Level 1 Interpreter Training

Communicating with parents in their preferred language is critical to their full understanding and participation in their children’s education. Schools must provide language assistance to the parents to comply with Title VI.

It is not sufficient for the staff merely to be bilingual. For example, a staff member who is bilingual may be able to communicate directly with LEP parents in a different language but may not be competent to interpret in and out of that language, or to translate documents. They need to know the terminology specific to schools, to special education students and terminology used in various kinds of meetings in both languages.

Aside from reading, writing, and speaking two languages, bilingual staff must learn listening techniques, consecutive and simultaneous interpretation techniques, sight translation techniques, delivery techniques for these modes of interpretation and note-taking, they need to know the ethics involved in all interpretations. They also need to know protocols observed in their school and school system.

Although there are interpreter training programs at the community college level and universities, these programs take years to complete. NC schools currently have untapped potential bilingual staff that could be trained as interpreters. Relying on an untrained bilingual speaker creates potential liability.