Language Justice Curriculum

Chapter 10: Evaluation

Exercises

Welcome + Warm-Up – 15 minutes
Self + Peer Evaluation – 60 minutes
Evaluating the Practice Sessions – 10 minutes
Close – 15 minutes

Objectives
  • To provide an opportunity for participants to evaluate their own interpreting and to have their interpretation evaluated by others
  • To provide an opportunity for participants to evaluate the CPC Language Justice Curriculum
Materials Needed
¡OJO! Although the curriculum does not have a set order, this practice session is intended to be the last in the series.
  • Interpreter evaluation sheet (See Appendix C)
  • Curriculum evaluation sheet (See Appendix D)
  • Video with subtitles or audio recording with transcription and translation
  • Notebooks or some other kind of cariñito or token of appreciation for each participant
Directions

WELCOME + WARM-UP – 15 minutes

Notes for facilitators: Depending on the amount of time and the group, you could do one of two suggested warm-up activities. Both activities work best if participants are sitting in a circle.
  1. Have the participants play a round of the game “telephone” with a theme tied to the evaluation.
  2. Have the participants join the activity outlined below.

Step One:

  • Facilitators welcome everyone to the practice session.
  • Facilitators review the goals of the practice session: To provide opportunities for participants to evaluate their own interpreting and to be evaluated by others, and to evaluate the language justice curriculum, in general.

Step Two:

  • Facilitators explain the warm-up exercise:
    • The first person in the circle will say a word that starts with the letter A.
    • The second person in the circle interprets the word that starts with A and adds a word that starts with the letter B.
    • The third person in the circle interprets the word that starts with the letter B and adds a word that starts with the letter C, and so on until everyone in the circle has added a word or they reach the end of the alphabet.
      • Example:
        • Person 1: Apple.
        • Person 2: Manzana. Bear.
        • Person 3: Oso. Cabra.
        • Person 4: Goat. Derechos..
    •  Note: The words can be random, or to make it a bit more challenging, ask participants to use words related to the evaluation. If facilitators decide to go with the more challenging option, participants may need a minute or two to think before starting the exercise.
      • For example:
        • Person 1: Assessment.
        • Person 2: Valoración. Burócrata.
        • Person 3:Bureaucrat. Cambio.
        • Person 4: Change. Dull …

Step Three:

To transition, facilitators may say something like: “Today, we’ll be doing self-evaluation, peer evaluation, and an evaluation of the previous practice sessions. Evaluations give interpreters feedback on specific areas where they can improve their skills; it’s also one of the practices that seems to be missing in the world of social justice interpretation. As interpreters, we believe self-evaluation is important, as well as hearing back from folks about how we’re doing and what we can improve.”

SELF + PEER EVALUATION – 60 minutes

Notes for facilitators: For this exercise, you will need a video with subtitles or an audio recording with a transcript and a translation. This is to allow participants to evaluate themselves for accuracy by comparing their interpretation to the written translation. If you use a video with subtitles, tape a piece of paper over the lower third of the screen so that participants cannot see the subtitles while they are interpreting.

Step One:

  • Facilitators play a 5- to 8-minute video or recording.
  • Participants use smartphones or other recording devices to record themselves while they interpret.
  • For 1-2 minutes, participants replay their recording and listen to their own interpretation. In this step, participants should only be listening. What does their interpretation sound like? Participants should be listening for tone, volume, breathing, etc.
  • Participants listen to their own recording again. This time, participants are listening for accuracy in both specific vocabulary and the general message.
  • Participants complete the interpreter evaluation sheet (see Appendix C).

Step Two:

  • Participants hand their recording devices to the person sitting next to them.
  • Participants listen to their fellow participant’s recording while watching the video with subtitles.
  • Participants complete an interpreter evaluation sheet for their partner.

Step Three:

  • Facilitators ask to hear back from participants:
    • How was this process?
    • What did you notice?
    • What did you learn?

EVALUATING THE PRACTICE SESSIONS – 10 minutes

Facilitators invite participants to complete a written evaluation of the practice sessions (see Appendix D). Depending on the group, participants could rate the previous practice sessions from most to least favorite. Participants can also answer broader questions, such as:

  • How did the practice sessions support your learning as an interpreter?
  • What was useful for you?
  • What didn’t work well for you?
  • What would you change?
  • What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about yourself as an interpreter?
  • If a new interpreter were considering joining these practice sessions, what would you say to them?
  • Is there anything else you want to share?

CLOSE – 15 minutes

  • Facilitators ask participants to stand in one last closing circle. This session will end by showing appreciation for and to each other.
    • One participant will start by turning to the person to their left and saying one thing they appreciate about this participant.
    • This participant will turn to the person to their left, and so on until everyone in the circle has had the opportunity to speak.
    • Facilitators offer small notebooks or some other token of appreciation to participants.
    • Facilitators thank participants for participating in this and all previous practice sessions.

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