More Than Meets the Eye

Revealing the Complexities of an Interpreted Education

Melissa B. Smith

• Publisher: Gallaudet University Press
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9781563684760
  9781563685798
• eBook ISBN:
  9781563685804
• Topic: Filología
• Subtopic: Lingüística

Sign language interpreters often offer the primary avenue of access for deaf and hard of hearing students in public schools. More than 80% of all deaf children today are mainstreamed, and few of their teachers sign well enough to provide them with full access. As a result, many K-12 interpreters perform multiple roles beyond interpreting. Yet, very little is known about what they actually do and what factors inform their moment-to-moment decisions. This volume presents the range of activities and responsibilities performed by educational interpreters, and illuminates what they consider when making decisions.

       To learn about the roles of K-12 interpreters, author Melissa B. Smith conducted in-depth analyses at three different schools. She learned that in response to what interpreters feel that their deaf students need, many focus on three key areas: 1) visual access, 2) language and learning, and 3) social and academic participation/inclusion. To best serve their deaf students in these contexts, they perform five critical functions: they assess and respond to the needs and abilities of deaf students; they interpret with or without modification as they deem appropriate; they capitalize on available resources; they rely on interactions with teachers and students to inform their choices; and they take on additional responsibilities as the need arises.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Chapter 1: At First Glance: Taking a Look at Deaf Education and Interpreting in K–12 Classrooms
• Chapter 2: As Previously Seen: Interpreting in Schools
• Chapter 3: Examining the Work of Interpreters Through Multiple Lenses
• Chapter 4: Scenes and Subjects
• Chapter 5: Opening Our Eyes: Discovering What Interpreters Do and Why
• Chapter 6: What Remains to Be Seen
• Appendix A: Categories and Definitions for Coding Video Data
• Appendix B: Expanded List and Definitions of What and Why Categories
• Appendix C: Overarching Themes From Interview and Video Data
• References
• Index