Definition
Provides ASL-English interpreting services within the Iowa School for the Deaf (ISD), either to elementary through high-school-level students who are enrolled in the school’s off-campus programs, working with other staff members to ensure students’ successful integration into the traditional public-school program, or to ISD leadership and others as an executive interpreter; provides interpreting services for staff meetings and other events as needed; performs related work as required.
The work examples and competencies listed below are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be the primary basis for position classification decisions.
Work Examples
Provides interpreting services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students as needed. Accompanies students to class and interprets lectures, lessons, and any other information presented to students during class time in a sign language system familiar to the student (American Sign Language, Signing Exact English (SEE), Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE), etc.). Sign-to-voice interprets for students to teachers, service providers, and peers. Facilitates communication between the classroom teacher and the student to address needs, concerns, problems, etc. as they arise.
Interprets executive-level, sensitive content between ASL and English in ISD leadership contacts (i.e., face-to-face meetings, conferences, presentations) with non-signing members of leadership teams, state government administration, legislators, and others. Uses appropriate linguistic register and vocabulary and maintains strict confidentiality.
Prepares recorded translations in ASL and English as needed for agency publications.
Mentors students of interpreting by providing video-based and text-based feedback on interpreting work to improve and develop skills.
Prepares for students’ class time by reviewing books, materials, and other instructional information.
Adapts translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.
Assists classroom teachers in the development of lesson plans, curriculum, tests, etc.
Prepares and maintains documentation and records relating to students’ progress and developing techniques and strategies to assist students who are experiencing difficulty in the classroom.
Participates in a variety of inter-departmental and intradepartmental meetings to exchange information about students’ progress and develop techniques and strategies to assist students who are experiencing difficulty in the classroom.
Participates, as a member of the educational team, in team meetings, the development of the student’s Individualized Education Plans, and student evaluations.
Attends a variety of workshops, seminars, and presentations for continued educational and professional growth.
Interprets for staff members and staff in-service meetings as requested.
Performs other related duties as requested.
Competencies Required
Knowledge:
- Law and Government – Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- Customer and Personal Service – Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training – Principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Administrative – Administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
- Public Safety and Security – Relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- English Language – The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Abilities:
Law and Government – Understand and adhere to applicable laws, legal codes, administrative rules, and regulations.
Clerical – Maintain complex clerical records.
Written Expression – Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Written Comprehension – Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Near Vision – See details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Selective Attention – Concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Deductive Reasoning – Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning – Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
Information Ordering – Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity – Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Skills:
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination – Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Instructing – Teaching others how to do something.
Learning Strategies – Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Complex Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Graduation from an accredited college or university with an associate’s degree from an interpreter training program.
Notes
Within a period of time after hire, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to obtain Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) certification and/or an Iowa Sign Language Interpreter and Translator license.
Effective Date: 08/24 SA