de la Mora Interpreter Training: Upcoming Advanced and Expert Spanish Court Interpreter Training Opportunities
by NITA Administrator ~ May 8, 2010
De la Mora Interpreter Training is offering no less than three upcoming advanced and expert level training and workshop opportunities, to suit judicial (court) interpreters who work in the Spanish – English language pair and are looking for solid skill building events. Training is available both in-person and on-line (i.e. over the Internet) and is offered in different levels, according to the following definitions as provided by De la Mora Interpreter Training:
- Level 1: I am bilingual, however, I have little or no understanding of the interpretation profession. I am interested in learning more about the skills needed to become an interpreter and how I can become certified.
- Level 2: I have been interpreting for some time. I am familiar with the skills and required methodology, however, I still have some questions and would like to improve my skills.
- Level 3: I have several years of experience. I am intimately familiar with the code of ethics, all three modes of interpretation, and my role as an interpreter. I am State or Federally certified, or I have completed a “level 2″ course in the past, and I want to build upon my expertise.
The following training opportunities are programmed for this summer of 2010:
Level 2 – Advanced Skill Training For Professional Spanish Court Interpreters (in-person)
This workshop focuses on the three modes of interpretation. Instruction will be primarily directed at developing the skills needed to interpret effectively in a judicial environment. All class periods will have a practicum component. Interpretation, memory and listening techniques will be presented and discussed. At the conclusion of this very intensive, hands-on workshop, participants will be able set improvement goals and elaborate their own study programs and materials. Class is limited to 16 participants per venue! This training will be offered at the following locations and dates:
- Orlando, Florida – May 29th and 30th
- Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada – June 5th and 6th*
- Raleigh, North Carolina – July 10th and 11th
- Las Vegas, Nevada – July 24th and 25th
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – August 14th and 15th
*Note: The June 5 and 6 venues are the same as those of the full-day skill-building workshop that is mandatory for those re-taking the written exam, and are offered in conjunction with the Court Interpreter Program of the AOC, NV Supreme Court. This means that the June 5 venue is in Reno, and the June 6 venue in Las Vegas. See also the pertinent announcement on the Court Interpreter Program webpage.
For more information and registration, please see the De la Mora Interpreter Training announcement. Early bird discount is available!
Level 3 – Expert Skill Training For Professional Spanish Court Interpreters (in-person)
This course is targeted at interpreters with several years of experience. The one-day session will cover advanced interpretation techniques, relay interpretation, and an intense set of review exercises for the three modes. To register, you must be state-certified, or have attended a level 2 training in the past. This expert-level training will be offered on July 9th in Raleigh, North Carolina.
For more information and registration, please see the De la Mora Interpreter Training announcement. Early bird discount is available!
Level 2 – On-Line Advanced Skill training for Interpreters (weekly, distributed over six weeks)
This is a six-week online course in a friendly environment. Chat one-on-one with the instructor from your home or office while they personally advise you on how to better your skills. Limited to ten participants. The course starts May 2oth, from 7 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. Eastern time (!) and every Thursday thereafter, at the same time. This eighth seminar will cover all three modes of interpretation and will be taught by Mr. James Plunkett, a federally certified court interpreter and rater with over 15 years of experience in the field.
To participate, you must have a broadband internet connection and a personal computer with a headset and microphone. You will not be able to use external microphones and speakers as these can mbe disruptive to the class. (If you don’t already have a headset, you can bundle it with your registration.)
For more information and registration, please see the De la Mora Interpreter Training announcement. Early bird discount is available until May 17!
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May 16th, 2010 at 4:20 am UTC
I want to become an Spanish court interpreter, I’m completely lost, I don’t know where to start, I’m fluent in Spanish, still learning English, if you guys can help me somehow I’d really appreciate it. I live in Orlando FL. Thank you very much.
May 16th, 2010 at 4:26 pm UTC
Hi Lisa, thanks for dropping by! Although you indicate you’re still learning English, it seems you’re already quite up to speed. So, the fist and somewhat obvious recommendation is to keep working on that, as mastering both languages is an indispensable requisite to be an effective interpreter.
Secondly, and depending on your particular circumstance, there are essentially two routes to develop and sharpen your interpreter skills: there are several university colleges that offer an academic curriculum tailored to the profession of an interpreter, some even leading to credentialing as a certified court interpreter (although the pertinent exams are administered by the pertinent judicial administrative entity, they prepare you for them.) For example, the Monterey Institute (in California) offers programs that specialize even further (such as for conference interpreting) via their Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education.
Sadly, that formal academic route is not available to everyone, for a variety of practical reasons; e.g. in my particular case, I have a family to support, which would preclude that possibility. So, the alternative, second route would be to make an effort to accumulate practical experience, and combine it with appropriate skill-building courses and trainings. At least initially, it’s a very good idea to actively look for volunteer interpreting openings; I am positive that in your community (Orlando, FL) there is an abundance of such opportunities, especially in the Spanish-English language pair. While you do that, familiarizing yourself with the various “codes of conduct” applicable to the differing interpreting specializations (e.g. in health care and judicial settings) will give you a very good idea of how, what (and moreover, why!) us professional interpreters do our job the way we do, in our particular specialization. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to “get” the conduct-related aspects down pat as early as possible!
Particularly since you’re in Orlando, you’re in luck because de la Mora Interpreter Training (of well-experienced, federally certified court interpreter and highly seasoned interpreting educator and trainer Agustin de la Mora) is precisely based in Orlando! So, my more direct suggestion would be to get in touch with them, and learn about suitable training opportunities they can offer.
Whether you take that “second route” – which I readily admit is far more challenging, as you have to muster all the discipline necessary to persist in combining practice / experience with supporting courses on your own – or follow the path of “full” academic education, there is simply no substitute whatsoever for practice, practice, practice. So, finding (pre-recorded) material to sink your teeth in and keep at it, is absolutely a key pillar to successfully build up your skills to a satisfactory level, and beyond. Trust me, even more “seasoned” interpreters need to keep at it; there’s always a next level (e.g. as in sustained words per minute rate) to work towards, waiting to be overcome.
Also: don’t hesitate to look up and contact practicing professional interpreters. Ask if you can “shadow” them, see how they do their job, and – time and circumstance permitting – learn also and especially why they do what they do, in the manner they do. You’ll probably learn fairly quickly that “us” interpreters have widely differing approaches to our profession; in part, that’s a reflection of individual differences (personality, particular skill set, etc.) and to a fair degree, also a difference in professional perspective. Learning and understanding those differences, the “reasons why” (even without picking any one as “right” or “correct”) will be of great benefit to you. It’s probably a good idea to shun “secretive” interpreters, who don’t (can’t) handle it when people nearby closely watch (and listen to!) their performance. Odds are, there’s little to learn from them! We all occasionally make mistakes; if one’s not comfortable admitting that, able to deal with it professionally, that’s a big sign that there’s still a steep learning curve ahead.
Of course, as (almost) needless to say, join (or at least look up and hook up with) members of one or more interpreter and translator associations. Arguably, NITA is perhaps less obvious a choice due to the distance, but I’m sure you’ll find plenty if not many more colleagues in Florida, too. Don’t forget the American Translators Association, ATA! You’ll see that by and large we’re fairly gregarious people, happy to share and offer tips, pointers, and ideas to help you find and improve your skills. Also, have a look at NITA’s Recommended Links and Resources for language professionals, which has a bunch of links for you. Of special interest to you as an aspiring court interpreter is the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, NAJIT. I warmly recommend signing up with them.
Now, finally this: it all starts and ends with a deep-seated love for “your” two languages and the people who speak it. It’s quite obvious that if you don’t have a natural respect for the people you interpret for, you won’t get far; similarly, if you don’t truly respect and love both languages that you work in, you will sooner rather than later find that the discipline required to always keep your linguistic mind open, looking for better translation solutions, working toward “a more perfect language mastery” is dreadfully difficult. You really have to love, admire and respect both languages (and of course the people) to have the ongoing motivation to remain open, to learn and to improve your game. Routine, comfort, overconfidence (a big one!) and contentment are professionally speaking your mortal enemies!
Trust me, only such a professional orientation, seeking out and struggling to reach excellence, is what will keep you going, well after your fifth year in the profession. And as you work at it – which is an ongoing effort, no matter your level of experience – you’ll find that others will recognize your achievement.
Hopefully this gives you some tips and ideas to move further into our exciting and (certainly in my experience) immensely gratifying profession building bridges among people and their goals in life.
Good luck!