Cormac Leonard’s Guide to Becoming an Interpreter

There is generally a lot of confusion about becoming a sign language interpreter and very few sources to help people out. So this is my guide to becoming an ISL / English interpreter. Bear in mind that these are personal recommendations and you are best to make enquiries from other sources also.

First thing to remember is that it is not enough to just ‘be good at signing’ to become an interpreter. Interpreters need to be more than just good signers. They need to be fluent, and in some ways more than fluent. You need to be familiar with different varieties of ISL – older signs, male / female signs, etc. You also need to have a very good level of English, to be able to understand speakers when signing and to be able to represent the deaf person well when voicing them over.

You also need to be aware of and understand the whole idea of interpreter ethics. When you’re interpreting, you can’t tell people afterwards what the Deaf person said or who was there. You need to keep these things confidential. You also need to be neutral and you cannot offer your own opinions, or skew what people say, when you’re interpreting. To be fully aware of these issues you need training.

So firstly you’re going to need to develop your sign language skills, and that starts off with sign language classes.

• The ISL Academy offer classes (most in Dublin but also in Cork) given by CDS-qualified teachers that will give you a well-rounded view of how different ISL is to English. The ISL Academy will soon be offering FETAC-accredited courses in ISL.
• The Cork Deaf Association also offers classes that are linked to Signature, a British based sign language qualifications body. In Galway the Centre for Sign Language Studies also offer Signature qualifications. There are other places in Ireland that use the Signature qualifications in Irish Sign Language. If you are based in northwest Ireland you could try Hands That Talk.
• You could also contact the Sign Language Association of Ireland. SLAI are a hugely experienced network of Deaf teachers.

Other than that I’m hesitant to recommend another sign language tutor. Trained tutors are hugely important in that not only are they fluent signers but also have been trained to teach that. Just as not everyone off the street is a skilled teacher of English, the same goes for Deaf people. So make sure your teacher is trained.

Many people ask me if there is a book that they can buy to learn sign language.  There ARE books out there that can help you when learning sign language but they should always be a backup to going to classes taught by a qualified Deaf teacher. Sign up for weekly classes and practice, then the books and DVDs and videos will be a huge boost. I should say that some books available are quite old now (and old fashioned) but there are some great books out now aimed at kids that are bang up to date. The problem with books is that they are ‘frozen’, still photos or drawings – and ISL is a moving, 3-D language that needs to be taught in a moving and 3D way.

DVDs and videos can help too, again as a backup to classes. I find that DVDs are sometimes a little ‘artificial’ – signers face the camera and have read a script, or pieces of dialogue are signed for the camera – it’s not the real, natural way that Deaf people sign, even though it’s great for building vocabulary. And of course a DVD can’t tell you where you’re going right and wrong with YOUR signing.

Website resources are more limited for ISL though there are plenty there for BSL and ASL. There is a new YouTube page with beginners ISL lessons by Alvean Jones.

And over and above any of these supports to your classes you NEED to mix with deaf people. It’s not an optional extra or something that you can do later. You need to practise with real life Deaf people who aren’t your teacher and who you can practice communicating with. There are tons of events and organisations that can help with this. The links on this page should give you a clue as to where to go to meet Deaf people.

I realise it’s sometimes difficult to find Deaf people outside your class, in this era of Deaf club decline, but there are ways and means. If possible, arrange to get together with classmates and form a signing group that meets in the pub, DOESN’T SPEAK (this is crucial) and then invite Deaf people along as you meet them. getting a job working with Deaf people is ideal, but obviously not easy to come by – keep an eye out for opportunities.

I’d recommend that you study ISL for at least 3-4 years before you can consider interpreter training. This will give you a good solid basis to build on in training and means you won’t be shocked at the raised bar on Week 1. the only course in the Republic of Ireland to become an ISL interpreter is the Centre for Deaf Studies’ ISL / English Interpreting qualification. It’s a 4-year Degree based at present in Trinity College’s School of Language, Speech and Communication Sciences. No part time options are available yet but CDS have a number of projects working on this at present so watch this space. It’s a fantastic course, very intense and maybe will feel like entering a different world… but the staff are amazingly supportive, you will build long lasting links with your classmates and you will have a ball.

Once you have passed your Degree you are now a qualified interpreter. there are now different routes available for you to begin work – contact the interpreting agencies listed elsewhere here for more info.

In previous years there was an accreditation procedure held through Irish Sign Link where trained OR non-trained people could come along, and if they passed the assessment they would be added to the register. An (irregular) Accreditation is now held through SLIS.

Other than the CDS there aren’t really any other current routes to becoming a working interpreter in Ireland (or at least none that I would recommend). Please don’t label yourself an ‘interpreter’ if you have not done a recognised training course, or have not passed a recognised accreditation or licensing process. You may be good at sign language, but it’s a very different thing from being a competent interpreter. And if you’re booking an interpreter, don’t accept anything less than a CDS or equivalent qualification, or a SLIS accreditation.