From ‘what do they mean’ to ‘what does it mean’

Workshop Description:
Interpreting is a low-agency profession, meaning interpreters have little authority within a setting and few, if any, witnesses to their contributions. While many of us are drawn to the behind-the-scenes nature of the work, this low agency can become a challenge as we reach the late-career stage of reinventive contribution (~ages 45–65). According to O’Neil and Bilimoria (2005), professionals at this stage reflect on their careers, seek ways to add value, and pursue continued growth. However, interpreters face two key challenges: 1) The invisible nature of our work makes it difficult to assess our impact and contributions, and 2) Continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities rarely address or counterbalance these low-agency effects.

Dr. Dean will explore how transformational learning (Mezirow, 2004) and job crafting (Wrzesniewski et al., 2013) can help mid-to-late-career interpreters navigate these challenges. By applying these frameworks, interpreters can redefine their roles, articulate their professional contributions, and create new opportunities for growth and fulfillment.

Educational Objectives:
1. Identify three key findings in recent interpreting research on the topic of stress and attrition.

2. Define low-agency, career plateau types, and the stages of career development

3. Define the professional development functions of Proctor (2000) of normative, formative,

and restorative.

4. Identify three new ideas for one’s own professional development

Presenter Bio:
Robyn K. Dean, CI/CT, PhD has been a nationally certified signed language interpreter for over thirty years with particular service in the field of healthcare. Her scholarship in decision-making and ethics in community interpreting is recognized internationally. Dr. Dean has over twenty publications, all of which focus on the theoretical and pedagogical frameworks used to advance the practice of community interpreters. Dr. Dean is currently an Associate Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she is the lead instructor on the institute’s postgraduate degree in healthcare interpretation.

Disclaimer:

Should you require any accommodations, please contact us at kayla@signlanguagestudiosllc.com. This event upholds nondiscriminatory practices and encourages a learning environment of mutual respect and free from bias. Sign Language Studios is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for Continuing Education Activities. This program will offer 0.5 PS CEUs, at the SOME Content Knowledge Level.

For a full refund, contact SLS.

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