Classroom Interpreters - Interpreters and Children - Evaluating an Interpreted Education

Focus on Learning

Simply placing an interpreter in a classroom with a deaf or hard of hearing student may not provide adequate accommodation. Schools are required by federal law to ensure Adequate Yearly Progress, which means that a student basically should make a year’s progress in a year’s worth of schooling. When evaluating an interpreted placement, the most important question to ask is if the student is learning approximately comparable to his hearing peers. Considerations also should include:

• Evaluation of total learning: How much is the student learning compared with his hearing peers?
• Evaluation of spontaneous learning: How much is the student learning new vocabulary and concepts from the interpreted lesson, or is extensive tutoring and advance preparation required?
• Evaluation of whether the student is an authentic member of the classroom and not isolated with the interpreter.
• Communication between team members should be frequent: Interpreters should contribute observations about understanding and learning.
• Frequent evaluation: If you are not sure a student is learning, probe often.