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Reflections on the CIT Conference
CIT thanks Sorenson Communications for making it possible to have four deaf interpreters come and learn from the interpreting team at the 2016 CIT Conference.
Here are the reflections of those interpreters.
The complete video is 25 minutes in length. If you want to see individual reflections (along with English translations) watch the video below.
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[av_toggle title=’Reflections from Jessica Brown’ tags=”]
English Translation
Hello, my name is Jessica Brown. I am one of the selected participants for the DI scholarship. I would like to tell you about my experience and my reflection during my time at the CIT conference. I would like to thank CIT and Sorenson VRS for selecting me to participate in this wonderful opportunity. I have in the past attended to CDI workshops, training, and even taken the CDI knowledge test. However, being involved in observing the working CDI and putting my DI skills to work at the conference was a whole new experience.
It was a life altering experience and a starting point for me as an aspiring DI. It allowed me to view DI skills in a different light, such as how to become a better DI, networking skills, platform interpreting skills, how to interpret from Japanese Sign Language to ASL, chunking, and feeding. This was a mind blowing rich environment it involved learning educated terminologies, collaborating with the DI’s who were also selected in this opportunity and debriefing with the CDI’s. I was able to take their information, use it to my benefit, and to enhance my skills as a DI student.
I also wanted to say that while observing CDI’s work I was able to recognize their knowledge, identify their skills and their ability to have effective team work. It was a truly phenomenal observation. Seeing it first hand and observing their team work with two deaf interpreters is a different field, it is not comparable to the hearing teaming with a Deaf interpreter. Their teaming skills and dynamics are clearly different and stimulating to watch.
Attending different workshops while observing the CDI also allowed me to participate into the workshops and give me personal and professional growth. Being able to have a front row seat in watching the JSL-CDI interpreters interpret ASL into JSL smoothly for the audience is a new-found interest and an excellent skill.
CIT is an amazing opportunity for any aspiring DI or any future DI who wants to be an interpreter educator. It is a great place to come together to find out about resources, technology, and research findings. The best part about CIT is most certainly the environment with everyone using ASL, partnering up in projects, and the network of people all over the states that come to one place. There are no signs or words for me to express this.
I am grateful for the wonderful opportunity to be involved in this amazing experience, being able to work with CDI and getting feedback from them directly on how to improve myself as a DI. This should be continued over the years for future DI students who would like to work with CDI’s who are currently working there. Their knowledge and skills will radiate onto us and from us it will spread out to other aspiring DI students who are striving to become working DI. This is a small community and it is the time where we all are able to come together and collaborate. CIT is an inspirational conference and allowed me to have personal growth as an aspiring DI. Thank you.
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[av_toggle title=’Reflections from Sarah Harris’ tags=”]
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English Translation
Hi, my name is Sarah Harris from Pinellas Park, Florida. I have been studying for CDI knowledge written test, taking workshops pertaining to CDI, and taking classes at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, FL. I am currently working at the college as ASL Lab Technician and my boss told me about the scholarship to CIT conference. To my surprise, Sorenson and CIT had picked me to attend the conference which I am very grateful to Sorenson/CIT for the sponsorship. The conference was so awesome and it is learning experience for me.
I arrived at the conference Wednesday afternoon just in time for registration and before the Keynote presentation. The CIT committee showed their hospitality and it was wonderful. I attended the presentation “Current Trends” by Keynote presenter, Dr. Christian Rathmann. It was interesting.
On Thursday, we were served breakfast by CIT and the food was awesome! I attended the Keynote “Finding the Way Home” by Keynote presenter, Amy Williamson. It was so fantastic to watch how Nigel Howard and Steve Walker work with JSL deaf interpreters and they are awesome with the JSL (Japanese Sign Language) interpreters. The workshops that I took:
Teaching Depiction through Research and Collaboration by Miako Rankin and Randee Pascall-Speights
The workshop focused on techniques for interpreters who get stuck with depiction. It was hands on workshop where I was involved in group. It was interesting to watch the audience adjusting their signing to get a concept across. It really helped me to explore the options to create signs.
Mentoring trends and the practicum process by Rebecca Minor, Jessica Bentley-Sassaman
The presenters showed the data where they did research on mentoring the interpreting students at college to help the students prepare for interpreting work. It made me think of our local colleges…are the interpreting students prepared for outside world when they graduate? Did they get enough mentoring? It was good topic to think about.
Difficult Discussions While Working Towards Social Justice for Deaf and Interpreting Communities by Amy June Rowley, Cindy Volk, Marika Kovacs-Houlihan
I attended this workshop and watched the video interviews done with variety of members of the Deaf and Interpreting communities on values, ideas and cultures. Also we were involved in discussion on how to examine, make recommendations for making changes and how this can benefit growth of our professions and communities.
Infusing Social Justice into Interpreting Education by Joseph C. Hill & Dave J. Coyne
The presenters did presentation on social justice online module of the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC). The presenters explained the effective teaching and assessment strategies that support interpreting students’ learning and encourage them to be aware of their own and their peers’ social and cultural identities. It helps me to be more aware and sensitive to others.
“Don’t Tell Me about Your Weekend: How Interpreters Manage Interpersonal Relationships” by Morgan L Tucker, MS
The workshop helps me to use decision making skills when managing the interpersonal relationship with other students where I work.
On Friday, I attended CIT business meeting all morning and attended workshops all afternoon. I was invited to VIP reception during dinner hour and was able to meet many professors, teachers, and students.
Running to Connect Trilingual Interpret, Keynote Presenter, Dr. David Quinto–Pozos
Written Texts to Signed by Dr. Christian Rathmann
Co–Interpreting: How Deaf & Hearing Interpreters Work Together by Nigel Howard, Debra Russell
I was glad that I attended that workshop as it really helped me to get some ideas and techniques on how to become effective Deaf-hearing team interpreter.
Respectful Dialogue and Anti–Oppression Framework: Power and Privilege in learning environments and interpreting interactions by Risa Shaw, Mary Thumann
Very sensitive topic but the audience was involved in very professional manner when doing the dialogue on oppression, racism, audism, etc. We ended up staying longer in that workshop. I do recommend this workshop for any conference.
Saturday
The people and I that were sponsored by Sorenson and CIT were told to team interpret the workshops today to help us experience at hand. I was nervous at first, but we got great feedbacks from the CDIs, Jimmy Beldon and Leslie Greer. The conference ended with banquet with Jeremy Rogers and the attendees that Sorenson sponsored. I don’t even remember what the workshops were about because of interpreting the workshops but I was in those workshops below.
Research, Learn, & Collaborate: Research studies in Interpretation from Gallaudet University’s doctoral students by Danielle Hunt, Stephen Fitzmaurice, Keith Gamache, Laurie Shaffer
Interpreter Education: AA, BA, MA… Oh My! By Keith Cagle, Danielle Hunt, Melanie Metzger
“SLI paring Knife” by Brandan Arthur, Plenary Endnote Presentation
Again, I want to thank Sorenson and CIT for sponsoring me.
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[av_toggle title=’Reflections from Sean Sinderholm’ tags=”]
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English Translation
Hello, I am Sean Sinderholm as Deaf Interpreting Student. I was sponsored by Sorenson Communication, Inc. to attend Conference of Interpreters Trainers (CIT). The conference is hosted at Lexington at Kentucky. I have a chance to meet respected professionals in their fields from my experience in interpreting classes. The researchers help to flourish the interpreting field to educate and develop the practices as I take that experience to improve myself to become a future effective interpreter.
During the conference, I met five Deaf interpreters from various countries; American, Canadian and Japanese. I have the great pleasure of interacting with them along with the input from Deaf Interpreters to improve myself. I have the chance to mirror the audience right on stage and the Deaf Interpreters is watching my abilities to become the effective interpreter. There is a great discussion with my group of Deaf interpreting student. This will be the great opportunity for any Deaf interpreting student who want to have the chance to meet the registrants.
I want to thank to Sorenson Communication, Inc. for their sponsorship and Conference of Interpreter Trainers’ Board Member for allowing me the opportunity to experience it. You all have a wonderful day and thank you all.
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[av_toggle title=’Reflections from Kristeena Thaten’ tags=”]
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English Translation
Hello, my name is Kristeena Thaten I am thankful for the opportunity to go to Lexington, KY for Conference of Interpreter Trainers. The experience was joyous and rich because I enjoyed meeting the stellar team of Deaf interpreters. There was a team of Deaf interpreters from Japan and a team of Deaf Interpreters from America and Canada. I watched their interpreting process from Japan Sign Language to American Sign Language. We observed two teams of Deaf interpreters at different workshops every day for four days. I noticed during the interpreting process that there were a lot of demands happening and how the team managed to work together. With my observations, I noticed the controls the team used to manage the work which I will bring back home and apply to my work as a Deaf interpreter. Teamwork is the key ingredient.
During my observations at different workshops, I watch guest speakers to learn tools and tips for my teaching. I am a graduate student doing an internship for interpreting teaching. I enjoyed two workshops especially for social justice and mock interpreting how we can improve for our students and how we can become inclusive. I’m impressed with how the conference is organized by a great team and they arranged a fun tour where I got to observe as well!
From everything I experienced from the conference, I will bring that back home. I used Demand-Control Schema for the conference to collect data from my observations. Once I become a certificated interpreter and professor for interpreting, I will never stop from learning and keep improving my teaching style and team interpreting. Again, I am grateful for this rich experience and I will always remember that for rest of my life.
Again, thank you for giving me the opportunity!
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