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Brand the Interpreter
What if La Malinche—the Indigenous woman who famously served as interpreter and advisor to Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of Mexico—could share her stories? Imagine the insights and experiences she could offer about the power of language and navigating the complexities of two worlds. That’s the spirit behind the Brand the Interpreter Podcast!
Hosted by Mireya Pérez, an interpreter and personal brand advocate, this podcast gives today’s interpreters a platform to share their own fascinating stories, challenges, and triumphs. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the world of interpreting, from navigating high-stakes conversations to facilitating cross-cultural understanding, offering listeners a glimpse into the lives of the professionals who bring meaning across languages.
Whether you’re an interpreter, a bilingual professional, or simply curious about the magic that happens behind the scenes, Brand the Interpreter immerses you in the stories of language professionals making an impact every day. It’s more than just a podcast—it’s a celebration of language, connection, and the vital human element that makes communication possible.
Join us to explore how the power of language, driven by human connection, shapes understanding, opens new worlds, and transforms perspectives, revealing the deeper truths that unite us all.
Brand the Interpreter
Enhancing Language Access in U.S. Schools with Judy Cortés
Sponsored Episode
Ever wondered how a young girl from Uruguay could rise to become a leading figure in the U.S. interpreting and education world? Join us as Judy Cortés opens up about her captivating journey from her early days in Paysandú and Montevideo to the unexpected cultural shocks of Los Angeles. Judy recalls her family's vibrant international restaurant, her strict yet enriching education, and the linguistic skills she honed along the way—all of which set the stage for her remarkable career.
Discover the twists and turns of Judy's professional path, from working at the Defense Language Institute to teaching at the Modern Institute of Foreign Studies. Balancing her ambitions with family commitments, Judy transitioned into public school bilingual education, all while maintaining her credentials as a summer court interpreter. Her story is one of versatility and resilience, navigating diverse roles and making impactful contributions in each.
Judy also sheds light on the pressing need for interpreting services in schools, detailing her efforts to enhance language access for families. Listen as she discusses the development of bilingual assessments, her comprehensive guidebook for educational interpreters, and the crucial distinction between translation and interpretation. Plus, don’t miss out on Judy's insights from her book "Introduction to Educational Interpreting and Translation" and a special promo code for our listeners. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone passionate about languages, education, or both. 🤓
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Welcome back Branded Bunch to a new episode of the Brand the Interpreter podcast. This is Mireya, your host. Today's special episode brings us Judy Cortez. Judy Cortez completed her undergraduate studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Spanish. A year later, she received her master's degree and then taught Spanish for a brief period at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, california. She went on to complete a Doctor of Philosophy while teaching as an assistant professor in the Modern Languages Department at the University of Hawaii. She has taught translation courses for the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. After obtaining her state interpreting certification, she worked on a part-time basis as a court interpreter. Her dedication and interest in interpreting led to her long-term involvement with the Administrative Office of the US Courts as a rater of candidates taking the oral portion of the federal court interpreter's exam. Later, she embarked on a career in bilingual education for 15 years, teaching various grade levels in public school settings. Presently she teaches for CSUMB and continues to interpret in legal, medical and educational settings. So, without further ado, please help me. Welcome Judy Cortez to the show.
Speaker 1:Judy, welcome to the show. Glad to be here, mireya. Yes, glad you're here and thank you for taking the time to be able to share your interpreter story. We're always eager to learn about the challenges, the successes and whatever. Little bit of information, or a lot a bit of information can be shared through the experiences of an interpreter out in the field, and I know that we're going to be sharing also with this audience a little bit about a project of yours, but for now we'll keep it a secret. Right, sounds good, that's the plan. All right, let's begin by knowing Judy just a little bit more. How about if you wouldn't mind sharing with us perhaps where you grew up and maybe even a fond childhood memory of yours?
Speaker 2:Well, this brings me back to my elementary school years. I grew up in the northern part of Uruguay, in Paysandú, and spent some time there, of course, learning how to read and write in Spanish. I don't have too many fond memories of the school itself, more so when we moved to the capital, montevideo. That was a little more, was a little more, I would say, more fun. But I do remember as a child going to a ranch, an estancia, where I had a fun time because I was free and no restraints from the teacher and I was able to ride horses and play in the creek and just have a fun time, I was going to say be a child.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, exactly. So when we moved to Montevideo, I went to a school that had some English components. It was somewhat bilingual. It was called the Sacred Heart School. Only girls went there, and I was there until high school, until we moved to the US.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, Was it like a Catholic school.
Speaker 2:Yes, it was a school with nuns and some that were not, and those that were not nuns were a little more, I would say, pleasant because, for example, I can remember the French teacher. She would teach us songs about children's, songs like Frère Jacques and that type of thing, and I remember that as something very positive. But it was a very strict school. We were not allowed to talk to our classmates in class, only during recess. There was also a time that I was a boarder there. I believe it was from August to December, quite a long time, and I can content or subject matter related, but potentially even from one of the teachers or somebody that became your mentor there.
Speaker 1:But why the organization piece?
Speaker 2:I mean, everything was so structured the classroom, the subject matters, and I suppose it's the same way here, but in the US it's a very different atmosphere, super different. But our English teacher did not focus on anything oral. We read a lot, we diagrammed sentences, we created the subject, the predicate, the different objects, and I suppose that helped me when I came to the States, because they took me to a room, a library, and gave me a test, a written test, and I did so well so they thought I didn't need any extra support in English. I probably did orally, but not in the written format.
Speaker 1:Not according to your written results. Now, did you come to the to the uh states once you completed your studies there, like meaning 12th grade it was it. Was it college university or was it before then that you came to the States? It was before then.
Speaker 2:I. I came to the US in high school, so we spent one year in the Los Angeles area and then I graduated from a US high school. Yes, and I was just thrilled with everything having to do with the school. There were electives. I actually could choose an elective. Nobody was telling me exactly what to choose. I didn't choose anything down there, but, yes, so I, I learned how to type, how to use the keyboard, and I think I continued learning French.
Speaker 1:I continued learning French. What was your experience like going from Uruguay to Los Angeles in California? What do you recall was maybe the thing that sort of shocked you the most about those two places. What shocked me?
Speaker 2:the most? Just so many different things. The huge, what shocked me the most? Just so many different things. The huge supermarkets, the different type of sense of humor that I couldn't quite get at first and I probably still don't get. I'm trying. My parents bought a restaurant for a year, so I spent some time working there during the time they owned it and we were surrounded by people from other countries.
Speaker 2:I mean, they were waiters from Spain, greece. The cook was Filipino, then we had an Italian cook, the dishwasher was Chinese. It was an international community.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I heard you mention that you continued taking French when you came here as well. Were you interested in that language because you were thinking already? Were you formulating something in your mind as far as how you wanted to use it, or was it just something you enjoyed?
Speaker 2:Well, I did enjoy it, but in high school I really didn't have a career path in mind. It was just too early. It was once I started at the university that I thought, oh my gosh, I'm fluent in Spanish, but if I'm to use my language skills, the best thing to do would be to use them in a setting that's enjoyable to me. And I thought about the UN. There was an acquaintance that knew somebody at the UN and I thought okay, I can improve my French and possibly become an interpreter in that organization. But that did not happen because I ended up not going to France happened because I ended up not going to France, where I really wanted to go. When I applied to the education abroad program, I selected France as number one and I thought I was all set to go, but they gave me my number two choice, which was Spain, and that's why I forgot about that.
Speaker 1:As Spain would have it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I ended up concentrating all my studies in Spanish, Spanish literature, Latin American literature and anything related to the language.
Speaker 1:What do you remember from your now experience as you're going into Spain or once you're in Spain? What do you remember? That setting or in that setting, what stood out for you?
Speaker 2:It's the same thing that I talked to you about the freedom, the fact that I could make all kinds of decisions on my own, what courses I could take, where I could go whenever I wanted to go, to the Prado or anywhere, on the weekends or long weekends, you know, just traveling the country, going to all kinds of places, because there were no restraints and I was just enjoying myself and I had a roommate that had the same mindset. So we traveled quite a bit.
Speaker 1:How long were you out in Spain? For it was a year, and then we also traveled throughout Europe after our coursework was over Anything from those experiences that you took away, that you still carry with you today, aside from the new, renowned freedom of travel as a young adult, anything that maybe you picked up that you've never experienced since.
Speaker 2:Well, I think travelers always learn something new from every country they visit about customs, styles, the way of life, the mindset of people, how you relate to your surroundings. It's just so much, but in any event, I did go back, finish my degrees and everything again in Spanish.
Speaker 1:When you came back to the States, did you decide that you were going to look into that path of interpreting, or did your path lead somewhere else once you were back from Spain?
Speaker 2:Well, first of all I had to complete a bachelor's, and then I was already at the university. I figured I might as well get a master's, since it's not going to take that long to do that too. The university I figured I might as well get a master's, since it's not going to take that long to do that too. And I did not pursue the idea of going into interpreting until later, and that happened after I returned from teaching at the University of Hawaii.
Speaker 2:So I was an assistant professor out there and I did not interpret, so to speak, because you know there was no need. In the type of setting I was in. I was teaching literature courses, culture courses, literature and translation. But when that ended and I came back to the mainland, I ended up writing this textbook with a team of people there were three of us writing the basic Spanish course at the Defense Language Institute, and it was after that that I started seriously thinking about interpreting.
Speaker 1:The Defense Language Institute. Can you break that down for those of us that maybe need a little bit of context? Who's that for?
Speaker 2:Well, it's a federal government program. They teach languages from many, many countries I can't give you the number and it all depends on the world situation. Which language is in greatest need Russian, thai, korean, chinese. They have a large Spanish department. As far as I know, there are about at least 50 Spanish instructors. That's what I heard about two years ago. But yeah, it's a very intense course of study and, depending on the language, the courses can take between six months to nine months to 12 months. Depending on the language, the courses can take between six months to nine months to 12 months, depending on the difficulty of the language.
Speaker 2:My role when I went there was to write the basic Spanish course. You know, 20 volumes of materials with modules, with a clear idea as to what needed to be in each chapter activities, exercises like lecturas or narratives, and comprehension exercises, and then we had to also record all this stuff. So that's why it took so long and it was used. It's no used now. We have so much stuff on the, on the Internet and videos, and everything is so accessible in terms of what's going on in different countries.
Speaker 1:Now not to go off too much into this topic, but I know that I'd like to ask our guests, whenever opportunities such as that that maybe other individuals would dream about being able to access, I like to sort of touch on how that opportunity came to be. Do you recall if this was something that did you need to apply to this? Was your name mentioned as a referral? Was it due to a collaboration with another colleague? How did the opportunity came to be to be able to write this curriculum?
Speaker 2:I'm trying to remember the details. Somehow, I found out that they were looking for writers, for course developers, and I had actually taught at the DLI for six months, and so I was familiar with the department and I was. I happened to be back in California, so I got in touch with the Defense Language Institute to see if that, in fact, was a project that was, you know, getting underway. And yes, of course, I went for an interview and by then I had this doctorate and I think that was also helpful. Yeah, so, yeah, I was familiar with the defense language.
Speaker 1:That's great. I love that, because we talk about that often in being able to have those connections and that maybe at the moment the opportunities that you're seeking may not be there, but that doesn't mean that you won't come full the opportunities or opportunities in the future. So I always tend to ask that question as to how did that even come to be? Were you referred? And in your case, yeah, you had some experience there because they knew you and you came in better prepared. It was just waiting for you.
Speaker 2:They were and I took the initiative to go over there and get interviewed and we started with the project when it was over. I did not, I mean I could have continued in the institute teaching, but by then I had a kid and I couldn't do a lot of things with child care at stake, of things with child care at stake, it's just not very easy when you have a toddler or two and you're trying to do so much.
Speaker 2:Those are critical years for the child and the parent. And so at that point after the DLI, I thought, okay, I can interpret in this area. I can do some court interpreting. I can also teach the language or teach a course in translation. So I went over to the Middlebury Well, today it's called Middlebury.
Speaker 2:Back then it was called the Modern Institute of Foreign Studies, then changed to Modern Institute of International Studies, and I approached the department head At that time it was Etil Verjona and we talked and I had gotten my state certificate by then and I had also gotten. There was a certificate that was being given through the ALRB, agricultural Labor Relations Board. They were also interviewing and certifying interpreters. So I had gotten those two. I had also gone to San Francisco to take the ATA exam, which I did pass. So I had this behind me. So I was prepared and I started teaching courses at the Mato Institute, but not interpreting, it was sight translation, which meant that I could actually prepare everything quite well ahead of time and be ready for the students. So I did that for a while, not for long. Not for long because obviously it was. I was an adjunct, I was not a full-time professor of any sort. So I decided then to seek a position in public schools bilingual education.
Speaker 1:Really so. You went from teaching university, and then to what Public schools?
Speaker 2:I know, I know. I just didn't want to tell anybody that I actually had a doctorate because I thought it was a big minus.
Speaker 1:And I had to go back to school and get a credential, so that I could teach in that setting.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, of course, yeah, yeah, but the job was 10 months, not 12 months like at the DLI, which was important to me. By then I was able to drop off the boys and pick them up and have a decent type of preschool for them, so that also helped. But yes, I went into public schools, first as a bilingual teacher, as a second grade teacher, and then I became a bilingual resource teacher.
Speaker 1:What gaps were you seeing or identifying? First of all, let me ask, before you answer that question where did you go back to teach K through 12? Because I don't know. Were you doing the university at Monterey? Were you out there or were you doing online?
Speaker 2:Well, the university at Monterey did not actually start until much later. We did not have a university in Monterey except for what is now Middlebury Institute. Middlebury, yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and.
Speaker 2:It was much later. I spent about 14, 15 years in public school settings in Salinas, close to Monterey, central coast of California, and overall it was a good experience. But I also yearned to work with adults and so I did a lot of interpreting during the summers to keep up my certification and that I really enjoyed. It was challenging because you're dealing with so many different scenarios, especially in court could be family law, some very complex cases. At times it could be divorces, finance issues. The easiest was traffic court. The easiest was traffic court.
Speaker 1:Wow, so you're doing court interpreting during the summers. Were you freelancing? Yes, I was, is that?
Speaker 2:what you were doing through agencies. Okay, exactly, some freelancing and mostly just direct contact with the courts. I mean, they had my name so the courts called me they could call you. Yes, they had my name, so the courts called me, they could call you. Yes, either Salinas Courthouse or Santa Cruz Courthouse.
Speaker 1:Yes, when you would come back to the school district and do your teaching job and do your teaching job, were you seeing maybe the comparisons or the contrast between when you're working as an interpreter and then the services that families were receiving or not receiving in the school district? Was that helping you sort of see, through a different lens, the support services for families? Or talk to us more a little bit about how you started to see some of those gaps language access gaps in the school district?
Speaker 2:Well, it became quite apparent to me at the beginning, especially the first school I was in, that there were no interpreters in the office or anywhere nearby. I mean, I was the closest classroom where they could find a bilingual person and so I was called in there quite a bit during that year and it wasn't pleasant for me to be called out of a classroom when I'm in the middle of teaching a lesson and trying to calm down the students and getting them all in their proper reading groups and everything else that's happening in the morning. So I would say that the school was not entirely aware that there was a big need for interpreting services and at times anybody that had taken maybe two courses in Spanish would go in there and act as an interpreter too, and it wasn't the greatest way to handle the needs of the parents. When I became a bilingual research teacher, I had a little more flexibility because I was able to interpret for teachers during the conferences, iep meetings, and that all of a sudden changed for me because I felt truly helpful.
Speaker 2:And you asked about the contrast between court and schools. Well, obviously I was applying some of my knowledge from my court situations to the school settings. I was interpreting everything, which I really should do, like every interpreter should do, and treating everybody with respect and acting as a professional, signing up for the exchange that's going to take place. So I was very aware of what had to happen in the schools, and at one point I approached the HR person in the district this is a district that had about 13 schools and I said you know, there are some potential interpreters in schools. Why don't we set up an assessment to see who's qualified? And so I was asked to create this assessment so that those that were interested could take part in this assessment and then, at the same time, if they passed, their salary would be bumped a little bit.
Speaker 1:So that I did create and I think that was an important step forward those conversations with different district departments, as opposed to just keeping the conversations, you know, within your own department. Let's say, if you're working for I don't know what it's student services, let's just say, and then keeping that conversation there, whereas to if you extend the conversation to other department leaders, you might have buy-in perhaps more quickly than within your own department, just because they might. They might be interested exactly in what you did, in expanding or improving the current system that they have. So so, going back to your story, it did not exist. Then it sounds like the the bilingual assessment did not exist up until that point?
Speaker 2:Not at all. No, I mean I wish. I'm not sure how many districts have such an assessment and frankly I don't know if they kept it up, if in fact it was, once I left to go back to the university, if they continued using it or not. You know, sometimes it depends on the players. Who stays, who wants to promote that, who doesn't. So true. Sad but true.
Speaker 2:yes, yeah, but they did have a full-time district translator, but she was just a translator and I do remember she tried doing some simultaneous interpreting at one of our big get-hers for and it, it, it was traumatizing for her. So, yeah, it it wasn't right it I guess it was because the administration didn't realize that there are two very different roles the one of a translator, the one of an interpreter. There are some that can do both and but it doesn't mean that everybody can perform in both roles, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, that's so true, so brutal, so brutal. Poor translator. I can only imagine Not just the fact that they requested if she would interpret because, for the reasons you just said, not everyone can do both, but that she was asked to interpret in simultaneous mode.
Speaker 2:Yes, quite drastic for her.
Speaker 1:Yep, Absolutely, so. You spent time in this district. You developed some systems to support them with their language access needs. I love the fact that you started with assessing bilingual ability to begin with, because, of course, that you know that that initial assessment of when you're bringing in quote, unquote bilingual people and then, if the assessment isn't, isn't capturing those very specific um, uh, what do you call it Like markers that we should be looking, looking at right when it comes to identifying someone, if they're truly bilingual, then we're still missing the mark.
Speaker 1:I mean, and that's just the bilingual element. So once you incorporate it, let's say the bilingual assessment, did you ever transition or move into creating or supporting, with the creation of being able to assess their interpreting skill set, or did you mainly support with the bilingual assessment only?
Speaker 2:Well, the bilingual assessment encompassed the written language. I mean, first of all, you eliminate quite a few potential interpreters if they cannot translate some basic document. And what we were using I mean what I was using then was something that one would see on a daily basis at at a school, you know, just forms, applications, that type of thing. And once they passed that, then they would be assessed in the oral type of assessment, which was consecutive, it wasn't simultaneous, so it was a dialogue and that's how it was, but you know that happened quite a long time ago, but it was a start.
Speaker 1:It was a start. They didn't have it before.
Speaker 2:So it was a good start. Yeah, yeah and, and you know, I've I've rated bilingual people in a number of situations, so I I had a firm grasp of what was needed in this particular setting absolutely.
Speaker 1:Now talk to us a little bit about a guide to effective practices. What was the inspiration behind putting something like this together? I think I, before you answer, I feel like it might have been something that was sort of brewing, maybe for some time, or maybe some ideas came, or did you just wake up one day and say I want to?
Speaker 2:write a guidebook came, or did you just wake up one day and say I want to write a guidebook? No, no, no. Let me begin by saying I have been giving presentations about interpreting in school settings for a while. It's a topic that always intrigued me and I thought okay, I see what's happening here and I see that there is a need for some type of training, and I think the best way to do it to start would be to go and present at CABE conferences. So I went to these CABE conferences as a presenter. I don't know how many I went to. Some were they were in California, either in San Francisco or Anaheim, and I did some in the regional area where I live.
Speaker 1:Kaveh Judy not to interrupt. Apologies, but Kaveh stands for the California Association of Bilingual Education.
Speaker 2:Bilingual Education Got it yes.
Speaker 2:So I presented. And when I was getting ready to present I mean, I had to obviously prepare myself so I was collecting a number of dialogues that I had been you know where, I had been an interpreter, and I kept a file of all these exchanges that I was participating in IEPs not all of them, but enough that I thought, well, one day I may use this material and also all the translations I did for the teachers that required me to also put my skills into practice. So I had this in folders. So I had this in folders.
Speaker 2:And when I went to the university you know, when I was hired to become the it's called coordinator of field placements, which meant I had to find the best teachers in the field to work with our multiple subject credential students when I went to university, I remember the first year there was a presentation how do you get published? And I thought, hmm, I listened to that and I thought, okay, I have a lot of material here. I'll see when I can put it together. But the thing is the job was pretty intense. I had absolutely no time to start a project like that. I mean, I was coordinating this program, having supervisors work for me and observing students, and if there was a problem I would get out there.
Speaker 2:Plus, I was also teaching in the evening for the community college, so there was just a lot going on for me. So, to answer your question, when did I put it all together? I had the beginnings of a book, of a guidebook, of a book, of a guidebook, and when the pandemic hit, I thought, wow, this is the time that I can put it all together, not going anywhere. I only teach one class on a Friday. I have the rest of the time there's nobody around me.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I can actually pull it off, but it took a while. But so it took a while? Sure, it took a while, and I contacted Cross Cultural Communications and they were very receptive to my idea, and so that's how it all started.
Speaker 1:What did you find? I mean, like you mentioned this in the beginning, just the thought of taking something on so huge was you know? You were thinking there's no way that I can pull this off right now. What did you find was perhaps the most challenging? Or what did you learn along the way, as you were working on the guidebook? So you contact cross-cultural, they say, yes, we're interested. But then what did you find as you're actually putting the work together, was there a moment when you said what was I thinking?
Speaker 2:Well, that's a good question. I mean, what I had written in the past, the Spanish basic course is totally different than this. They were telling me what to do here. I was in charge, but there's a process and I wasn't familiar with the process, so I was learning. As I was going, I realized that maybe this idea of mine needed some reorganizing in terms of the chapters. So Marjorie Bancroft was very, very helpful in that regard, and we had weekly meetings.
Speaker 2:We organized the chapter in a way that made a little more sense than the way I had it, and added a chapter and then when it was completed sort of completed because it was never completed, or sort of completed because it was never completed as you write, you keep thinking of the things you can add additions, what sounds right, what doesn't sound right, and it was something that kept me intrigued on a daily basis. I mean, I'd go for a walk and all I could think about is the next paragraph or the next chapter or how I could change this or that. There were some suggestions that were helpful. There are about let's see 12 chapters now, and when I wrote it there were 11. But the 12th chapter was actually part of some of the other chapters where we pulled apart that became the guidebook, it became the practicum exercises. So there were a few things that the publisher thought would be helpful Do an introduction and also do a conclusion.
Speaker 2:Plus, every chapter had to have a series of activities that were based on the content of that chapter. So I had to create something like a check for understanding. Type of page a couple pages with multiple choice items, fill in the blanks, matching open-ended questions. That kind of thing. That wasn't in my mind when I wrote the guidebook, but I think it became very helpful. I think it's a plus that we have it in the chapters.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I think the highlight has to do with the practical role plays that appear in the consecutive portion, the simultaneous portion and then the exercises for sight translation and translation itself.
Speaker 1:I really love that you included that in the guidebook, because I think that's definitely something that as many in the field, particularly those that specialize in education, are really trying to highlight is the fact that interpreters in education, professional interpreters in education, are utilizing all three modes of interpreting and they should come in if they're being hired as professional interpreters, that they should be coming in with that basic knowledge of all three modes so that they are applying that depending on the assignment, and so I really like that you included all three modes and that you have activities so that individuals could expand, continue working on learning and expanding all three modes.
Speaker 1:I think that's for me at least. I know that it's super important when I see the content for interpreters that it's not so highly focused on number one, one subject matter, one meeting type is really the word I'm looking for and that we're not just focused on the consecutive part, because it's not just consecutive interpreting. It could maybe be your default, depending on the assignment, but it absolutely is not the only mode. So I think that's really great that you added.
Speaker 2:Right, and I think you can also use both, depending on the situation.
Speaker 2:You can go from one to the other too. The situation. You can go from one to the other too, but I want to also say this is not just for interpreters, practicing interpreters, it's also for novice interpreters. It's a guidebook that could easily be used in a semester-long course. It could be used by trainers of interpreters in different settings, those that give out certificates for interpreters, and I would also like to add that it's very relevant to administrators, because they need to understand, if they have a large population of English learner parents, that this is something that needs to be addressed and they need to become knowledgeable. I would also say that if there are special ed teachers or psychologists that work with English learner parents, that they should be aware of how to work with an interpreter. I was very fortunate to work with a couple of special ed teachers, and they were giving me a lot of pointers on how they expect the interpreter to to act in in one of these meetings.
Speaker 1:So that's great, yeah, that's very helpful to get the insight of uh. You know, yeah, what is the expectation of uh from, from the, the staff, when working with an interpreter, and I imagine that it's the professionalism side. If they know how to work with a trained interpreter, then they know the expectation. I'd like to sort of read off some of the chapters that you have in your guidebook, just so that individuals can get an idea, because one of my questions was going to be that is, who is the intended audience for this guidebook which, you know, you just so kindly shared? And I think it's important that you even mentioned the administrators, because I think oftentimes, when we think about training, we're only thinking about those that are going to provide the service and we forget about those that support the service and oftentimes are the decision makers behind the service. And how do you make a decision without the information Right, like, how is that?
Speaker 2:Very true, very true.
Speaker 1:So you've got chapters on here that talk about the overview of the US system. You talk about who is interpreting. Who will you interpret for? You do talk on interpreting in special education. One of the most important things for school districts that especially if they are being required now to create some sort of systems and training is to give training on ethics, and you have a chapter on ethics in educational setting as well. All three modes of interpreting are in here.
Speaker 1:You talk about the written translation. You talk about language proficiency and certification. I mean this is a very robust guidebook for individuals that are interested in just getting more information on what it's like. You talk about the language laws in there as well, which is, again, another very great resource for administrators and school staff that are interested in really focusing on this topic as it relates specifically to their area. I think there's a lot of content out there that they may be able to find, but that maybe you have to piecemeal together to see if it relates to education, and oftentimes many individuals have a hard time bringing this conversation forward to their administrator because the resources well, in the past not so much now, but the resources that were out there weren't necessarily tied to education. It was maybe court or medical interpreting right, and so we had to start conversations based off of well.
Speaker 1:This is medical, but it also applies to education.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you know, funny thing, I wish I had been able to read a book like this when I started interpreting in schools, because it's I mean I read it, I look at it and I go over these chapters, like you just mentioned, and it's just full of very useful information, very practical information, and it's also for individuals that want to practice on their own. I mean, it's all there.
Speaker 1:It is all there a great time because of the highlight right now with focusing on ethics and standards of practice for interpreters. The AITE just published in December their code of ethics and standards of practice, which is super exciting, a very robust document. I know that there is the Natissle that is out there. I call it Natissle and I don't know if everyone pronounces the acronym in that way probably not but the acronym is the NAETISL. They've had a document out for a while as well in terms of a code of ethics and they've focused those efforts too for interpreters in education. So, all to say, that there is now more, there are more resources out there, and it's exciting because for many of us, just like you just mentioned, judy, we perhaps working in education if we were in-house or as a freelancer getting these assignments in education and there were hardly any resources out there. And now we're getting we're seeing much more resources very specific to education.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do want to add that we do have a fantastic section at the very end, the appendix that has glossaries and education sites, bilingual programs, list of dictionaries, translation apps, computer software tools.
Speaker 1:It's just all there, and so it's again very practical and useful, yeah, and a very great resource, absolutely. So a couple of questions before we wrap up our conversation, judy. First and foremost is I always like to ask our guests to share, potentially, some recommendations for the new generation of language professionals that are coming on. So, for instance, for those that are maybe highly motivated in entering the field of education as a trained interpreter, what would be your recommendation to them, aside from run, don't walk to go, purchase this guidebook.
Speaker 2:What to do? Well, continue learning on, continue training, continue looking up what is the latest publication. It's, you know it's. It's a way of expanding your mind, your, your brain, your, your skills. You, if you're an interpreter, you already had have a wealth of skills from your flexibility, the understanding of different cultures, being able to work with parties that don't necessarily share the same culture. So I would say, you know, continue seeking those opportunities and continue expanding your knowledge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, don't go working for education and then not continue your own education, continue expanding.
Speaker 2:Yes, and it's also a very I mean you feel satisfied, you feel like you're helping people. It's not traumatic like in a medical setting can be traumatic like in a medical setting can be. It's a little more relaxed than, let's say, court situations and you really feel like both parties are very appreciative of your skill.
Speaker 1:I agree so true.
Speaker 2:Where can our listeners purchase this book, judy? Where can they go to purchase this guidebook? They can go to the website for the publisher, cultureandlanguagenet, under the tab that says books. So it's wwwcultureandlanguagenet. That would be the best place to go.
Speaker 1:Definitely, and I'll make sure to link that in the episode notes so that individuals can run and go get that book and get to know what it's like to work in education as a trained interpreter. Thank you for having me. Absolutely, judy. It has been such a privilege and a pleasure to have you on the show today. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to get to know you, judy, the person a little bit more, as well as the professional. And thank you, I would say, from everyone out there that has always been looking for a guidebook in this particular field. On behalf of all of us that have always searched for this, thank you for putting your time and your effort and your experience in one centralized place where individuals can go and finally find that resource that they've been looking for I'm sure we've all have been looking for for quite some time. Thank you for that. I appreciate you being here today and thank you again for having me.
Speaker 1:I've been speaking with Judy Cortez, the author of Introduction to Educational Interpreting and Translation. This book was published by Cross-Cultural Communications through their imprint, culture and Language Press. To purchase a copy, visit their online store at cultureandlanguagenet and, as a special offer for listeners of this podcast. Save $10 off your copy by using the promo code BTI10. That's B-T-I and the number 10.
