NIEC Report: Preparing Interpreters for Tomorrow

Preparing Interpreters for Tomorrow: Report on a Study of Emerging Trends in Interpreting and Implications for Interpreter Education

This report was prepared for the Rehabilitation Services Administration by:

Cathy Cogen, M.Ed., Center Director

Dennis Cokely, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

from the National Interpreter Education Center at Northeastern University, in Boston, Massachusetts, and published January 2015.

Here’s a quote from the Executive Summary:

The field of interpreting is, in many ways, at a crossroads. Diminished program involvement with the Deaf community has impacted student language learning and cultural understanding. In addition, two-year degree programs are increasingly challenged to justify their existence in light of national certification requirements for a bachelors degree, and in general, programs are not producing ASL-fluent graduates. Many times the new interpreters’ ability to practice is sorely limited, and the gap between interpreter graduation and readiness to work has continued to grow. Interpreter education programs (IEP) provide little guidance for new graduates and there are few formal, structured post-graduation pathways for graduates to gain experience with minimal risk to themselves and their customers.

The full report is available at this link: https://rid.org/niec-trends-report/

RID has agreed to provide space for this report, and additional articles will be forthcoming that highlight different aspects of this report. This Page will serve as a central repository for all materials related to the report.

Ms. Cogen and Dr. Cokely also presented from this report at RIDNOLA15, last summer. The presentation was drawn from the report. You can watch the presentation (as part of a CEU-earning course, or for free) by following the links below:

Name of Course Presenter Description For CEUs Watch for free # and type Cost (50% off when accessed via link from rid.org) Jump to Online Course

(You must access the course from here, and watch through Udemy to get CEUs!)

Emerging Trends in Interpreting and Implications for Interpreter Education Cathy Cogen, Dennis Cokely × Emerging Trends in Interpreting and Implications for Interpreter Education Cathy Cogen and Dennis Cokely will report on their recent study of emerging trends in interpreting and implications for interpreter education. The presentation will be organized into three primary sections: First, trends impacting current and future interpreting services assesses external trend areas that are broad in nature and have many long-term implications for the field of professionals providing services to individuals who are d/Deaf. Second, current issues in Interpreter Education describes several key dynamics at play within the field that may facilitate or impede efforts to address future interpreter education and professional development needs. Lastly, the final section of the presentation offers recommendations for aligning interpreter education with the challenges of tomorrow. In many areas, the recommendations mark a significant departure from old ways of doing business. And we will issue a call to action, asking conference attendees to consider how they will participate – as practitioners, educators, researchers, and administrators. What partnerships, practices, and policies will they engage in and support toward creating a better future? Description 0.125 CEUs (Professional Studies) $15.00 Udemy coupon link PowerPoint Slides Youtube Link

The full report is available at this link: https://rid.org/niec-trends-report/

Additional articles will be forthcoming, and will be posted on this page.