the ingredient that transforms a good interpreter into a notable interpreter.

At The Interpreter’s Lab we know that an interpreter needs to not only pay attention to professional development, that is, the fundamentals of professional skills and information, but that interpreters must also pay close attention to the marketplace and business growth, as well as taking good care of their personal and emotional wellbeing. The factors that make interpreting so appealing and fascinating are the very factors that oblige us to know more and do better. Factors such as the rapidly evolving marketplace, the dynamic interactions that form our work, and the interesting push and pull towards exploring the evolution of their field and their career. It may even include adventuring into the world of translation work, or other aligned occupations.

It has been clearly demonstrated and felt most intensely by the arrival of COVID19 and the simultaneous decrease in on-site appointments, that remote interpreting is here to stay and grow. This applies to Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI), as well as Remote Consecutive Interpreting. What does this mean for interpreters’ professional and career development? With the spreading utilization of remote platforms comes an expansion of the marketplace, in both demand AND supply – more work, more competition. But competition is good. It keeps us alert and focussed, even though it may require us to learn new skills or nurture existing ones.

At The Lab’s monthly Professional Development Speakers Series this past month (April 2022), our guest speaker, Mike Lemay, demonstrated just how essential confidence and an adventurous attitude are in growing your practice and presence. Mike shared how he went from volunteering as an interpreter at his church (which he still does, voluntarily), to interpreting at a UN conference. Now that is inspiring! Confidence is critical, and confidence is cultivated through knowledge, practice, and exposure to new ideas. The participants were inspired by Mike’s presentation!

“Thank you, Mike, for all the information and encouragement.” Gurveen

“Thank you very much!! Amazing session enjoyed it a lot!!” Maria

“Excellent presentation and looking forward to connecting again” Jennifer

So, what are the skills, knowledge, and tools that I believe will help future-facing interpreters?

1. Working with technology, in all its various forms, is a critical skill set for interpreters – remote settings, online platforms, gear to get you started and keep you working (headsets, microphones, etc.), as well as familiarity with agencies and contract negotiation.
2. Embracing social media skills to keep your profile in view and to grow your opportunities – including the conventions and etiquettes that work best.
3. Building community and embracing competition. (It’s not a bad word at all!). By working together we all work better – it’s true! One thing the interpreting community needs to do is shed its proclivity for silos and embrace unity. Join your community at The Lab

Be curious about your interpreting world, ask questions. Dive in and gain skills and knowledge. See where the adventure will take you. And let The Interpreter’s Lab help you along the way.