How to Work with an Interpreter

In an earlier post, we talked about the fact that parents are legally entitled to receive information from the school in a language that they can understand. This means that at times, you may need to employ the services of an interpreter. Relying on a bilingual aid or teacher is not the best idea since interpretation should be provided by a trained and certified professional. Here are some tips on working with an interpreter:

• Meet regularly with the interpreter to facilitate communication, particularly before meeting with a student or parent.
• Encourage the interpreter to chat with the client before the interview to help determine the appropriate depth and type of communication.
• Speak simply, avoiding technical terms, abbreviations, acronyms, professional jargon, idioms, and slang.
• Encourage the interpreter to translate the clients's own words as much as possible to give a sense of the client's concepts, emotional state, and other important information.
• During the interaction, look at and speak directly to the parent/client. Listen to the clients and watch their nonverbal, affective response by observing facial expressions, voice intonations, and body movements.
• Be patient. An interpretive interview takes longer.

Source: Weed, K. Z. & Diaz-Rico, L. T. (2010) The crosscultural, language, and academic development handbook. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.