Page 147 - Reading Between the Sign Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters

132 Reading Between the Signs

Educational Settings

Scenarios 1 and 2 take place in a college classroom.

Scenario 1 (the first day of class)
Hearing Professor: (noticing interpreter sitting at the front of
the classroom) Oh no! This will never work. You will have to
move to the back of the room.
The front of the classroom is the teacher’s territory and
seat of control (much the way a judge controls the court-
room from the raised bench). It is not surprising, there-
fore, that often a teacher’s initial reaction to having a
deaf student and interpreter invade his or her space is
a negative one.

Deaf Student: But I have to see you, the board, and the inter-
preter clearly.
In Deaf culture it is of the utmost importance to estab-
lish proper sight lines before beginning a meeting or
event. Whatever time is necessary will be taken and
many opinions will be sought, until a solution is found
that ensures everyone a clear and comfortable view of
the proceedings. In fact, if a problem with seeing the
speakers or participants develops midway through a
Deaf-run event, everything will stop for however long it
takes until every person again has clear visual access.
Hearing Professor: No no. It’s too distracting.
The professor’s ultimate response to this new situation
may hinge on his or her personality. Although there has
not been a study made to unequivocably support this
theory, it seems that some teachers may be open and
adaptable to new experiences, while others are not.
Some may feel that the interpreter’s signing is too in-
trusive and will distract hearing students. Others may
be reacting out of insecurity and/or a fear that the in-
terpreter constitutes competition.

06 MINDESS PMKR 132 10/18/04, 12:01 PM