Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
INTR 1225
Descriptive
Professional and Cultural Mediation
Department
Sign Language Interpretation
Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
Yes
Semester Length
Flexible delivery ranging over 2 to 15 week
Max Class Size
16
Contact Hours
60 hours
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning Activities
- Lecture/discussion
Course Description
This course provides students with opportunities to explore the concept of sign language interpreters as cultural mediators within their professional role. Role-play, culturally-linked texts and field experiences will be used to stimulate discussion, reflection and class projects.
Course Content
The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:
- Oppression influences the group dynamics between majority-minority group members in predictable, identifiable ways.
- It is critical that interpreters understand the characteristics of oppressed and oppressor peoples and recognize any tendencies they may have to use their position of power to reinforce this status quo.
- Empowerment of individuals in Deaf-Deaf interactions and in Deaf-hearing interactions results in healthy and essential self-determination. Interpreters can play a part in the empowerment of others in interpreted interactions.
- Language and culture cannot be separated. A significant part of communication facilitation that an interpreter provides depends on cultural, as well as linguistic, mediation.
- “Professionalism” is a concept which grows from a cultural frame of reference. Interpreters must know the meaning of “professionalism” from both a Deaf cultural frame and from a hearing cultural frame. Further, interpreters must know how to balance that role in Deaf-hearing interactions.
- Professional practice requires critical thinking and the application of ethical principles in making decisions. Further, practitioners must be able to clearly express their decision and the basis for their point of view in a variety of formats and settings.
- In order to be credible, professional practitioners, it is important for sign language interpreters to become certified.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Analyze the impact of oppression on Deaf /hearing interactions and the role of the interpreter in minimizing the effects of oppression
- Explain the interpreter’s role in empowering the interlocutors in interpreted situations
- Illustrate how cultural and linguistic mediation is integral to the communication facilitation provided by an interpreter
- Compare “professionalism” from a Deaf and hearing cultural frame
- Utilize a decision-making model
- Apply ethical principles to interpreting situations
- Assess how certification applies to being a credible professional practitioner.
Means of Assessment
This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations. Typical means of evaluation would include a combination of:
- Attendance and participation
- Written assignments
- Group work/presentations
- Case studies
This is a letter graded course.
Textbook Materials
T.B.A.