1. CoURt InTeRpREtER CaNdIDaTe TraInInG
Lessons Learned!

2. Challenges of Interpreter Training
Demanding exams
Candidates with limited re$ource$
AOC limited human resources
AOC limited $$
No AOC $$ for scholarships

3. “Court Interpreter Orientation”
Kansas
“Court Interpreter Orientation”
Kansas is partnering with a community college to create and host a 4-hour (8-unit) online court interpreter orientation.

4. 7 Month Shadowing Program
Pennsylvania
7 Month Shadowing Program
It’s FREE
Requires Application Process
No skills assessment
Preference to LOTS
2018 – 21 participants (17 in 2017)

5. Pennsylvania Shadowing Program 1x/ month participants:
Shadow staff interpreters
Attend lectures
& by invitation only*attend 4 sessions of simultaneous exam prep
Shadow ½ day, professional and legal lectures, invitations to those who’ve attended orientation & passed WE
*(completed orientation and passed written exam)

6. Language of Justice Institute
Pennsylvania
Language of Justice Institute
Partnership: Philadelphia Courts & Delaware Law School - Widener University
SJI Curriculum Grant $
Private donor: $10,000 for scholarships
Scholarship: $500 per student

7. Language of Justice Institute
Pennsylvania
Language of Justice Institute
3 Academic Credits
Certificate of completion
9 Saturdays: 4 days & 5, ½ days
Tuition: $1,497 ($499 per credit)
2018: 18 registered

8. Pennsylvania
Surveys all oral examinees about their preparation strategies immediately prior to their exams…

9. Oregon LOTS Scholarships
By invitation only (10 candidates)
10-month-Oral Exam prep program
10 hours of in-person oral exam prep
16 hours on-line oral exam prep
3 Mock Exams
Conference attendance (3+ sessions)
Oral Examination Fees
LOTS - Pass Written Exam
Expert Witness Testimony, Ethics, Note Taking

10. SJI Curriculum Adaptation Grant OJD In-Kind Donations:
Oregon Scholarships
Funded by
SJI Curriculum Adaptation Grant
OJD In-Kind Donations:
Proctors
Materials & Equipment
Coordinator’s time
Forgoing collection of self-supporting fees

11. Oregon Surveys all oral examinees about their preparation strategies
immediately prior to their exams…

12. ClAcKeRS Quiz Show!!!

13. What is the national oral exam pass rate ?*
Question #1
What is the national oral exam pass rate ?*
*Some administer all 3 sections in 1 sitting -- Some administer 3 separate sections
42 %
10%
70%

14. Survey Says…..
B. 10%

15. (3 parts taken in one sitting)
Question #2
What is the Oral Exam
Pass Rate in Oregon?*
(3 parts taken in one sitting)
18 %
11%
42%

16. Survey Says…..
A. 18 %

18. Question #3 What is the Oral Exam Pass Rate in Pennsylvania?* A. 23%
3 parts taken in one year cycle
A. 23%
12%
41%

19. Survey Says…..
A. 12%

20. Question #4
After attending the Pennsylvania Shadowing Program, what % of participants' oral exam scores were almost passing (60%-69%)?
40%
62%
80%

21. Survey Says…..
A. 40%

22. Question #5
What percent of Oregon scholarship recipients completed the program & took the oral exam?
A. 100%
B. 90%
C. 50%

23. Survey Says…..
B. 90%
9 out of 10 participants

24. Question #6
What was the correlation between attending Oregon oral exam training and passing the oral exam?
Weak: 0.1 to 0.3
Medium 0.3 to 0.5
Strong: 0.5 to 1.0

25. Survey Says…..
Weak

26. If you like dogs… Please stand up
If you like cats… Please stand up

27. Question #7
What is the correlation coefficient to predict who in a room will be a cat lover or a dog lover?
Weak: 0.1 to 1.3
Medium 0.3 to 0.5
Strong: 0.5 to 1.0

28. Survey Says…..
A. Weak

29. What percent of Pennsylvania’s
Question #8
What percent of Pennsylvania’s
Language of Justice Institute participants completed the Program?
A. 100%
B. 89%
C. 76%

30. Survey Says…..
B. 89%
16 out of 18 participants

31. Question #9 What percent of Pennsylvania’s
Invited* Shadowing Program Participants took the oral exam?
A. 100%
B. 34%
C. 56%

32. Survey Says…..
56%
5 out of 9 participants

33. Question #10
According to Pennsylvania pre-oral examinee surveys, interpreters who do not pass (or almost pass) have not done the following:
A. Recorded themselves
B. Practiced under test conditions
C. Attended any training prep events
D. Trained to improve note taking skills
E. Any or all of the above

34. Survey Says…..
E. Any/All the above

35. What are some reasons interpreters don’t take the oral exam?
Question #11
What are some reasons interpreters
don’t take the oral exam?
Costs too much.
Don’t have time to prepare for the exam.
Exam prep training costs too much.
Exam prep course doesn’t fit into schedule
All of the above

36. Survey Says…..
E. Any/All the above

37. Lessons Learned!

38. Kansas Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Orientation
What, How, and Why? – Lessons Learned
What?
Online; free to interpreters
Hosted and tracked by Johnson County Community College
Eight, 30-minute units with "conditional advancement"
Course content

39. Kansas Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Orientation
What, How, and Why? – Lessons Learned
How?
Kansas Supreme Court Language Access Committee
Facilitated brainstorming session
Johnson County Community College
Instructors subject matter experts
Contract/Service agreement (how developed?)

40. Kansas Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Orientation
What, How, and Why? – Lessons Learned
Why?
Benefits for interpreters
Benefits for Judicial Branch

41. Oregon Lessons Learned
Lesson 1 – The Cost is Substantial $11,648 Individual scholarships: $ $1165

42. Oregon Lessons Learned
Lesson 2: Free is too free.
For years, we heard from LOTS interpreters-- Do you have any scholarships? Any waiver of fees? I can't participate unless I get a reduction in price. We always said no until we got grant money.

43. Oregon Lessons Learned
Lesson 3: Evidence is Not there (yet)
Pennsylvania, Other states? Private companies, De La Mora ??

44. Oregon Lessons Learned
Lesson 4: Focus Efforts
Put training online
Offer mock exams
More LOTS prep materials
Pennsylvania, Other states? Private companies, De La Mora ??

45. Pennsylvania Judicial Branch Oral Exam Prep
What, How, and Why? – Lessons Learned
What?
Language of Justice Institute
Shadowing Program

46. Pennsylvania Judicial Branch Oral Exam Prep
What, How, and Why? – Lessons Learned
How?
Language of Justice Institute – Partnerships, SJI grant, private donor Scholarships
Shadowing Program – Voluntary contributors; free oral prep training.

47. Pennsylvania Judicial Branch Lessons Learned
Lesson 1: More effort needed
for LOTS examinees
In spite of interpreter skills training, many LOTS candidates lack language skills

48. Pennsylvania Judicial Branch Lessons Learned
Lesson 2: Prepping under test conditions improves results

49. Pennsylvania Judicial Branch Lessons Learned
Lesson 3: Charging for training = improved commitment

50. Pennsylvania Judicial Branch Lessons Learned
Lesson 4: Observing staff interpreters does not improve language skills

51. Questions and Answers

52. YOU WIN!!!
Thanks for Playing