Classroom Interpreting

EIPA Written Test and Knowledge Standards

Guidelines for Professional Conduct

As with any profession, especially one that involves students, there are certain ethical standards educational interpreters must abide by. Ethical standards guide decision making and appropriate professional behavior in interpreting and in the school environment.

Core Standards

Interpreters should be comfortable with the core standards used to develop the Guidelines for Professional Conduct portion of the test. These standards include:

General Ethics

  • When interpreting, communication regarding the interpreting process shall remain between the student and the interpreter. Communication regarding content knowledge should be conveyed to the teacher.
  • Interpreters must maintain confidentiality about issues surrounding interpreting for a student.  In general, information can be shared freely with the student’s educational team. For example, interpreters may discuss aspects of interpreting with the educational team, such as the role of the interpreter, classroom logistics, the student’s comprehension of language, communication style and mode, managing new vocabulary, and visual aspects of the classroom.
  • Communication between the interpreter and student of a personal nature may need to be shared with district administration, such as discussion of abuse, suicide, drug use, weapons, threats, etc. It is important for the educational interpreter to be fully aware of district policy and to inform the student of his or her responsibility to share information of this type with administration.
  • Ethical fitness requires the ability to recognize moral challenges and respond with deliberation, an understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and the ability to make a decision regarding it. 

Expectations

  • Interpreters must be prepared to share information regarding the role and function of interpreters in their classroom with general education teachers.
  • Educational programs have standards for staff behavior, which apply to all professionals within the educational setting, including interpreters.
  • Interpreters should not teach formal sign language classes unless they have specialized training.
  • Participation in the activities of professional interpreting organizations benefit the interpreter’s professional development.
  • Interpreters should dress in a professional manner appropriate to the educational setting.

RID & NAD

  • The two leading national organizations that have guided in the development of the field of sign language/English interpreting today are the Registry for Interpreters of the Deaf ( RID) and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).
  • RID awards interpreter certifications and approves presentations and workshops for their own certificate maintenance for RID Continuing Education Units.
  • The Code of Ethics developed by RID is a vital reference tool when working in the context of a K-12 educational setting.  There are also Codes of Ethics developed specifically for interpreters who work in public schools.

Responsibilities

  • The classroom teacher is responsible for developing the philosophy of behavior management, not the interpreter.
  • The classroom teacher is responsible for communicating with parents.

Requirements

  • Interpreters should be aware of what their state requires in terms of certification and standards.
  • Meeting minimum requirements established by a state or organization does not mean that you are qualified to interpret in every situation.