Name: Phillip Walker Date:

03/02/2022

Start Time: 9:10am End Time: 10:20am Total: 1 hr

10 min

1. Goal of the speaker(s) (ie: to consult, persuade, entertain, etc.). How could you tell?

To tutor, guide, and to translate and explain content. At the beginning of class, the
interpreter was simply interpreting what the teacher was saying into sign language for the
student, but when the students started working on a group project in class, she focused
more on going over the content of the assignment with the student and helping guide him
through the assignment. She made sure her consumer and his partner understood what the
questions were asking, reminded them of past content/assignments, helped them find
where they could find the correct answers, etc.

2. Setting (circle and describe)

a. Educational, medical, legal, religious, employment
This was a small high school classroom setting.
b. Large group, small group, one-on-one
The class was made up of less than 10 students and was made up of students who need
more support in a classroom setting. As a tutor/interpreter, it seemed like the interpreter
was working directly with her consumer and no one else unless it was a group assignment
like the day I was observing. So, normally I think she is more one-on-one, but this day
specifically she stepped into a little more of a group leader position.
c. Register (frozen, formal, consultative, casual, intimate) What indicators in the
situation lead you to this decision?
Throughout the class, even though there was a level of educational professionalism, the
classroom was more relaxed and intimate in nature. I wouldn’t call it “intimate” just
because it wasn’t like everyone was best buddies and talking to each other as such, it was
more like a relaxed classroom environment. A higher level of respect for older students is
what I think it was. That’s where a lot of the more casual conversation came in and the
interpreter had to translate things like students teasing the teacher, the teacher making a
little joke to her students, etc. On the other hand, her position was less consultative in what
she had to interpret and more like consultative in the way she was the one consulting– so I
don’t know if it counts, but I thought I’d write about it anyway. Her position was to consult
her consumer on questions and help guide him to the correct answers and to keep him on
track.

3. Draw a diagram describing placement of the interpreter and consumers.

It was small like this but more heavily decorated and the interpreter sat with her student in
the back after interpreting up front for the teacher’s instructions.

4. How does the interpreter in this situation interact with other participants? (ie: How
does he/she greet the consumers? How does he/she conform to the environment at
hand? Can you pick up on the mood or feel of the environment?)
Definitely more casual. Throughout the year she’s definitely taken the time to chat with the
other students and get to know them and their needs as well. However, her relationship
was definitely most intimate with her consumer, I’m guessing because she works directly
with him all the time and no one else. They were even ribbing each other closer to the end
of the class period with the teacher.

5. State SIX environmental demands that you noticed in this situation.

Moving positions throughout the small classroom to meet with the needs of the consumer.
Shifting between formal and informal conversations really quickly between the teacher and
students.
Tutoring the consumer while making sure that you’re not giving away the answers, but
you’re also actually helping them to understand.
Having to focus on not only interpreting when necessary but also tutoring and trying not to
get distracted/overwhelmed by all of the other tables chatter and tutors.
She’s obviously been doing this for awhile, so she knew where she needed to be standing
and when in order to be most visible, but I’m sure that’s a process that took a little time in
such a small classroom.
The American flag was in the front corner of the room– going in with the knowledge that
the Pledge of Allegiance is probably going to be announced helps the interpreter prepare
for when that happens.

6. State TWO interpersonal demands you noted in this observation. What control choice
did the interpreter make in each situation?

The choice whether to take her consumer out of his studying to translate questions and/or
conversations happening around them. She chose to translate what the teacher was saying
a majority of the time even if it wasn’t necessarily important to their assignment, but chose
to not translate the students unless they were in that conversation with the teacher.
Quickly switching into casual conversations and teasing was something that happened a lot
during this observation. Not only did she have to decide how to translate it, but when she
was on the giving/receiving end she had to decide how she was going to respond to it. She
still held a level of professionalism, but she also knew her consumer well enough to know a
little joke makes him feel more comfortable.

7. Give an example of ONE paralinguistic demand you noted in the observation. What
control choice did the interpreter make that lead to an equivalent message?

Because this was a history class, there was a lot of vocabulary and the interpreter explained
that she had a lot of signs that she made up for the sake of brevity and clarity for her
consumer. At one point she told me, “I know there’s a sign for Cuba, but I haven’t had the
chance to look it up yet,” when she showed me her made up sign for Cuba. She also used a
wiggling C for Communist.

8. List TWO questions you have after this observation.

Is it a struggle to go between being an interpreter and being a tutor? If so, how do you
handle that demand?

What other classes do you accompany your consumer to? Which one is the most difficult for
you to translate for? Why?

9. The biggest take away from this experience was…

High school level students are adults but they’re still also students. It seems really difficult
as a teacher or an interpreter to walk the line of “we’re not friends” and “I respect you as an
adult/equal.” Taking the time to get to know the consumer and have a repartee is
important, but balancing in the professionalism is still very much critical. I think it’s harder
to walk that line in an older classroom setting than any of the younger classes I’ve seen.

10. Completely fill in the table below with new words and/or phrases from this assignment
that you would like to review/share with the class. This can include both signed and
spoken English. (ie: Hit it out of the park! - Unsure what to sign for that or what it
means ~OR~ GLORY - learned how to sign this in my assignment…let me show you!)
Timeline jump Revolution

Communism + Cuba Situation

Missile/Missile launch Obviously

Cuban Missile Crisis (CMC) Obsessed

Kicked out Worried/concerned