PLE: Number 3: For Interpreting Students

(13.1) List five areas you will attend to as you work with educational staff to create a learning environment that is conducive to interpreting.

This topic is extremely important in the area of interpreting. As an interpreter I want to make sure that the teacher or teachers and I have a good relationship with one another. I want to make sure that communication is open between myself and the other team members for the sake of the student's learning. In the first section of chapter thirteen in the book it discusses how to create a setting conducive to learning.
Arranging the Classroom:
I know we have mentioned in class that teachers like to change up the seating arrangement in their classrooms. I remember when I was in middle and high school I liked when we would receive new seating arraignments; I liked the chance of sitting next to new and different people. This is very important for interpreters. When it comes to helping the student learn, the teacher and the interpreter need to work together to find the best seating arraignment so the deaf student can see the interpreter, the teacher, and the majority of the rest of the class. You want to make sure that the deaf student is sitting somewhere, without feeling isolated from the rest of the class, with visual access to his or her surroundings.
Establishing and Maintaining Productive  Teacher-Student Relationships: 
Every teacher wants their students to feel comfortable in the classroom. Sometimes, in public schools with only one deaf student in the class or school, there is a high chance that the deaf individual will feel isolated. They may feel that the interpreter is their only friend and feel uncomfortable talking to the other kids or even the teachers. Also, it may be the first time that a teacher has a deaf student in his or her classroom. Even out of the classroom settings, it happens that when people are conversing to a deaf individual through an interpreter they address the deaf person in third person. For example, "Tell him/her that the meeting is postponed until three tomorrow." It is important that a teacher does not do this to the deaf student. You are talking to the deaf individual the interpreter is only there to bridge the communication gap.
Creating an Effective Psychological Climate:
In this section in the text it mentions promoting an general sense of community and belongingness within the classroom. This is the main topic that Madison and I talked about in our presentation- building a sense of community. This is important for the deaf student in a public school so they do not feel isolated. It is extremely important within the younger grades so that children can starting building a relationship with the deaf individual. Also, younger children are often times easier to mold when it comes to explaining tolerance among fellow classmates and people in general. Teaching a few signs to the class could help break the ice and help build that sense of community in the class. If the teacher wanted to maybe ask the interpreter to help demonstrate signs that the teacher could use in the classroom daily. Also, an important thing that I would do as an interpreter is ask the teacher or teachers to stay in close contact when it comes to the lesson plans and class schedules. Allowing the interpreter to have access to any material prior to the lessons can help the interpreter do some preassignment. This can help the interpreter feel more comfortable with the material and also help the interpreter display the meaning of the lesson better to the deaf student.
Setting Limits:
This is another area that is extremely important for interpreters. Setting limits and outlining the boundaries of what the interpreter is responsible for can be one of the biggest struggles for the interpreter. In some schools you might be the first interpreter they have employed. They faculty might not exactly understand what your role is in the school. Some teachers might try to use you as a teacher's assistant or a monitor for the rest of the class.
Taking Individual and Group Differences into Account:
When it comes to deaf individuals, many hearing people do not know or understand about the differences between the deaf and hearing community. Deaf people have their own history, their own battles with inequality and oppression, and their own language. When people ask me what my major is I cannot just say, "Educational Interpreting", and be done with the conversation. When I reply to people it is also followed up by an explanation that there is a history and cultured tied to the deaf community. Sometimes when students do not understand something or see it as different they shy away from those people. In this area, I would talk to teachers before class starts and talk to the teacher about incorporating signs within the lessons so the other students can learn signs. Many people think too that where ever the student or students go within the school the interpreter is closely following behind. That is not the case. When it comes to recess and lunch, the student is on their own. Helping making the student feel comfortable and the other students around the deaf student will help benefit everyone. The deaf student will not feel so isolated and other children will learn to accept others for the way they are and not judge others. The following website below touches on some information about deaf culture.

http://www.start-american-sign-language.com/deaf-culture.html