Classroom Interpreting

EIPA Written Test and Knowledge Standards

Roles and Responsibilities

An experienced educational interpreter is aware of his or her responsibilities as an interpreter. The interpreter knows his or her limitations and will express them when necessary. An experienced interpreter knows his or her role as a member of the IEP, an educational interpreter, a tutor and a supervisor. He or she is confident in the boundaries of the interpreter/student relationship and is careful to maintain professional boundaries.

Core Standards

Before taking the EIPA Written Test, interpreters should be comfortable with the core standards used to develop the Roles and Responsibilities portion of the test. These standards include:

IEP Team

  • The interpreter should be present at IEP meetings as member of the educational team, and not as an interpreter. The interpreter should share observations about how well the student understands the interpreted classroom or any other issues related to interpreting. The interpreter should not evaluate how well the student is doing academically or behaviorally, except as they relate to interpreting.
  • It is not the interpreter’s role to alter communication in order to protect a deaf or hard of hearing student from potential emotional hurt. But if these situations occur, the interpreter should discuss them with other members of the educational team.
  • It is the responsibility of an educational interpreter to inform the educational team about the limitations associated with the interpreting process, including the individual interpreter’s limitations in skills.
  • When dealing with any student behaviors, such as inattention, the interpreter should work under the guidance of the classroom teacher and possibly the teacher of the deaf.
  • Minor, incidental interpreting expansions of classroom communication may be appropriate on occasion.  If there are major and extensive interpreting expansions, the educational team should know about the communication needs of the student and should discuss the modifications.  
  • The educational interpreter should assess the classroom environment and develop strategies with the educational team regarding seating arrangements, lighting, use of media, turn-taking, and other factors that may impact the interpreting process and access to the classroom content.

Interpreter/student Boundaries

  • Interpreters may be required to help the deaf or hard of hearing student understand the role of an interpreter vs. that of tutor, teacher or friend. They may need to negotiate with older students how to deal with social issues regarding the use of an educational interpreter. As students mature, the interpreter should encourage more independence.
  • Students often create bonds with professionals who work with them. These bonds are healthy, but professionals must be careful to maintain professional boundaries.
  • The interpreter works with the entire educational program and not just the deaf or hard of hearing student.

Understanding Interpreter Roles

  • School administrators should be informed about the role and function of educational interpreters.
  • Administrators and teachers need to understand the primary role of interpreting and secondary roles that may be required such as tutoring, aiding, and consulting, etc. The educational interpreter may need to provide this information.
  • Interpreters should be aware of which roles are appropriate for them to fulfill.  It may be appropriate for an interpreter to also serve as an aide or tutor.  The student should understand which role the interpreter has at that time.

Responsibilities

  • The classroom teacher is responsible for communicating with parents.
  • The classroom teacher has the responsibility for educational planning, teaching, and evaluation for all students in the classroom.
  • Some educational interpreters also are asked to tutor as a part of their job. Interpreters should receive additional training in order to tutor. A classroom teacher or teacher of the deaf should supervise all tutoring.
  • All professionals who work in public schools assist in supervising lunchtime and playtime activities. The interpreter’s responsibilities in these areas should be considered in the same perspective as the other professionals in the school. These duties, however, should never interfere with their primary responsibility - interpreting.
  • Interpreters may be responsible for conducting in-service with building administrators, teachers, and with parents on their roles and responsibilities within the school.
  • It is the responsibility of the educational interpreter to prepare for assignments by reviewing textbook content, lesson plans, and other resource material that is available.
  • Interpreters are generally not qualified to teach sign language. Some states have certification requirements for teachers of sign language.

Professional Guidelines

  • A job title and a job description are essential tools to help define the roles and responsibilities of an educational interpreter.
  • If an individual is facilitating signed communication between deaf and hearing individuals, by definition, they are interpreting and they should meet the qualifications for the job title of “interpreter”.
  • Educational interpreters need a work area, appropriate chairs, and a schedule with identified breaks.
  • When asked to do extra-curricular activities, the interpreter is to negotiate time and pay in a professional manner.
  • Educational interpreters can acquire increased self-awareness and professional maturity through active involvement in professional associations, the educational team, and through collegial and mentor relationships with more experienced practitioners.