Click on a link below to go directly to a description of each of our WWWorkshop titles on this page...

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION:

This presentation benefits deaf and interpreting groups. Mr. Cagle presents the various combinations of facial expression and body grammar with a number of activities to challenge the participant to develop a strong lexical English and sign base to assist in accurately and equivalently interpreting between English and ASL. The focus will be on the meaning that non-manual signals bring to the signed message. This presentation builds a foundation describing American Sign Language as a linguistically-whole language and shows the variances in meaning of a sign used with different facial and body grammar.

This presentation assists interpreters working from A.S.L. to English to render interpretations which expand 1) their understanding of the meaning which should be derived from the "grammar" provided with the sign instead of a sign in isolation and/or 2) their English lexical choices to accompany a more precise equivalent meaning.

Deaf participants can benefit by providing English word choices for signed words; thereby, expanding English lexical repertoire.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will have a greater understanding of the sometimes-subtle differences in meaning when looking at the language more holistically. Participants will also be able to draw upon an expanded resource of English selections to render a more accurate and pure interpretation.

Participants will have a scale/tool with which to analyze an ASL lexical item and a list of accompanying possible English gloss choices to render an accurately equivalent meaning to be used in future individual or group skill development.

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This introductory course is designed to broaden educational interpreters' understanding and knowledge of deaf cultural perspectives of highlighted dimensions of K-12 educational interpreting. This added dimension will strengthen interpreters' ability to serve a broad range of deaf and hard-of-hearing students with varied communication needs. Selected topics include: communication modalities, interpreter demeanor, interpreter-student dynamics: helping vs advocating, interpreters' positioning in the classroom.

Course Objectives:

1) To introduce and sensitize interpreters to communication modalities, used by deaf and hard-of hearing students in a mainstream setting.

2) To introduce interpreters to cultural features of demeanor, including attire and behaviors in interpreting in a mainstream setting.

3) To introduce interpreters to dynamics of interaction and relationships in the mainstream setting.

4) To enhance interpreters awareness and understanding of helping and advocating deaf and hard of hearing students.

5) To sensitize interpreters to various positioning in different settings of interpreting.

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This presentation introduces you to 20 types of ASL sentences. Accompanying each of the descriptions of the sentence types is a set of four example sentences with their corresponding English interpretation. You will be given an opportunity to identify ASL sentence types in a pre and post-test and also to expressively develop each of the sentence types from an English script. There are activities for each section and stories to guide you in your development and understanding of the various sentence types you will find in ASL discourse.

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This multi-day presentation is the FIRST-EVER comprehensive and intensive listing of most of the fingerspelled words that Deaf people use in their day-to-day lives. It introduces you to a brief history of fingerspelling, provides principles for effective production and reception of fingerspelling and contains 45 categories of fingerspelled words within an ASL sentence. You will also see the same fingerspelled word isolated in a frame that you can view at normal pace or at 2 speeds slower than normal. There are stories accompanying several categories giving you the opportunity to see a variety of signers fingerspelling stories and a section on lexicalized fingerspelled words to assist you with developing and honing your fingerspelling skills. There are questions for each category and activities to challenge you to practice both your expressive and receptive fingerspelling skills.
CAUTION: If it is fingerspelling practice you want, this is the workshop for you! Signs of Development will not be responsible for eye fatigue or the need for finger splints after such intensive practice but it does guarantee your receptive fingerspelling will be improved!

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This course (the first of a two-part series) addresses that part of the interpreting process which involves interpreting from ASL (and other forms of signing) to spoken English. The workshop journeys through aspects of voice interpreting such as preparedness (mentally, physically and professionally), information and process management, linguistic differences between ASL and English, register, and strategies for clarification and correction. Participants have the opportunity to be in the drivers seat and promote their knowledge and skill development by working through guided activities and using texts from a variety of native, Deaf ASL models.

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Interpreting Health Class or in situations where graphic language is used (both in English and in ASL) can be challenging. This workshop will provide a Deaf perspective on sexually explicit and profane language and how to work with this kind of language in a variety of settings appropriately.

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This workshop has a four-fold focus: to understand what consumers might visualize if there is not an interpretation of idiomatic and metaphoric expressions (e.g., the conveying of the information into the target language is rendered from the source language in essentially the same form such as water under the bridge being signed as water under the bridge); to provide one possible ASL interpretation of these expressions in context; to provide you with the underlying meanings of the idiomatic expressions; and since a significant degree of English is spoken via idiomatic phrases, it would follow that our interpretations from ASL to English should contain these expressions; therefore, the final focus will be to assist in using these idiomatic phrases in our ASL to English interpretations to make them sound more "hearing-like".

Rendering a voiced English interpretation using idiomatic phrases requires a strong command of idiomatic phrases and the ability to watch an ASL signed message and match an equivalent phrase maintaining the integrity of the message both culturally and linguistically. This is the first in a series of wwworkshops in which Pat will guide you through the phrases providing you the context in which these idioms might be seen, an ASL interpretation of these, a possible English interpretation into these idiomatic phrases and finally, with the assistance from a series of posters called "Proverbidioms", he will show you an hilarious and graphical representation of what Deaf consumers might visualize when idiomatic phrases are not interpreted conceptually. To get the maximum benefit and fun from this workshop, it will be necessary to have the poster that Pat will use to illustrate the idiomatic phrases. These posters will be sold at a discount as a companion purchase with the idiomatic wwworkshops.

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This presentation is designed to teach parents, relatives and caregivers to communicate using American Sign Language with babies and toddlers.

This workshop will benefit:

• Parents
• Expecting Parents
• Siblings
• Relatives
• Babysitters
• Daycare Providers

• Ten Important Points (TIPs)
• Success stories
• The basics of ASL
• Strategies for becoming an ASL Mommy & Daddy
• Expectations
• My baby’s first signs (Common Categories)
• More resources
• Advanced Signs (as baby grows)
• Purpose

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This workshop will benefit:
~ ASL Students by learning strategies and techniques to use classifiers to make your signing skills more colorful. These techniques can be applied to your everyday communication and interpreting in ASL.
~ Interpreters working in the community and in educational settings to enhance interpreting skills and to add more "class" to interpretations.
~ ASL and interpreting teachers as a resource to assist in teaching classifiers to ASL and interpreting students.

Participants are given technical tools and guidance to expand their knowledge in using specific classifiers.

This study of Classifiers in ASL Storytelling will expose you to the following categories:

• Understanding the Principles of Classifiers
• Knowing How To Identify Classifiers
• Analyzing Classifiers
• Expanding Classifiers in Signing Skills
• "Reading" Classifiers ASL Storytelling

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This workshop is a must-have for parents and educational personnel working with students of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This presentation will explore the many facets of childhood development including the categories related to social growth, emotional development, physical changes and expectations, intellectual growth and stimulation needs and finally, probably the most important category: the communicative development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This presentation will provide tips for ensuring children are moving through the stages of growth appropriately and ways to identify if there are problems which need to be addressed. There will be activities and information to stimulate further research and learning on this topic.

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As interpreters working from an auditory to a visual language, we rely heavily on aspects very similar to those used in pantomime. While American Sign Language is not pantomime, they share many features such as character development using body movement and facial expression. In this workshop, we will explore these areas separately, observe what role each plays and then explore how they are intertwined and applied to our work as Sign Language interpreters. This is a “how to” workshop with exercises broken down into a step-by-step approach to build on each of the concepts. The exercises will be useful as they designed to help you learn to explore and develop a character to render a more visually accurate interpretation. Pantomime has its roots in non-verbal communication. It preceded words and, while we do not use it exclusively today, it is still part of how we relate to each other. This workshop will be a fun and activity-filled adventure into the world of pantomime which will definitely improve ASL interpretations.

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Interpreters are GREAT!!! No other profession requires a person to know something about everything. No other profession requires a person to be exposed to a birth, funeral, E.R., lawyer's appointment, therapy session, classroom lecture on Sex Roles and a meeting at a bank for a home loan ALL IN THE SAME DAY!!! Is it any wonder that, as humans, sometimes things don't go exactly as we plan.

This hysterical presentation is a collection of humorous stories from working interpreters and consumers of interpreting services and will have you rolling on the floor while earning your CEUs. There are stories related to nightmare consumers and interpreters, clothing, the things interpreters say (unintentionally), preparation (or lack thereof) for assignments, the unpredictability of working with kids, a look in those bags interpreters bring with them to their assignments, and so much more. Behind the laughter, there is a message and a lesson. Come join Peter Cook (as only Peter can) tell countless stories and collect your CEUs in such an enjoyable way. Stay tuned for Cookin' Up Some (More) Humor!!!

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As interpreters working in educational systems, it is important to understand the laws that affect your work. Laws such as the re-authorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act have an impact on your jobs. Interpreters working in K-12 Educational settings have the most contact with students who are D/deaf or hard of hearing but typically are not included in the IEP process. Having more knowledge of the laws and the goals of the IEP might help interpreters to advocate for their inclusion in the process as a participant on the educational team.

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This workshop provides a unique insight into teaching processes, methods and practices. Many teachers in public schools who find themselves with a Deaf student placed in their class with an interpreter have little information about how to best provide the appropriate educational services. Additionally, they might experience a range of emotions, not the least being intimidation from having another adult present in the classroom. This workshop will help teachers and interpreters understand each other's role and responsibilities. Likewise, it will help teachers and parents understand the interpreter's purpose for being in the classroom.

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Storytelling in ASL is an art form much like storytelling in any language. This workshop will teach you the techniques of ASL storytelling. These techniques can be applied to your everyday communication and interpreting in ASL. Strategies such as placement, referencing, and assuming the characteristics of animate and inanimate objects in a story help to bring the story to life and to clearly describe action and dialogue in the story. All of these techniques can be employed in your ASL interpreting work. This workshop will provide practice and activities to help you develop and feel comfortable with storytelling to enable you to transfer this knowledge into your work as an interpreter.

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Ever watched a group of Deaf people conversing and seen the many handshapes used to describe the millions of concepts we, as humans, experience in our day-to-day lives? Classifiers, in ASL, are the key to building these concepts and giving them meaning. Without them, the language is not as dynamic and would be limited in its flexibility to describe these concepts. This presentation will provide you with the basic rules of classifiers including shape, placement, movement, etc. You will be given opportunities to view classifiers in use and also to practice developing concepts using classifiers. The use of classifiers will ensure successful interpretations and the ability to use language dynamically.

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As parents with school-aged children, there are many concerns about our child's educational future. If your child also has a disability, there are even more things to consider including the Individualized Education Program. Many parents do not understand their rights to be involved and to have control in this process. It is very important for parents to obtain knowledge and education so that they can proactively advocate for their children to ensure they receive the very best educational services and ensure success of their child for the future.

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This presentation introduces common ASL and Deaf Cultural jokes, folklore and creative artistic stories shared by Deaf community members. It shows how Deaf people create ASL and Deaf cultural jokes, folklore and creative artistic stories through playing and creative use of ASL, ASL handshapes and numerical signs, signed English, written English, sounds of English words, deafness, hearing people and groups within the Deaf community. It guarantees you hours of roaring laughter and is an excellent way to prepare for interpreting for Deaf people who use jokes in the course of their discourse.

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As interpreters, we do not only work in classroom settings interpreting lectures. Our work frequently finds us in gyms or out on the playing fields. This rough and tumble WWWorkshop is presented by a sports lover who will not only teach you the signs for the most popular sports and games but will do so through his talent of storytelling which will give you the information in context (research has proven this to be the most effective way to learn.) Andy is a graduate of the NJ School for the Deaf and is a master storyteller. This method of learning signs for sports and games will be the most fun and entertaining way ever experienced. It is guaranteed to have you rolling on the floor!

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The interpreting profession in the educational setting is being redefined and transformed. In the early 80's an interpreter working in the public school was a rare occurrence.

Today, the vast majority of Deaf / Hard of hearing children are attending their local public school. The interpreter is often the most "misplaced" and "mis-classifed" staff in the school system. Recognition of the interpreter and interpreting as a profession requires a paradigm shift. It's common for educational interpreters to be asked to be responsible for more than just communication access. How do these roles after the educational setting and the goals of IDEA? Can an interpreter be given a dual role as an interpreter and still keep the job title, "interpreter"?

Does an interpreter's "other duties" during the school day diminish the role as communication facilitator? Can Deaf and hearing consumers follow the daily role-shifting?

This workshop will look at various job descriptions , do a task analysis, and meet on line to collaborate on the issues related to interpreting with other responsibilities.

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Are you aware of the increase in immigrants in America is the largest of any time period since World War II? The proportion of these new immigrants is changing our employment, business and schools. The population of the 21st century will bring a high proportion of ethnic minorities. Most research suggests that our work worlds will reflect even greater cultural diversity. This brings new learning opportunities for interpreters who encounter Deaf consumers and their families.

Interpreters might be familiar with their own cultural heritage and background, but unfamiliar with persons from a different racial/ethnic background.

Learning the definition of culture and the importance of knowing how to communicate cross- culturally with those of a different background can only enhance our profession.This workshop will look at our traditional American ways and compare these values and behaviors with other cultural groups.

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Ever been in the situation when the name of a city, world leader or historical piece of information came up in your work repeatedly and you wished you knew that sign name? This comprehensive professional development activity will provide you with signs for cities around the world as well as an in-depth discussion about how they got these name signs. The newer signs for cities will also be taught. However, because learning is solidified by making connections between pieces of information, you will be given tips to help remember all of these signs. Example: the correct sign for Greece is signed with non-dominant hand index finger pointing (for right-handed dominant would be left hand index finger pointing right) with dominant hand index finger moving downward to form a cross. The purpose for this is because Greece is famous for its many churches with many buildings and the crosses easily seen from every street.

Additionally, Andy will share his love of historical facts including information about wars and famous leaders through his use of storytelling. This is guaranteed to be one of the most enjoyable ways for you to learn history and simultaneously how to sign this information while also learning the name signs commonly used by the Deaf community.

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As we all know, communicating to be understood and to understand others is a complex and sometimes challenging process. Add the component of communicating via interpreting between two sets of consumers who do not share a culture or language and the process is only compounded. This wwworkshop will define discourse, levels of communicative interaction and register. The goal of this is for interpreters to be able to discuss discourse level of interpreted interactions at a variety of levels. Participants will be given activities that allow them to apply the material presented. This wwworkshop is a MUST-HAVE for working interpreters and students or educators of interpreters and ASL. Robert will guide you through a comparative analysis project with two ASL texts which will provide participants with the tools, knowledge and skills to apply these techniques to other ASL or English texts.

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This is a fascinating presentation that will provide interpreters with a unique insight into how Deaf students feel using interpreters at all levels of their education. This presentation will provide interpreters with information about how Deaf students prefer to use an interpreter and how the role of the interpreter (and the interaction with the interpreter) is not static, but a dynamic process that changes as the student progresses upward through the educational process.

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As members of the human race, we have a natural sense of compassion toward those who have suffered abuse of any form. However, as interpreters bound to a standard of ethical behavior and appropriate professional standards, we also have to learn how to provide our services within appropriate boundaries without seeming uncaring and cold. That is a difficult line to walk. This workshop will address the many issues surrounding those who have experienced domestic violence and will educate professionals working with Deaf and hard of hearing people on appropriate ways to work professionally yet maintaining a human side to our work.

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In working from ASL to English, a very successful strategy is to incorporate metaphor and idiomatic phrases in the target language (English). This strategy requires a serious departure from the form and can be both scary and very challenging for interpreters. However, when incorporated, it makes the output into English sound very natural and more English-like. This professional development activity will look at this as one tool in the interpreter's toolbox to make our work sound more "hearing-like."

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Some of the topics to be covered in this professional development activity will be:

• How kids develop language (hearing kids of hearing parents and deaf kids of deaf parents)
• How deaf kids of hearing parents develop language
• Language (structure) and communication versus words
• The important window of time for developing language
• Normal stages (e.g., one word, two words, sentences, abstract concepts, etc.)
• Importance of interpreters with high skill in primary grades
• Strategies to help kids develop language
• What to do if the interpreting prescribed by the IEP isn't working
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Presentation Description:

This workshop will focus on the aspect of interpreting employing a strategy called VISUALIZATION, the use of the mind's eye. Visualization is a product of memory which draws upon our experiences and knowledge of the topic to create a mental image of the people, objects and actions occurring. Visualization is a powerful tool enabling interpreters to transfer their mental processes into a clear, visual representation of the spoken English source message. Participants will analyze a variety of English messages and compare the various images created mentally to strengthen the ability to "let go" of the words (form) and render a target message that is culturally and linguistically equivalent in ASL. This workshop is chocked full of FUN and enjoyable activities. At the conclusion of this workshop, you will have stretched your visualization skills and have done so through activities that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter AND challenging your worldview to explore the visualizations of not only yourself but the life experiences (memories and visualizations) of the other people involved in each communication process.

Presentation Objectives:

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will have a greater understanding and ability to use the powerful tool of visualization. Participants will understand the importance of using visual imagery in our work, will be able to create and manipulate images, be able to recall significant amounts of specific details and, most importantly, be able to identify how our own cultural experiences frame our visualizations to allow us to reach beyond those and develop a more diverse visualization to meet the cultural experiences of our consumers.

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PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION:

This presentation benefits pre-certified and certified interpreters to improve their accounting practices, help their business "presentations" to become more professional, give them "tips" to help save money at tax time and familiarize them with the Small Claims Court system.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will have a greater understanding of the tools available to them to assist in running a small business, keeping records and maximizing profits.

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PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION:

Interpreting, as a business, has much to gain by studying the ethical business practices of corporations and other professional organizations. This presentation contains an in-depth study into such practices and provides a comprehensive "ethical test" to assist interpreters in making ethical decisions. This test is a standard test for businesses; however, it can work synergistically under the existing tenets of interpreting Codes of Ethics.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will have a greater understanding of ethics and a more concrete tool with which to judge ethical dilemmas to subsequently make decisions that are ethical, in line with common business ethics and support the interpreter's own ethical code of conduct.

The study (and practice) of ethics and ethical conduct can be quite overwhelming. I try to condense some of the philosophical approaches to ethics and give the participants a 10-question (yes/no) test to help them gauge each ethical decision.

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Presentation Description:

This professional development activity builds an understanding of the needs and benefits of teaming. Interpreters most customarily work in isolation and the thought of working with another professional can be awkward and intimidating. A checklist will be discussed to assist interpreters to prepare for a teamed assignment: pre-acceptance, pre-assignment, during assignment, and post-assignment. This checklist will help interpreters to develop natural questions, dialogue and strategies for working with new teammates. Discussion will take place regarding ethical issues, conflict resolution strategies, feedback and troubleshooting techniques.

Presentation Objectives:

The goal of this activity is to guide interpreters to understand the importance of the teaming process and to develop strategies to maximize efforts to capitalize on the team process.

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Presentation Description:

This workshop will focus on the importance of vocabulary development for the Sign Language interpreter. Many activities will be employed as teaching strategies to attempt to assist interpreters to analyze words in isolation and in context to provide an accurate interpretation, assist with accurate fingerspelling of new vocabulary and to move the interpreter (primarily K-12) from the lexical to, at least, the phrasal level of processing with a goal of sentential and conceptual processing.

Presentation Objectives:

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will have a heightened awareness and enthusiasm for developing vocabularies across disciplines and strategies for vocabulary growth. Participants will have tangible mini-activities to use daily to make incremental enhancements to their lexical banks and techniques to be able to analyze words semantically.

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Presentation Description:

This presentation benefits deaf and interpreting groups. Mr. Cagle presents the basics of ASL and leads a discussion about high context language. This segment of the presentation builds a foundation to describe American Sign Language as a linguistically-whole language and shows the variances in meaning of a sign used with different facial and body grammar. Ms. Eighinger guides the group to develop an understanding of the complexities of interpreting between two languages simultaneously with activities to challenge both groups to develop concepts/phrases with appropriate linguistic/cultural equivalence between ASL and English. Upon completion of the foundation, the presenters guide the group to develop strategies to work toward an understanding of each other's perspectives during a meeting with people utilizing interpreter services. Through discussion and activities, participants will develop strategies to support each other in the communication process. The mutual goal of a successful communication process by empowering deaf people and interpreters to become part of the process and mutually responsible for the outcome. During this portion of the workshop, participants will engage in team building activities and reverse-role role play to assist each in understanding the roles and the impact on the other.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will have a greater understanding of the need for a team effort. Deaf participants will understand the role, responsibilities and complexities of the interpreting process and interpreters will understand the impact of their work upon Deaf consumers. Each will have developed strategies to work as a team toward a successful communication interaction.

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