Working with Interpreters
CORE developed this page to assist Cultural Orientation providers and interpreters to successfully create collaborative and streamlined Cultural Orientation classes. The page expands on information and guidance provided in CORE’s Working Effectively with Interpreters online course and features additional resources designed for both Cultural Orientation providers and interpreters, offering a combination of online lessons and suggested in-person activities.
Featured Resource
Cultural Orientation Glossary – English
Featured Resource
Cultural Orientation Glossary – English
Tips for Working with Interpreters
As a Cultural Orientation provider, you’ll be working with refugees who often have limited English language skills. Interpreters play an important role in the Cultural Orientation experience and communicate key messages to participants in-language. Cultural Orientation providers have a responsibility to prepare and set expectations for interpreters before the Cultural Orientation session to ensure interpreters are appropriately prepared for the session.
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Pre-Session Meeting
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Pre-Session Meeting
As the Cultural Orientation provider, you should take steps to prepare the interpreter and set expectations for good communication at the beginning of a Cultural Orientation session. Then actively monitor the interpreted communication in case further adjustments are necessary.
Tips for Interpreters Delivering Cultural Orientation
You, as an interpreter, are essential for communicating key messages to Cultural Orientation participants in-language. Although you are a partner in the Cultural Orientation session, there are certain roles and expectations you must abide by.
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Know Your Role
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Know Your Role
As an interpreter delivering Cultural Orientation, you assist the Cultural Orientation provider in conveying information to a group of learners accurately and completely. Do not start a conversation with the learners, offer them advice, or attempt to answer their questions. That is the role of the Cultural Orientation provider.
Interpret Shorter Segments
As an interpreter delivering Cultural Orientation, make sure you feel empowered to ask the Cultural Orientation provider to pause from time to time or to speak in short segments to allow you to convey the message accurately. While these segments don’t necessarily have to be a complete sentence, they should contain a complete thought.
Additional Resources
- CORE’s webinar: Enhancing Interpretation During CO
- Cultural Orientation Objectives and Indicators
- Interpreting for Unaccompanied Minors in the U.S.: Drawing from data on interpreters’ experiences interpreting for minors in U.S. asylum settings, this webinar offers strategies and techniques to prepare you for these encounters . The webinar also examines education and training opportunities for this specialized work.
- Interpreting: Getting it Right
- LEP.gov : LEP.gov shares resources and information to help expand and improve language assistance services for individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with federal law.
- BlueHorizon: Interpreter Training Online
- US Courts Interpreter Categories
- National Association of Judiciary Interpreters & Translators : resources and webinars
- Pennsylvania Courts : interpreter resources
- Resettlement & Integration Technical Assistance: Interpretation & Language Access Resources
- Conference Interpreting :resources about basic practice in interpreting skills and techniques.
- The American Association of Language Specialists
- Switchboard TA: Interpretation Resources
- Switchboard: Introduction to Working with Interpreters
- Switchboard: Overcoming Challenges in Interpretation
- Cross-Cultural Communications Interpretation Resources
