ASL Interpreting 101 for Hearing People | Andrew Tolman & Lauren Tolo | TEDxBend
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ย. 2019
- "I have no idea what you were saying up there, but it looked so beautiful!!" Hearing American Sign Language Interpreters Andrew Tolman and Lauren Tolo briefly explain the history, process, and role of ASL Interpreters, hoping to inspire hearing people to do what they can daily to bridge the gap between Deaf and Hearing parties. Community building starts with educating the general population about how hearing privilege can be used to leverage change and promote full accessibility and inclusion in all spaces. Andrew Tolman is a 29-year-old musician and ASL Interpreter currently living in Portland, OR on historically Clackamas Chinook and Molalla land. Inspired by their time working for the historic Philip J. Wolfe Portland City Council campaign, OCCUPY ICE PDX, Don’t Shoot Portland, and the Central American Refugee Caravan (among many others) as a Sign Language Interpreter, Andrew found himself joining the unbroken chain of resistance thousands of years old and invigorated by a new mission. Currently, Andrew finds himself working closely with both Hearing and Deaf activists and fighters to bring accessibility to the front lines. Through the founding of their group ‘FingersCrossedInterpreting.com’, Andrew hopes to continue to build bridges by making it easy for community-based Hearing activists to reach into Deaf and Hard of Hearing activist spaces and make meaningful connection, empowering both communities with resources and information to strengthen the fight for equality. The fact is that accessibility benefits everyone because everyone has a story to share. Andrew hopes to continue serving his community in solidarity for as long as possible and to inspire other interpreters and communities to proudly do the same.
Lauren began working in the classroom at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind as an Intervener, working one-on-one with DeafBlind students providing information that the individual is unable to gather on their own. She was inspired to dedicate her professional life to facilitating communication and bridging the gap between the Deaf and hearing worlds. Out of this experience emerged her career as an educational interpreter. Now, living in Central Oregon, she interprets for a Deaf student in a general education classroom. Lauren is committed to providing full inclusion, and strives to always empower Deaf and Hearing children, regardless of their identity otherwise, with the knowledge to advocate for themselves, discover themselves, broaden their horizons, and accomplish their dreams. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
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TEDx, I’m also a sign language interpreter.
It’s so exciting to see a video discussing the information that needs to be known.
However, it’s disheartening that the topic they’re discussing is being acted out on this video.
There’s an interpreter on stage that is shown only in short moments, and although it’s captioned she is not shown through the entire talk.
Why not show the interpreter the entire video for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers to be able to watch and get that access.
The speakers don’t need to be watched to listen to them.
But the Deaf have to be able to watch the interpreter to “listen” to the speaker.
Please Provide the access that was spoken about in this video next time.
Thank you
Karissa Santana FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT.
This also doesn’t mean that we should give any of the interpreters 15 minutes of fame. The interpreters’ role is to facilitate communication between two or more languages. Therefore, they should be included in all videos to break language barriers.
thank you, interpreters need to be shown, and its not for her fame but for the understanding process of every viewer!
I'm certain this is not the fault of the presenters.
Because they didn’t want to put the spotlight on her. “They are not performers.”
Closed captioning is available on the video, so I don’t believe this is exclusive
Edit: I see it took some time to put CC on the video, so this was a good point
Lex Lopez - Nor myself or any of the other commenters said that the presenters were at fault. My own comment, I specifically addressed it towards TEDX. As they are probably the ones that set up cameras and the crew that publishes it online.
Thank you for finally adding captions. (There was a real backlash when there were no captions there before.) Next time a Sign Language Interpreter is there, make the Interpreter able to be seen fully.
Massively agree!
wouldn't it have been helpful & even instructive, to show the interpreter as well?
I signed "helped" in my head. God I'm hopeless I'm glad I'm not certified yet 😂😂
My first thought too!
no, because 1) this video is already captioned. the interpreter might have made a mistake while signing and it would be either confusion or superfluous. 2) this entire video is about how the interpreter isnt the focus, and yes the deaf person instead. showing the interpreter would add nothing to the video besides the need from Hearing people to watch this person and turn them into a performer rather than a handy subtitles feature.
It would make the video more accessible for Deaf folks, yes. And also honestly, it would be better to have a Deaf person included in talking about it whenever possible.
My thoughts exactly!
This should have the ASL interpreter visible throughout the lecture to really show how an interpreter works. Maybe this can be re-posted with the ASL interpreter on the screen .. this would really drive home the point! This was excellent
ASL is beautiful. It helped me deal with my alcoholism. My mind , heart, time has been totally redirected to something productive and worthwhile. I've had the opportunity to communicate with deaf and hard of hearing patients at the dental office I used to work at, and the supermarket I used to work at. I'm currently not working but still watching, learning from videos to keep each passing day productive
Why tf didn’t you show the interpreter as well?? Wasn’t that the whole point of the ted talk??
Otherwise good job 👏
Veronica Gonzales thats a good point! I think they showed her a good bit, but she was mostly there to interpret for the Deaf individuals present at the talk. Deaf individuals typically utilize close captions (when available) but I’m sure watching ASL would be a better experience. I think this was filmed to focus on each speaker, but they definitely could’ve had a video of the interpreter to the side of the screen through the whole video.
I'm sorry but there are many deaf individuals who don't read English well and when there is an interpreter already it should be common sense to show them.
@@charj2286 Only if they sign with ASL. There is no universal sign language. Norwegian Sign Language is very different from American Sign Language.
Good talk but I don't understand why the interpreter was out of camera view--lack of inclusivity for all viewers including those watching the video. Not about making the terp a "performer," but illustrating the very point of the talk. Why expect D/HH to rely on CC when there was an interpreter there?? 🤷🏻♀️
Along the same line, I've found it dumbfounding that during televised press conferences pertaining to public safety, the terp is rarely included in the camera shot.
Learning Sign Language has always been something I've wanted to learn and be apart of since, I was in my twenties but it REALLY hit me when i went on a cruise with my co workers, three years ago. I told the receptionist that I was hard of hearing and i would need him to lend in to talk and not yell, so he ask if i signed i said no he said you should think about, I said I'm not deaf just hard of hearing and he said its for both, ALL these years I thought you had to be DEAF to learned ASL. Now at fifty I"m looking for an affordable class. I so excited to start learning.
Sign language interpreter should've been recorded separately and added to the video. Good job otherwise. 👍🏼🤟🏽
No! ASL interpreter should have been made visible in real time during the event, NOT "recorded separately" because that changes the equal access of communication for the deaf audience at a live talk.
@@carolynmansager6952I think they just meant for the purpose of this video. A separate camera on the interpreter who was present so that they could add that access to this video. That was what I got, anyway.
I love this talk. However, The filmer made a common error. They DID NOT INCLUDE THE ASL INTERPRETER ONSCREEN during ALL of the talk. Occasionally giving a glance of the interpreter, misses the purpose. A Deaf person should be able to watch this video and AND FOLLOW THE INTERPRETER, just as if they were present at the LIVE event.
Closed captions are good for persons like me who are Hearing, but with limited ability to hear; our main language is SPOKEN English, so we can understand the meaning of the captions.
For the majority of the those born Deaf, ASL is their first and main language. It is NOT signed English. Closed Captions are in English, their SECOND language. It would be like a native English speaker who doesn't really know Spanish, watching Spanish captions.
Therefore, a split screen picture should have be used so that both the verbal English speaker AND THE ASL INTERPRETER would be visible AT ALL TIMES during this video.
this is really a good point (and I'm glad how many comments are here about this problem). however, I don't think it was really possible for Deaf or Hard of Hearing people to follow the interpreter during the live event either - I mean, look at the screens. They are showing the speaker all the time, right? And you can only see the interpreter if you have a seat at the front row. Unless they cared enough to give all the D and HH folks these seats, it was almost useless to bring an interpreter at all. It would've made so much more sense to show her on at least one of those screens.
Not to say that you're wrong, of course, I just wanted to add a little something. I hope that they will not make the same mistakes in the future.
Why didn’t they have a split screen or bubble so we could see the interpreter the whole time??
The patronizing words ("we hearing" v. "them, the Deaf") combined with the patronizing actions (showing the interpreter a little bit, like s decoration), totally counters your intended message of bridging between cultures and languages.
Yess !!! Im currently in college studying to be an ASL Interpreter. It’s been my goal since 7th grade ❤️
yay that's so fun!! I myself am in my fourth and last year of my education to become a sign languange interpreter in Swedish sign language! It would be so fun to hear about the education in ASL so if you're interested in talking to be about it please hit me up! :)
Me toooooooo ☺️
Cassie Marie you in school too? Would love to talk to you too! 😊
EmmaLouise Lindstrom omg yasss! That would be so fun!
good luck! I got my BA in interpreting a year ago but before I really move on, I'm quickly gonna get my Masters in Linguistics at Gallaudet on the side. It's so great.. :]
It's like a bad joke not showing the interpreter for this Ted Talk. And sorry guys, I couldn't make it past 3 minutes of the talk. More feeling, less memorization next time!
All the talks are that way no matter the subject matter or guest. (It is a rare speaker who does not conform.) Very off putting. All guest speakers are apparently trained/rehearsed to speak in the same cadence and style. It's a real turn off. So fake, superficial. I mean these two were very good and not near as bad as some. I understand wanting to be clear but personality is good to see also. These two are very good at what they do (even if I may not agree with their politics) and a lot of that had to do with the fact that they are qualified & certified in ASL which actually uses body language and personality as opposed to standing and moving like a robot. Although I could see they had to restrain themselves a lot from their gestures especially for this talk. 😊
100% agree with the comment about not showing the interpreter.
Also there ought to be more emphasis on being qualified than on being certified.
I thought the same thing about being qualified vs. certified. I know too many qualified interpreters that cannot pass the test. With a17% pass rate, too many qualified interpreters are leaving the profession because they are failing a faulty test.
Melissa Beattie True, and it goes the other way as well. I've worked with certified interpreters who had little idea what they were doing.
AK 565 Exactly!
Show the interpreter or caption it!
it's captioned
Best practice is to have both. This is inclusion for Deaf that are mono-lingual as well as bi-lingual. Too bad the interpreter was not utilized fully. :(
I live in Anchorage and my school is the only school that provides ASL as a foreign language in Alaska. This is my 3rd year. Love Deaf culture
This was an incredible Tedx! I am a signing Para in a deaf program in an elementary school, I would love to be an ASL interpreter someday. ❤️
Love this so much. And thank you for adding captions.
my massive respect for all interpreters, teachers, and people that advocate everyday for more access, I'm a hearing person learning asl to communicate better with a deaf coworker and wish I had started this should be taught in schools so that at least all of us have basic understanding of sign and being able to talk and assist people who are deaf in our own jobs and communities. will i be able to become fluent don't know yet but after 5 months I know all of the finger spelling, first 10 numbers, and around 70 signs (rember I'm doing this self taught in my spare time with online videos and a library instructional book). that have made simple basic conversation able to happen, I'm quite proud of it!
Very valuable to see/watch this again, a second time, a few years after seeing it the first time.
Good information to get shared out to everyone, as we build this more Accessible future
I worked with Lauren and she is amazing
Well and truthfully spoken.
I notice in some shots that your talk is being interpreted.
Why can’t we see the interpreter? (See well enough to understand, that is.)
This was an interesting topic. Thank you for sharing. I really want to become an ASL Interpreter. Hoping to start study soon :)
9:55 hey, no way, I was there! I loved that we had an ASL translator in the middle of the circle.. We had a really cool thing going there for a minute... Great Ted talk.
Watching this again.
I think you missed the point here.
Again, hearing people talking about Deaf people without Deaf people.
By not showing the interpreter during the entire TED Talk, you gave a great example of oppression.
Why isn't the interpreter visible throughout the video?
Nice format , but it would have been better with a visible interpreter ... She's like an after thought ... Next time ... Keep the interpreter on the screen
Thank you! Great information about Deaf culture.
Wow so cool I am 12 and I am studying sign language in school I love the beautiful language 💗 great job guys 👍
'
what happen to this screen video...
put the ASL interpreter on this screen video
TED could have put the box showing the interpreter. Seems very ironic that this was not included.
Great! Once again, hearing individuals benefiting from a presentation. Next time you decide to speak about ASL interpreting, include the interpreter using ASL on your stage. It’s kind of ironic, isn’t? “… helped interpreters like Lauren and I know exactly how to match those needs …” Which needs are you referring to? The Deaf community’s or yours?
I understood I am disconnected from the deaf community I would love to know more Nd connect Nd be able to help but is hard the closer school I have is almost ten blocks I work I am a young person 23 years old and this to afford that I have to make a really stream effort to be able to learn and i will if got willing but not now and by the way the caption thins drove me crazy literally a the very beginning I had to watch it plenty of time.
Please include more of the interpreter next time
Just saying, Idk how many of view this as "glamorous' Speaking for myself, I'm taking personal time to find how I might help my patients. How might I make a connection? I won't be fluent, but maybe a few simple signs will make someone feel valued and heard.
Yes! Take a ASL class even a community Ed class. Learn signs as you can. It is helpful if someone you are around all the time is learning as well and talk to Deaf people. It might take a while to learn but if you keep working at it you will get it. There are ASL text books but I encourage you to engage in real life conversations to learn and use the books as back up. Also if you learn to fingerspell (spelling out the word with the alphabet) you can communicate anything. Also learn to see words when someone else is fingerspelling (this is why a study partner helps). And even if you don't have a lot of time you can have "silent lunches" to practice with one or more people as you eat or are on break at work.
If you learn a little, It won’t be the few signs you learn that is the most helpful but the surrounding skills like learning to talk to the patient not the interpreter, that kind of thing. So go for it.
PRAISE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi
I came here looking to watch and observe the interpreter. Is there a version that show the entirety of the ASL interpretation?
Question for the group: How do you get rid of poorly skilled interpreters that refuse to improve or are incapable of improving??? This is a real question. I look forward to your responses.
@@amandamackenzie2797 The interpreter IS certified. At the lowest level possible, has remained at that level for over 17 years. Sigh, oh well.
You can request to not have them again from whatever agency u went through to get them in the first place
It’s really depressing that the certification test they’re talking about is subpar at best. Quality companies that regularly hire interpreters often conduct their own tests as they don’t consider it to be an accurate representation of interpreting ability.
Benedicte Adair So true! It wasn't the topic of the talk but there're so many other factors involved in the interpreting process. RID certification (which I have) is given after passing two tests that evaluate only a portion of the skills necessary to make a good interpreter.
Who is the interpreter at this event?
🙂
At first I was like "Cool I could totally interpret this!" Then they started using words like "facilitate" and lost me
Nico Senpai - Are you a student?
I’ve been interpreting for a while. It’s all about the context, when they say facilitate.
What does it mean?
Sign that meaning.
@@karissasantana2898 I learned asl on my own actually! Thank you so much for the advice! That's what I usually try to do some words are just still tricky lol
@T Mox I don't try to interpret I just learned for fun lol
Nico Senpai I don’t know any ASL, but my daughter is learning it in school. She has talked to me about some community events, where the ASL community welcomes learners to interact and/or observe people using ASL. Something like that may help you with the flow of the language, and learning how the signs interact with body language, etc. We are fortunate to live near a school for deaf children, so I foresee some interaction coming. There is also an event once a month at our local Panera. Good luck!
@@maryfovel7155 Thank you so much for telling me! I'll look into that!
How do you rectify the parts of this Ted mentioning ADA/disability with the fact that, by and large, the deaf community do not consider themselves or identify as "disabled"?
It's crazy how uneducated some interpreters are
What do you mean?
nicarry7 maybe Katelyn is referring to the fake interpreters that have been used in the news. Or the lack of certifications for legal or medical interpreting
Can you provide?
Through Grants Pass Oregon USA
In Josephine Country.
For Growing Biggest Deaf Community in World.
Native Signers of ASL, or JSL.
Deaf individuals what type of Services of communication do you need?
American Sign Language ASL.
Japanese Sign Language JSL.
Your Sign Language Accessible needs.
Tedx I know Sign language
alexis Daluz...I question that you do, but what's your point?
Cam should have been focused, totally, on the Interpreter.
I don’t think this is entirely accurate. Every Interpreting job I applied for or even looked at required a NIC test.
Kiara Jackson - It’s a state by state basis. Not all states have those requirements.
Karissa Santana True. Is some states a person can literally walk in off the street and announce "I'm an interpreter. Give me work." The agency will then conduct its own assessment (most likely constructed by Deaf people) and make its own decision as to qualification. I've taken some pretty crazy tests over the years. IMO some of them were more rigorous than the certification test.
What a mess of a presentation.
SHUT UP!!!!! YOU ARE SO RUDE!!!!!!! they did quite well!
Didn't these two move from Arizona to Oregon to avoid certification requirements in Arizona? Odd that they would bring it up, considering Oregon's lack of laws is precisely what allowed them to work in that state.
Mike Mikerson do you have any sources for that? I’ve never heard of these two before
@@LuckyLondon62 Its been a long time since I remember catching up with them but that was what was going around when they left. I do not have sources, I'm not sure what sources I would have that would confirm that.
@@mikemikerson6994 thats fine. i was jw bc i had never heard of them before. i liked most of the video
Certification or Licensure? Completely different things.
@@d.c.h5403 Sure, but they go hand-in-hand. In order to qualify for a license (at least a non-temporary one) you need a certification. If you have an approved certification in Arizona (NIC or BEI), obtaining a license is as simple as filling out paperwork. Hopefully that clarifies those...complete differences...
Yet the interpreter was not shown much, nor was given any credit, not on stage nor in the description.
Close Captioning? WTF?? What a waste of potential!
I find it interesting that accessibility in this video for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community is limited…Why wasn’t the interpreter visible at all times? Jeepers…Captions are fine, but the language accessibility of them can be limited. Thanks, Ted Talk people, for listening to the actual message of these interpreters and actioning it…
I am one of those people they were discussing who “know sign language” but am not a trained interpreter. I have worked very closely in an educational setting with interpreters in a D/HH classroom as the teacher and I can tell you, the lessons that these interpreters were trying to illuminate were not learned by the Ted Talk people…Interpreting is damn hard and D/HH people deserve the best. This isn’t it.
It’s sad that this is a TED Talk about interpreters, but the interpreter is not displayed in the general view. As an interpreter and consumer, this looks bad for the message you are trying to give.
The proper way to film this is to have the interpreter in the bottom-left hand corner at all times. You have failed at doing this.
You need to refill this video and make this correction so Deaf may see what your saying.
Ok. I don’t want to be a sign language interpreter anymore. I wonder if interpreters of other languages have such a hard job. Where they are doing 3 things at once. That there is a whole culture around it. That needs to be completely understood so as not to offend the deaf community.
Wow. It's scary how politically biased these two interpreters are. Good luck if you happen to be Deaf and your viewpoint differs from theirs. Encountering law enforcement with them as the only avenue of communication would have had dire consequences.
Agreed! I quickly picked up in this myself. Wow. 😳
Ok, let me get this straight: You’re talking about ASL interpreters… AND THE INTERPRETER ISNT ON CAMERA WITH THEM…
HELLOOOOOO!!!!!
12:37 the pretentious attitude of we are not here to teach you cool signs. Also the rudeness detures way too many people from even trying to communicate or engage. We are all on the same boat no need to act like jerks to each other.
The girl sounds like she is reading essay
lol video about sign language interpreters but you cant see the interpreter.
Imagine being a cop & arresting someone, then some guy in a suit pops up behind you & starts throwing gang signs 😂
I was going to copy and paste this to my social media. I was excited to listen to it. Then I did. And was disappointed. Even offended at some points. I won’t be sharing it.
A contradiction. You made sure to let the listener know that deafness is not a disability. THEN, at the end included deafness when speaking about disabilities. You can’t have it both ways. The word DISABLED is not offensive. If a person is deaf, they can not hear. Semantic gymnastics.
The middle part was biased with the example of interpreting at ICE. A neutral example should have been used. That example had an agenda. No thank you.
And calling a person privileged because their body does what it is made to do is ridiculous. I give this TedTalk a D. The beginning was good. Then facts turned into something else.
I agree! “Privilege” is the new buzz word.
This would have been SUCH a better presentation without a political slant. If your true goal is to get more access for the community, leave politics out!!
Amanda MacKenzie
First, bless your heart for thinking your opinion about my post is anything other than insignificant. Isn’t that cute.
Second, of course SEMANTICS are important! Who said they were not? What *I* said was that her contradiction of the world disability was SEMANTIC GYMNASTICS. Did you not understand that? God forbid you should interpreting THAT. You would be an interpreting FAIL 🤦🏻♀️Talk about an F! If you can’t understand simple English metaphors, you may need to go back and take a year 1 interpreting class.
We don’t need your pious definition of disabled. Most of us know what DIS means, and what ABLE means.
Again, no one is privileged because their body does or doesn’t DO or NOT DO something. You cannot call hearing a privilege in one breath, and in the the next breath refer to deafness as simply a language minority. If that is the case, then being hearing is nothing to be privileged ABOUT. Your ability to not contradict yourself shows. And God for bid that that should reflect itself in your interpreting. First you don’t know what I mean by semantical gymnastics, you think I’m referring to literal semantics in Sign Language itself, then you contradict yourself on what a disability is.
I give you and your holier than thou arrogance and F. And since you clearly don’t understand spoken English and its metaphors, I’d hate to see your interpreting in action.
Amanda MacKenzie
Ma’am,
Remember when you said, “as with anything, you do not ever get to decide what is offensive or not to a member of a community?” You ALSO do not get to decide whether someone is splitting hairs in any discussion. You have quite the tool basket of contradictions and double standards, don’t you? You do not get to decide what I think, and what I do not think. You may think I’m trivializing, but I think you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill. See? We all have opinions. Unfortunately you seem to think that your opinion is fact, and it’s just an opinion.
And again we disagree on privilege. Your definition of privilege is simply something that is easier for one person than another. That’s not my definition. Being able to hear is not a privilege, it’s just part of the human body. If a bald person is standing next to a person with a full head of hair, that full haired person is not privileged. They’re just a person with a lot of hair. And I hope you were looking into a mirror when you attempted to lecture me on not getting to decide things for others, and whether or not someone is offended by something. Another double standard.
Perhaps if you stopped listening to so-called experts, and didn’t need to be indoctrinated, and had thoughts of your own, you might be taken a little bit more seriously. If you wish to continue being a controlled robot, told what to think, told that you were privileged, that is your choice. But that does not put you in a position to tell others what the definition of terms are, whether or not they are privileged, or anything else that they should or shouldn’t think. In other words: right back at ya.
PS. And clearly you didn’t understand when I said semantic gymnastics, because you went on to speak of it out of context.
Amanda MacKenzie
You aren’t in a position to tell me I’m wrong. What you are is a condescending know it all, who actually doesn’t know it all. The field is full of arrogance like yours. I don’t care what you’ve done all day, or what your opinion is. You’re just another mindless robot without an opinion that wasn’t given to her. And one who doesn’t understand the English language well enough, in my opinion to even be an interpreter. You didn’t understand the term semantic gymnastics, you actually thought I was talking about literal semantics in ASL.🤦🏽♀️ And now you don’t understand that calling something insignificant doesn’t equal not responding to it. Let me guess, you’re interpreting program was only two years long at a junior college, and it didn’t require any other education, did it? It shows.
Imagine being the interpreter for Biden? Lol. Good luck
And she tried to mock Trump! No self awareness at all
i plan on doing asl interpretation for my career so i'm trying to learn proper etiquette.
i know that it's best to write with a deaf person and NEVER make someone lipread, even if they can