Abstract
Individuals who have one or more deaf parent can be considered heritage learners of a signed language (Compton, 2014; Valdes, 2005). These individuals have had language brokering experiences (Napier, in press) before entering a formal program or attending any training to become an interpreter. Despite the experiences and skills they bring to the classroom and the profession of ASL/ English interpreting, deaf-parented interpreters anecdotally say that educational opportunities do not account for their specific needs and skill-set. The relationship between demographic characteristics of ASL/English interpreters who have one or more deaf parent, including their linguistic environments during formative years, routes of induction into the interpretation profession, and their professional status as an interpreter is examined in this mixed-methods exploratory study. This study of 751 deaf-parented interpreters’ survey responses finds that they are achieving national credentials and education and training as an interpreter through some coursework, formal and informal mentorships, and workshops. Degree and certification requirements along with state licensure before working as an interpreter may serve as a barrier to deaf-parented interpreters who, for the most part, have been entering the field through informal induction practices within the deaf community. The results of this research can benefit the field of signed/spoken language interpreting by influencing curriculum design and teaching approaches so that the unique demographic of deaf-parented interpreters are recruited to and retained within the profession.
Exit Requirement
Thesis
Date of Award
Spring 6-9-2015
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies
Committee Chair
Pamela Cancel
Committee Member
Elisa Maroney
Committee Member
Robert Adam
Keywords
Coda, heritage language, child language broker, American Sign Language, bilingual
Language
eng
Type (DCMI Terms)
Text
Subject Categories
Accessibility | Anthropological Linguistics and Sociolinguistics | Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Cognition and Perception | Community-Based Learning | Comparative and Historical Linguistics | Counseling | Critical and Cultural Studies | Cultural History | Curriculum and Instruction | Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Demography, Population, and Ecology | Developmental Psychology | Disability and Equity in Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Leadership | Educational Methods | Educational Sociology | Family, Life Course, and Society | First and Second Language Acquisition | Inequality and Stratification | International and Comparative Education | International and Intercultural Communication | Interpersonal and Small Group Communication | Language Description and Documentation | Linguistic Anthropology | Literature in English, North America, Ethnic and Cultural Minority | Online and Distance Education | Other Social and Behavioral Sciences | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Reading and Language | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Social Psychology | Sociology of Culture | Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Women's Studies
Recommended Citation
Williamson, A. (2015). Heritage learner to professional interpreter: who are deaf-parented interpreters and how do they achieve professional status? (master's thesis). Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/theses/22
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Additional Files
PDF-A Heritage learner to professional interpreter_ Who are deaf-parent.pdf (4542 kB)PDF/A Version
Included in
Accessibility Commons, Anthropological Linguistics and Sociolinguistics Commons, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Cognition and Perception Commons, Community-Based Learning Commons, Comparative and Historical Linguistics Commons, Counseling Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Cultural History Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, First and Second Language Acquisition Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, International and Comparative Education Commons, International and Intercultural Communication Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Language Description and Documentation Commons, Linguistic Anthropology Commons, Literature in English, North America, Ethnic and Cultural Minority Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons, Other Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons, Reading and Language Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Social Psychology Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons, Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons, Women's Studies Commons
Rights Statement
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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