Administrators - Interpreter Roles and Responsibilities
First – and most important – the educational interpreter interprets. No other tasks should interfere with that responsibility. In addition, the educational interpreter may perform secondary tasks, including:
- Assisting in classroom discussion − The educational interpreter must help the student participate in classroom discussion. Because coordinating visual attention can be difficult, he/ she can help the student understand when to look at materials the teacher is using.
- Reporting to the educational team − One very important responsibility of the educational interpreter is to report to the educational team. Often the interpreter’s day-to-day observations will help the team understand how the student’s placement is working.
- Maintaining student conduct − The interpreter is responsible for helping to maintain the conduct of all students in the classroom as long as it does not interfere with the main responsibility of interpreting. Of course, the classroom teacher is ultimately in charge of defining discipline and good behavior. The interpreter may help to implement appropriate disciplinary action. The interpreter should not be responsible for just the deaf or hard of hearing student, which would isolate the student from his/her peers.
- Providing tutoring assistance − The educational interpreter may be expected to provide the student with tutoring and assistance. Most educational interpreters have little or no training in this area, so school support should be provided, particularly from the classroom teacher and/or the teacher of the deaf.
For additional information about the role of the educational interpreter, see EIPA Code of Professional Conduct Guidelines.