SPANISH SKILLS TRAINING FOR COURT INTERPRETERS
(Language: Spanish)
Instructor: Susana Stettri-Sawrey
This six-hour skills tune-up is designed to prepare participants to take the Consortium Oral Performance Test in Spanish. This session will review the basic concepts surrounding the use of the three modes of interpretation. Participants will practice sight translation, consecutive interpretation, and simultaneous interpretation, with attention to the appropriate protocol for each.

RUSSIAN SKILLS TRAINING FOR COURT INTERPRETERS
(Language: Russian)
Instructor: Elena Bogdanovich-Werner
This six-hour skills tune-up is designed to prepare participants to take the Consortium Oral Performance Test in Russian. This session will review the basic concepts surrounding the use of the three modes of interpretation. Participants will practice sight translation, consecutive interpretation, and simultaneous interpretation, with attention to the appropriate protocol for each.

ELECTRONIC GLOSSARIES FOR THE SEMI-TECHNICAL USER
(Language: English)
Instructor: Michael Piper
In this workshop, Professor Michael Piper (Des Moines Area Community College Interpretation and Translation Program) will guide participants in a hands-on exploration of how to use Microsoft Excel (versions 2003 or 2007) to construct a personalized master glossary that can be manipulated (sorted, extracted, formatted, and printed) allowing the user to store huge amounts of personally-collected glossary material in an accessible and easy-to-use medium. Participants will learn how to export extracts of their sorted glossary in different formats (Excel, PDF, Word). Instruction will also be given on how to change the input language/keyboard layout on participants’ computers.

Workshop Requirements: Participants must bring their own laptop/netbook computer with Excel 2003 (XP) or 2007 (Vista) loaded. (Mac users are welcome, but support will not be given in case procedures vary from Excel for Windows/Vista). Ability to access the internet wirelessly is desirable but not required. Participants should also bring at least 1 or 2 reference works (glossaries or dictionaries in print or digital format). Participants should feel comfortable using Word and Internet Explorer, and have some familiarity with Excel.

WEIGHTLIFTING FOR COURT INTERPRETERS: A TRAINING PRIMER
(Language: English, LOTS-Focused)
Instructor: Agustín de la Mora
This 6-hour workshop will focus on the three modes of interpretation. Instruction will be directed at developing the skills needed to interpret effectively in a judicial environment. Interpretation, memory and listening techniques will be presented and discussed. This hands-on course, which utilizes an "out of the box" approach to training, will allow participants to identify, through objective evaluations, their current level of knowledge and abilities in each of the three modes of interpretation as well as develop their skills by actively interpreting during class.

WORKSHOP ON MEANING DISCRIMINATION IN BILINGUAL DICTIONARIES WITH EXAMPLES IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH - The Technique for Evaluation of Dictionaries for Translation Purposes
(Language: English and Spanish)
Instructor: Michael D. Powers
This is a practical workshop in which various bilingual groups are formed in order to rate different bilingual dictionaries according to their treatment of polysemy.

One of the perennial debates concerning Machine Translation is the fact that words that are high in polysemy, that is, that have several different meanings, even in the same context, cannot be coded to accurately translate the intended meaning.

A case in point is the adjective "hot" in English. Even in the criminal law context: "She has a hot car" can mean a "stolen car," or a "fast car," or even a "popular car." Moreover, there are so many different meanings with the adjective "hot," such as "hot air" or "hot food" meaning either "spicy" or physically "hot," that inevitably if these expressions are not included, some translators will mistranslate these phrases.

Hence, for purposes of this workshop, twenty of the words from the English language that are high in polysemy, based on three of the most respected monolingual English dictionaries, are analyzed in the different bilingual dictionaries the participants bring to the workshop, in order to determine how many of the different senses are actually discriminated in the target language.

In the workshop, after showing the methodology to be used through its application, participants are going to apply it to the dictionaries present in the different language pairs and they will be rank ordered.

ETHICS AND REALITY IN COURT AND MEDICAL PROCEEDINGS - CANONS AND REAL LIFE SITUATIONS
(Language: English)
Instructor: Alexander Rainof
A survey of basic canons of Ethics shall be introduced and discussed, with an emphasis on specific situations relating to the canons. Problems that have emerged in the course of real life proceedings, and their relationship to expert testimony, shall be analyzed. Audio and audio-visual materials shall be integrated into this interactive workshop.

SOUTHWEST BORDER TALK
(Language: English and Spanish)
Instructor: Rogelio Camacho
In this highly interactive, empowering and entertaining workshop, participants will become familiar with, use, discuss, review and translate relevant Spanish vocabulary currently being used on both sides of the border. Everybody is welcome. Don't miss out.

Activities for individual, small group and large group practice will be offered throughout the presentation.

Participants will acquire an in-depth understanding regarding the dynamics of interpreting in different settings (i.e. health care, public service, social, judiciary, etc.) In addition, we will discuss the need to incorporate an effective training development program to include message retention techniques, note-taking, register and role shifting, consecutive interpreting, ethical decision making and awareness of cross-cultural differences in order to adequately develop community interpreting competence. A review of current standards which guide the practice of professional community interpreters will be conducted. The types and modes of interpreting and an assessment of cultural competence Attendees will participate role play and group exercises utilizing scripted material and hands-on electronic interpreting equipment.

DECISION LATITUDE IN LEGAL INTERPRETING: THE CONTRIBUTION OF RELATIONAL AUTONOMY
(Language: English)
Instructor: Anna Witter-Merithew and Dr. Leilani Johnson
Professional autonomy is the right-in fact the ethical responsibility-of members of the interpreting profession to act according to shared standards of the profession. Professional autonomy implies the right to exercise professional judgment in the face of pressures from institutional authorities, disagreement with members of the legal profession, or other demands. However, adhering to this paradigm is challenging. Our autonomy is in fact relational as a result of the very social structures upon which it depends for its existence-legislative mandates, system-based policies and procedures, and a unique bond to the language communities we serve.

These factors create unique and complex conditions impacting our decision latitude. On one hand we are afforded the standing of 'officers of the court', and yet we often find ourselves at the center of serious social injustices imposed on language minorities confronting the legal system. How are we to reconcile these factors?

This presentation will focus on a framework for ethical decision-making that views interpreting through the lens of relational autonomy and delineates the conditions that enhance or restrict decision latitude of legal interpreters, and the consequences of each. This framework will assist practitioners in discussing their work and decision-making in a manner that can be understood, appreciated and valued by those within the legal system, leading to increased respect and professional standing for interpreters and enhanced ethical decision-making.

PROPOSAL: A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR INTERPRETERS IN MEXICAN INDIAN LANGUAGES FOR THE U.S. COURT SYSTEM
(Language: English)
Instructor: Georgeanne Weller
The growing need for interpreters in the U.S. court system is well documented (Feuerle, Festinger, Mikkelson, Orrantia, Teleki & Varela, and Weller), but little progress has been made to date on implementing a training program aimed to solving the problem, which has become acute in several parts of the country.

The reasons are many fold: in addition to the "invisibility" or undocumented status of potential trainees, the word "lack of" or "insufficient" precedes the following nouns: funding, political will, a well-designed program, materials and facilities, trained trainers with the right language combination and others.

This paper outlines and discusses the content of a generic curriculum for a certificate program which can be adapted to any language combination between English and/or Spanish and selected Mexican Indian languages.

TEAM INTERPRETING IN THE COURTROOM, THE CODE OF ETHICS, AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
(Language: English)
Instructors: Thelma Ferry and Bonnie Rangel
This interactive seminar will review statutes, rules of law, and policies related to an interpreter's professional responsibilities and ethical standing. Working in teams during trials and lengthy proceedings is recommended, allowing interpreters to provide effective communication, and to preserve the accuracy, quality, and uniformity of the interpreting task. Team interpreting prevents burnout and fatigue, while ensuring adherence to regulatory and judicial guidelines. This seminar will examine the degree of trust placed on interpreters and the magnitude of this responsibility, which requires strict compliance to ethical standards. Attendees will participate in live exercises utilizing scripted material and hands-on electronic interpreting equipment.

DEFINING SPECIALIST COMPETENCE AND BEST PRACTICES FOR AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS WORKING IN THE LEGAL SETTING
(Language: English)
Instructors: Anna Witter Merithew and Carla Mathers
A national project was undertaken to define the competencies and best practices of American Sign Language (ASL)-English interpreters working in the legal setting. The project was funded through federal grant funds. This presentation will focus on the process of 1) distinguishing generalist from specialist competence, 2) defining standard, best and effective practice of ASL interpreters in the legal setting, and 3) strategies for building consensus around both standards of competence and best practice within the field of ASL-English interpreter practitioners and educators. The lessons learned from this national project are widely applicable to both sign and spoken language interpreters and educators. Of particular interest are the findings from a series of focus groups and a national survey that indicate disconnect between what practitioners believe is best practice and what they actually apply in their day-to-day work. The factors impacting this disconnect include philosophical perspectives on decision latitude of interpreters, system constraints, and a lack of mastery of specific competencies. The implications of these findings for both practice and education of interpreters to work in the legal setting will be discussed.

THE "BUSINESS" OF INTERPRETING AND TRANSLATING
(Language: English)
Instructor: Rob Cruz
This session will discuss how to develop an "owner's perspective" toward your language services business, and how basic small-business concepts relate to the field of translation and interpreting. This will include the need for and the ways to create legal entities to organize your business such as sub-chapter S corporations, LLC's, etc. as well as other strategies to successfully run an interpreter or translation business.
Freelance translators and interpreters need to start thinking of themselves as business owners as well as professional language service providers. Many times, however, translators and interpreters only consider themselves business owners when they operate an agency or employ other individuals. As a result, freelancers can find themselves in a competitive business environment without having learned the proper mindset to be as successful as possible. As you will learn from this session, thinking like a business owner requires skills that are quite separate from those necessary to translate or interpret.

ADVOCACY/GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS UPDATE
(Language: English)
Speakers: John Estill and Isabel Framer
Join the chairs of the Advocacy Committee and the Community and Government Relations Committee to discuss the advocacy activities of last year, and the plans for the future.

What does quality in translation mean and how do we get there? First of all, there are basic quality standards that should be met in every translation product. Therefore, there should be a separate step to address quality in the translation process and, when possible, two separate individuals to perform translation and quality tasks. Additionally, there are many tools that range from CAT or TenT to style guides and checklists that help achieve this goal. Finally, quality is an ongoing process that starts from the first contact between translation provider and client, it continues to when the product is delivered and should end with a follow-up to measure satisfaction and obtain feedback. Even when time constraints or the availability of linguists are an issue, certain techniques can be used to assure the best quality product is delivered. Independently of where you stand in the process, quality should be looked at as a goal that can only be achieved when a team effort is made.

BI-CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND THE COURT INTERPRETER: IS THERE A PLACE FOR CULTURAL BROKERAGE?
(Language: English)
Instructors: Bethany Korp Edwards and Michael Kagan
Court interpreters serve as the Court's expert in matters of language. But in order to perform the language function at the highest level, they must also become experts in culture … not only the cultures of those who speak the interpreter's non-English language, but also the many cultures that speak English: national, regional, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic, among others. We will first discuss how to become culturally competent in the cultures of both of an interpreter's working languages, and then move on to the question: Now that we have this knowledge, how do we apply it to our work? How does cultural competence inform our interpretations? Can we, and should we, ever serve as experts in cultural issues as well as linguistic ones? Is there any room in a court interpreter's ethical standards and best practices for cultural brokerage, either in or outside the courtroom? If our first duty is to the message, can a message be completely and accurately transmitted when the parties involved do not understand each other's culture, and what responsibility, if any, does the court interpreter have to convey culture along with words?

This presentation will build on the groundbreaking research I have conducted on interpretation, domestic violence, and developing best practices for the court systems across the United States. The goal of this session is to provide an opportunity for interpreters to hear the concerns and ideas of their colleagues and to brainstorm new directions for the field as well as their own particular careers.

The session will include handouts, time for discussion, and an opportunity to develop next steps. This session is designed to enable interpreters to see their work in a larger context and provide valuable time for reflection on how to enhance their efficacy.

3:15 - 4:15 PM

BEST INTERPRETING PRACTICES/ BUREAU SOURCING CRITERIA
(Language: English)
Instructor: Maria Cristina de la Vega
This is a relevant topic that should be of primary interest not only to practitioners but also to the agencies that hire them. My basic premise is that to be successful, a professional interpreter must embody three qualities: experience/knowledge, a good and flexible attitude as well as a firm code of ethics. In order to implement same an interpreter must have both goals and a system in place to achieve them.

The cited qualities are the three legs of the stool. Each is as important as the other two because you can be the most pedantic storehouse of knowledge and not have the requisite people skills to get along with your co-workers, employers/audience. Likewise, if those you interact with do not perceive you to have the moral integrity to treat them fairly, the other two attributes alone will not allow you to be successful.

Experience is easily quantifiable employing specific verbal tests that incorporate the type of language/subject matter in question for the position to be filled. (Samples will be provided) Applicable certifications and references from colleagues are also considered. Time permitting, there will be a brief online demonstration on how to conduct research on the internet and to build a glossary to prepare for specific assignments. A handout on sites that can be employed to aid in the research as well as recommendations of dictionaries, will be supplied. Reference will be made to internships as a tool to gain experience.

The attitude and ethics pieces are gleaned from a behavioral interview structured to prompt probable outcomes when faced with certain situations and geared to elicit how past experiences were dealt with and how they have affected and hopefully improved present practices. (Samples will be provided). Specific mention will be made as to stress management, timeliness, flexibility and camaraderie, linking them as well as the knowledge piece, to membership in professional associations and internships as valuable resources.

The goal is to standout as individuals and collective organizations and to raise the bar for the whole industry to gain the professional recognition it deserves.

An overview of the profession today in California, the presentation will cover supply and demand for interpreters in the court system, the languages subject to certification, the numbers of employees and contractors, and the structure of the employment system and collective bargaining. The presenter will describe the general conditions of employment, including pay, benefits, working conditions, and the types of employment positions available.

Specific contract provisions will be discussed, including how they assist interpreters in maintaining standards will be discussed and the limitations encountered in trying to address professional issues such as team interpreting. We'll look at current issues facing the profession in California, including a Judicial Council review and possible redesign of the certification exams, and the push by legislators to expand services into the civil sector.

Ample time will be provided for questions and discussion.

WORKSHOP ON MEANING DISCRIMINATION IN BILINGUAL SPANISH-ENGLISH LEGAL DICTIONARIES AND THEIR APPROPRIATE SELECTION FOR ACCURATE TRANSLATIONS
(Language: English, Spanish)
Instructor: Michael D. Powers
This session is designed to objectively rate some of the thirty bilingual Spanish-English legal dictionaries according to their treatment of polysemy on the most highly differentiated terms in meaning discrimination pursuant to the latest edition of the Black monolingual English legal dictionary.
Whether the word is "suretyship" or a different word within the concept of bonding, or criminal law, or a different aspect of law, the 20 most poly-semantic terms are analyzed as to their coverage in some representative Spanish-English bilingual legal dictionaries in the English-Spanish direction to rate these different dictionaries.
In addition to this rank ordering of bilingual Spanish-English legal dictionaries in the English-Spanish direction, suggestions will be made for similar research in specific domains of law, such as criminal, patents, etc.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
(Language: English)
Instructor: Agustin de la Mora

Taking a test is a nerve-wracking experience; but for some of us, the stress becomes so intense that it affects our performance. This presentation focuses on how to implement a self-study program that includes relaxation exercises as part of the training. Attendees will be invited to participate in a guided relaxation exercise. Suggestopedia and other learning techniques will be discussed.

Note: Due to the nature of this presentation, the group cannot be interrupted during the session. If you are planning to participate, please be there on time. Once the doors are closed, no one will be admitted entry.

A NEW BEGINNING TO AN OLD PROBLEM: MAKING LANGUAGE PART OF THE SOLUTION RATHER THAN PART OF THE PROBLEM
(Language: English)
Moderator: Isabel Framer
Panelists:
Les Jin, Senior Counselor Civil Rights Division, USDOJ
Jeff Robinson, Director NVTC
Juliet K. Choi, Senior Director, Disaster Services, American Red Cross
Michael Mule, Staff Attorney, Empire Justice Center
Laura Abel, Deputy Director, Access To Justice Project, Brennan Center for Justice

Over the last decade, great strides have been made by the courts, law enforcement, emergency response organizations and other service providers in recognizing and addressing the needs of linguistic minorities. However, as is the case of the art of interpreting itself, language assistance planning is a dynamic process. For this reason, as the demographics and specific needs of linguistic communities change over time, so must the strategies and policies necessary to address those needs. Otherwise, the language resources you desperately need may well be different than the language resources you have planned for.

In this panel, led by Isabel Framer, representatives from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the National Virtual Translation Center, the judiciary, the American Red Cross and the legal profession will share past experiences and current strategies on addressing tomorrow’s language needs today.

RECORDINGS, TRANSCRIPTS AND TRANSLATIONS AS EVIDENCE: A LAWYER'S PERSPECTIVE
(Language: English)
Instructor: Cliff Fishman
This presentation covers authentication of recordings and transcripts, and all the issues that are likely to arise when a translation and transcript of a non-English conversation is offerd into evidence, including how to deal with unreasonable expectations from the client; what a transcript/translation should, and should not, include; and how to prepare for direct and cross-examination. The presentation works best as an ongoing dialogue between Prof. Fishman and his audience, so please feel free to ask questions!

REAL-TIME LANGUAGE ASSET MANAGEMENT
(Language: English)
Instructor: Alejandra Franks
In this competitive industry, translation providers are always striving to be more efficient and productive. There are different ways to achieve this, but one common strategy is investing in new tools and technologies. Not long ago, the translator's workstation consisted of just a pencil, a piece of paper and books. However, significant technology advances in recent decades have changed the way translation providers perform their work.

In the recent years, these work stations have moved to desktop Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools or Translation Environment Tools (TEnTs), and very recently to Internet-enabled, client/server translation productivity solutions. The Internet and other computer technologies have changed the way translation providers perform their tasks because of the new resources at their disposal.

One of these internet-enabled solutions is The Translation Workspace. This software-as-a-Service (SaaS) application is designed to increase a translator's productivity without the need to install large complex desktop tools. This Translation Workspace is based on years of production experience and translation technology expertise. New approaches to Translation Memory (TM) and terminology management make it possible for individual translators to be more productive, and enable globally-distributed teams of translators to collaborate on projects in real time, without having to exchange large and often proprietary TM and term data files. Next-generation cloud computing architecture meets translator-focused design in this new translation productivity solution.

BREAKING BARRIERS: CHALLENGES FOR RARE LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS
(Language: English)
Instructors: Ana Maria Varela Gill and Virginia Wilkins
This presentation focuses on the growing need for rare language interpreters and highlights stories ripped from national headlines including: "Concord child abduction hearing halted to wait for Mayan interpreter"… "Language Barrier Slows Rapes & Kidnapping Case"…. "Can a Mother Lose Her Child Because She Doesn't Speak English?" As the need for rare language interpreters becomes more vital for everyday court proceedings the need to locate interpreters for these cases has become an urgent issue nationwide. Depending on rarity of the language request courts are facing extraordinary pressure to locate a qualified interpreter in a timely manner. Support and training have become essential tools to be able to provide qualified rare language interpreters.

The change in demographics in the United States has led to a unique challenge of recruiting qualified interpreters in a growing number of languages. Lack of experienced interpreters has led to the need for innovative solutions such as relay interpretation. This presentation will include snippets from rare language interpreters across the country. Learn about the day-to-day challenges and triumphs of rare language interpreters in the courtroom. Open dialogue will allow attendees to discuss ways of effectively working with rare language interpreters and how providers deal with training and support issues. The presenters are members of a team that successfully fills over 100,000 assignments in over 235 languages annually including indigenous languages from around the world and rare sign languages.

Memory can be improved in many effective ways, two of them being visualization techniques and phonic imitation (imitating the "Sing-Song" of the original message). This workshop presents and applies these two techniques and equips participants with memory exercises and simple "tricks" to improve their daily professional practice.

TRANSLATING MEXICAN CERTIFICADOS AND ACTAS DE DEFUNCIÓN
(Language: English, Spanish)
Instructor: Rogelio Camacho
In this fast paced presentation, participants will work with approximately 200 Spanish words and phrases taken from two official documents. Bring an extra pluma.

ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING IN TRANSLATING AND INTERPRETING PEDAGOGY AND PRACTICE
(Language: English)
Instructors: Paul Gatto and Roseann Dueñas González
Latinos are the fastest growing population in the United States but show some of the poorest academic performance largely as a result of an academic culture that has failed to recognize the value of their linguistic and cultural capital. At the same time, the need for professionals with advanced bilingual skills is rapidly increasing in all public and private institutions, particularly in high-stakes areas such as courts, education, and health care.

This presentation will discuss the University of Arizona's newest project, Preparación Online. This project is designed to aid Latino students in succeeding in high school and postsecondary education. This innovative project is developing an online teacher in-service for translation and interpretation pedagogy, and will provide specialized translation and interpretation curriculum units to high school teachers nationally, with the goal of improving Latino students' academic performance and engagement, making them more college ready and positioning them to pursue careers in professional language service. The project, its empirical support, and its theoretical foundations will be discussed.

In addition, the structure of the training will be presented with an eye towards its adaptation for use in online training professional interpreters.

PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE EMERGING ROLE OF THE INTERPRETER/INVESTIGATOR
(Language: English)
Instructors: Lupe Caballero, Kailey Moran, Tim Schwering, Lionel Bajaña, and Jeck Navarrete
Judiciary Interpreting is a compendium of language professionals that work in the many different settings of the American legal landscape. Court interpreters, police interpreters, and freelance interpreters are some of the titles that work under the umbrella of Judiciary Interpreting. A smaller group of language professionals are interpreters/investigators. The Federal Defenders Office is the employer of a significant number of interpreter/investigators and we suspect other public defender offices are increasingly procuring the services of language professionals for these dual roles. This emerging model merits detailed analysis. In our presentation we would like to address methodology, techniques, code of ethics, philosophy, etc that are unique to the interpreter/investigator. As part of the presentation, the panel would be comprised of an Assistant Federal Defender, an Investigator, an Interpreter and an Interpreter/Investigator and a Judicial Interpreter to round out the panel. The panel would discuss team approaches to litigation with non-English speaking clients and the dual role an Interpreter/Investigator serves in such a setting as more than a "mouthpiece". We believe this is important information we would like to share with colleagues who work in other settings and also to inform those who may consider working as an interpreter/investigator in the future.

SECRET STRATEGIES FOR MARKETING LANGUAGE SERVICES TO LAWYERS
(Language: English)
Speaker: Melody Kramer
Learn from a veteran lawyer how lawyers think and act, and how you can use those characteristics to market yourself an invaluable, and unique, asset to their legal teams.

This session will introduce you to a lawyer's thought processes when seeking out a translator or interpreter, what they know and don't know about your job, and what they know and don't know about your impact on their client matters.

You will learn how to structure your marketing efforts around these thought processes to optimize your marketing's impact, from informal networking events, to internet presence, handling projects and appearances, and formal marketing materials. Plan to leave this sessions with general strategies, and specific examples of marketing material.