Educational Interpreting 101: It’s a Lot Harder than It Looks| Natalia Abarca and Katharine Allen
I found the article on educational interpreting by Natalia Abarca and Katharine Allen in the March–April issue particularly interesting. I wanted to inform readers of a program in Indiana that addresses some of the issues they discussed.
In 2016, the state board of education obtained a grant to train special education interpreters across the state. The training was free to all bilingual teachers, school employees, and other interested interpreters. The program covers Indiana’s Special Education Rules Title 511 Article 7, practice scenarios, code of ethics, and standards of practice based on those developed by the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. Many of us who are certified medical interpreters took the training and are interpreting in the school district for special education. I don’t know if any other trainings are available nationwide and would be interested in finding out what other states are doing to address the issue of school interpreting.
Maria Schwieter | La Porte, Indiana
Taking Charge of Your Rates | Simon Berrill
Excellent article! There’s a certain sense of satisfaction at increasing rates, knowing that you should still be fine even if the client declines to accept. I’ve often used rate increases to thin demand. I would only add that while you are indeed free to choose when to increase your prices, you may have more chance of success if you do so before the client has already set their budget—so perhaps a month or two before the end of the year.
Oliver Lawrence