The VRS Interpreting Institute offers training that meets the continuing-education needs of recent interpreting graduates, seasoned interpreters and interpreter educators. Training is offered at the VRSII in Salt Lake City. For more information, see the descriptions below, or contact us at VRSII@sorenson.com.
VRSII classes are offered for graduate and undergraduate credit through the University of Arizona. Click here for more information.
Now Available
The VRS Interpreting Institute (VRSII) is pleased to announce that a Master of Science degree in ASL/English Interpreting with a concentration in Interpreter Education is now available through a partnership with the University of North Florida (UNF).
This will be the only degree of its kind offered in the United States and will be earned through a combination of on-line and on-campus courses held at the VRSII and UNF.
Click here to learn more and to apply for the master's program.
Apply Now for the VRSII Fall Interpreter Educators Symposium
The VRSII is now accepting applications for its fall symposium, scheduled Sept. 27 through 29, 2013, in downtown Salt Lake City.
The Interpreter Educators Symposium, "Improved Practicum Design for Improved Student Outcomes," will address approaches to effective practicum design in interpreter education. Participants will work toward the creation of a common understanding and approach to identifying content and sequence of measurable learning outcomes for the practicum experience with the ultimate goal of enhancing IEP graduates' job readiness.
Click here to learn more and apply to attend the VRSII Interpreter Educators Symposium.
VRSII School-to-Work Program
The School-to-Work Program is designed to assist recent Interpreting Education Program graduates in obtaining necessary skills to gain successful employment in the field of interpreting.
Applications are now being accepted for the next School-to-Work Program class which will be in session Jan. 10 through April 4, 2014. The VRSII is seeking highly-qualified applicants who have graduated with at least 65 college-level semester credits, or equivalent, before Jan. 1, 2014; and have completed an Interpreter Education Program from an accredited college or university between January 2011 and December 2013.
Click here to learn more and to download the School-to-Work Program application documents.
Additional VRSII Class Descriptions
Distance Learning in Interpreter Education: design, Integration and Delivery
Distance learning is a viable option for interpreter educators who want to see students learn and be transformed into effective practitioners to the maximum extent that modern technology allows. Distance learning increases program access and uses current and innovative strategies to train interpreters in a manner that removes obstacles of time and geography. This interactive, engaging workshop will highlight one program's experience developing an interpreting master's degree that is based on distance learning. It examines how to maintain effective teaching skills in online courses and leads participants in a review of such issues as feasibility, sustainability, faculty qualifications for online teaching, and market demand for alternative delivery modes. Everyone will participate in learning and discussing strategies for success in distance learning instruction, examining best practices in online instructional delivery and exploring blended learning.
Interpreter Mentoring - Part I
In this two-and-a-half-day training, participants will learn about the necessary dynamics of a successful mentor relationship, the logistics of mentoring, as well as the challenges mentors may face.
Participants will learn how to effectively analyze and discuss an interpreter's work sample to appropriately identify patterns of strengths and areas for improvement. They will learn techniques for ascertaining the root causes of these patterns for the purposes of developing skill enhancement activities. The training will also provide an overview for how to design skill enhancement activities which will help the interpreter improve identified patterns and to work toward their goals.
Interpreter Mentoring - Part II
This two-and-a-half-day training is a continuation of Interpreter Mentoring Part I. Participants will begin with a review of concepts discussed in Part I. They will then participate in discussions and activities to identify a wide range of skill patterns experienced by interpreters. Participants will practice techniques for ascertaining the root causes of these patterns for the purposes of developing skill enhancement activities. An in-depth analysis of the different kinds of root causes for patterns will be discussed. Participants will design skill enhancement activities to address a variety of root causes and they will leave with all activities developed by their colleagues during the workshop.
Development of Skill Enhancement Activities for Interpreters and Students
This two-and-a-half-day training will focus on how to develop effective skill enhancement activities for interpreting students and interpreters being mentored. Participants will discuss the common learning styles and preferences of interpreters and how to address the diversity of those we teach and mentor.
The presenter will share a wide variety of interpreting skill patterns demonstrated by interpreters and their possible root causes. Participants will then work collaboratively to design skill enhancement activities that address these root causes specifically, taking in to consideration the required time for activities, learning preferences, issues with activity completion, how to change activities to ensure successful completion, resources and technology needed, etc. All activities developed during the training will be shared with the group.
Assessment in Interpreter Education
Participants will learn a successful method for efficiently evaluating and grading the work of interpreting students. Participants will learn how to teach students to complete an in-depth analysis of their own work including the identification of successful and challenging patterns in their work, writing an ideal translation, proposing effective solutions to the challenges in their work, setting goals for themselves, and applying what they have learned by recording a new and informed interpretation. Participants will learn how to scaffold students to the next level of their abilities and have the opportunity to observe samples of meetings with students.
Training Schedule
All courses meet:
Fridays, noon to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Sundays, 9 a.m. - noon
Interpreter Educator Classes (Educator Empowerment Series)
(Interpreter Educator Classes are offered to ASL interpreter educators, mentors or workshop providers)
- Jan. 25 - 27
- Distance Learning in Interpreter Education: Design, Integration and Delivery
Instructor: Dr. Len Roberson
1.5 CEUs offered
- March 7-10
- Interpreter Educators Symposium: Critical Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Deep Learning and Teaching
Instructors: Dr. Carolyn Ball, Dr. Carol J. Patrie, Sharon Neumann Solow and Dr. Marty Taylor
2.1 CEUs offered
- April 5- 7
- Interpreter Mentoring - Part I
Instructor: Cindy Farnham
1.5 CEUs offered
- April 19 - 21
- Distance Learning in Interpreter Education: Design, Integration and Delivery
Instructor: Dr. Len Roberson
1.5 CEUs offered
- July 12 - 14
- Assessment in Interpreter Education
Instructor: Dr. Melissa Smith
1.5 CEUs offered
- Sept. 13 - 15
- Interpreter Mentoring - Part II
Instructor: Cindy Farnham
1.5 CEUs offered
- Sept. 26 - 29
- Interpreter Educators Symposium: TBD
- Nov. 1 - 3
- Development of Skill Enhancement Activities for Interpreters and Students
Instructor: Cindy Farnham
1.5 CEUs offered
Interpreter Education Classes
- June 10 - Sept. 6, 2013
- School-to-Work Program
Instructors: VRSII Faculty
College credit available through the University of Arizona. See above for details.
Testimonials
“ The faculty were AMAZING...enough said! ”
“ I felt as if I were in a safe environment with people who wanted me to do my best... ”
“ I was taught concepts I had never been taught before. I learned a lot and know it will improve my interpreting...”
“ I felt very fortunate to be learning from deaf instructors who were very knowledgeable. ”
“ ...I learned more in the last 3 days than I learned in a whole semester at school in the ITP... ”
“ ...a solid foundation has been established for me and I feel more confident now. ”
“ ...thank you for such a wonderful opportunity! ”
“ ...it was an excellent experience and I have benefitted greatly from it. THANK YOU SORENSON! ”
“ I now have a more advanced and clear understanding of how important classifier usage is... ”
“ I loved being able to take the lessons we learned in the classroom and apply them to mock calls. Then getting feedback from the callers was invaluable! ”
“ I passed my NIC and I attribute that to your training programs. Thanks! ”