Tips for Working With an Interpreter

Hello, my name is Sophia Miller and I work with LAF SLS.

Some tips to to help if you are working with a deaf person for the

first time in the classroom setting:

First, I would say address the deaf student directly. Talk directly to them. Use their names. Talk to them rather than telling the Interpreter, "Tell him or tell her..." or "What did they say? What did he say? She say?"

Talk directly to them and the Interpreter knows what to do to interpret,

to facilitate that communication.

Giving notes, maybe lesson plans ahead of time does help. I have a list of which vocabulary words will be used. I can match up which signs I want to use for that certain idea. This is the worksheet we're going to be working on.

I have an idea of what that looks like. All those things in advance help me

to prepare, help an Interpreter to prepare.

Third, I would say include the deaf person in classroom discussions, include them in the class. Don't exclude them, don't leave them out. If you're asking a question for the whole class to answer, Ask the deaf person, your deaf student also. Include them in it. They have their hand raised, maybe they won't raise their hand, but you can see their expression and maybe they have something to share. Invite them to share their comments too.

invite them to be a part of the classroom so they don't feel left out.

They may already feel different if they're the only deaf person in the classroom amongst a classroom of hearing people, they may already feel excluded and left out, but the more you can include them into the classroom, into classroom discussions, then the more comfortable they will feel and also the Interpreter.