by Alison Trujillo
In June, NCTA welcomed Matthias Steiert, Ph.D. and Afaf Steiert, M.Sc. for a webinar entitled “Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Educational Community Interpreting.” Matthias and Afaf work as interpreters in schools and run Afaf Translations, which offers a full spectrum of language services. The goal of the webinar was to explain why educational interpreting should be considered equivalent to legal meetings, to learn how educational interpreters can better understand students with special needs, to discuss ways to bridge gaps between different educational systems and expectations that families may or may not have, and other related topics.
Thankfully, there is a growing awareness of the fact that children should not be responsible for translating and interpreting for their parents or guardians in a school setting, for example, during back-to-school events, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting or a general parent-teacher conference. The American Translators Association recently shared a video created by Kevin Jin Kwan Kim called “What Did They Say?” that follows one girl’s experience trying to translate and interpret often difficult, emotional content for her mother. (You can see the video here.)
Matthias began the webinar by sharing a general definition of educational interpreting: “Educational interpreting is a specialization of community interpreting that facilitates access to educational services in schools.” He then discussed why an inclusive school environment must include the legal right of a family to have access to an interpreter in their own language when meeting with school staff and other related personnel.
Educational interpreters want to successfully connect with the student, parent(s) and school staff involved. I appreciated Matthias’ ideas for connecting with students who are neurodivergent, have a physical disability, or who may present behavior issues. He shared examples of how to gain a student’s trust at a moment when they might be feeling nervous, vulnerable, or wary. Simple and playful re-focusing strategies, for example, can work wonders with a restless kindergartener. Helping an older student to feel seen and heard can quickly form a more trusting relationship when you, the interpreter, are the new adult in the room.
Afaf shared that, as we well know, California has a high need for educational translators and interpreters. Some states set standards for educational interpreters and translators, requiring specific credentials or a license. She reviewed a few of those requirements and went on to explain the basic components of an IEP meeting as well as typical documents that a linguist might be asked to translate. Again, both presenters stressed the legal necessity of these services. A professional linguist is a must because they often provide sight translation and both simultaneous and consecutive interpreting all in one assignment.
We had a lively discussion and Q+A following the presentation. Some participants shared their own experiences, whether as a seasoned professional or as someone just starting out in the field. We also asked, “How can we have as much information as possible before a meeting or event? What questions should we be asking ahead of time? How do school districts hire or contract out to interpreters and translators?”
Thanks to Matthias and Afaf for their presentation. Keep an eye out for more education-related topics! We’ve received requests for training about how IEP meetings work and what documents accompany them, as well as a chance to have breakout groups for fellow educational interpreters to further share their experiences.
Alison Trujillo holds a B.A. in Spanish and Latin American/Iberian Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.Ed. in International Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco. She taught both Spanish and English for 15 years in K-12 schools and began her translation business in 2017. As a freelance Spanish into English translator, she is an active member of ATA and currently serves as NCTA’s Continuing Education Director.
