VTRID E-Letter Archive: February 2004
Issue 4, February 2004
Join us for the March General Membership meeting
*meeting to occur immediately following mentorship program*
If you have items for the agenda, please send them to
Kristal Hier at kristalhaynes@hotmail.com
THE VERMONT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Are you looking for ways to:
Then, join us for the Vermont Mentorship Program's Workshop Series.
The VTRID mentorship program is a professional development program created to serve ASL/English interpreters in the state of Vermont.
The program provides an organized structure for colleagues to work together to enhance their skills. Participants can expect to expand their professional network and to receive challenging and supportive opportunities for professional growth.
Program activities include group learning events, workdays with pre/post dialogue sessions, and one-to-one mentoring opportunities. The opportunities for workdays and one-to-one mentoring are no longer available. The mentoring program is currently closed.
However, you can still be a part of these exciting workshops being offered and sponsored by the Vermont Mentorship Program.
April 17
10am - 1pm
Presentation: Use of Discretion - How Did I Get Myself into This?
Presenter: Lynnette Reep, CI/CT
May 15
10am - 1pm
Presentation: Successful Teaming Strategies
Presenter: Stephanie Cramer, CI
June 19
10am - 1pm
Presentation: Interpreting Technology: What Do I Do with It?
Presenter: Joan Pellerin, CI/CT
All meetings will be presented in spoken English. ASL interpretation will be provided upon request. Meetings include light lunch fare.
In addition, Those desiring an one-to-one mentoring relationship may apply to be matched with a seasoned interpreter for 10 contact hours. These hours will be scheduled between the mentor and participant. This is an opportunity to discuss ethical decision making, have your work evaluated via videotape, and pick up new vocabulary.
Program fees:
Contact Lisa Bixler for more information.
By Phone 802.878.7738 or email: leesahbixler@yahoo.com
Participants will be able to earn CEUs for both group meetings and one-to-one mentoring!
Betty Colonomos will be back!
Foundations of Interpreting, Part 2
When: April 2-4, 2004
Where: Brattleboro, VT
For registration information, contact Terry Keegan at the Vermont Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (802) 254 3929(v/tty) or email terry@austine.pvt.k12.vt.us
Please hold Saturday April 17th and Sunday April 18th,
9am - 5pm both days,
for a Legal Training with Theresa B. Smith, Ph.D.,
most likely in Brattleboro, VT (exact location TBA).
See below for a workshop description:
Language, Discourse and Culture: the Deaf Experience in Our Legal System
This workshop will explore issues of language, discourse and culture within the legal system as informed by theory and our experience. We'll spend a day unpacking and organizing the issues and possible strategies followed by a day of practice.
What does the Deaf Experience in school and society have to do with the exercise of civil rights to refrain from self-incrimination and the right to counsel? What are the implications for interpreters? How can interpreters handle narrative discourse within the context of a Q/A format? What do metaphors and world views of systems and networks have to do with legal interpreting? Theresa B. Smith, Ph.D. will lead participants in an exploration of these questions and issues with an eye to specific strategies for Sign Language interpreters in legal settings.
Interpreters, Deaf, hearing and Coda, already working in the field of legal interpreting will be given priority, but this workshop will also be open to working interpreters who have taken at least an overview course on legal interpreting, and who are seriously pursuing training to be able to work in court and legal settings. No interpreters who have not had prior legal training will be admitted to this workshop.
Evidentiary Privledge Bill (H79)
The Vermont Association of the Deaf needs our help in getting this bill through the legislature. This update, from Keri Darling with Deaf Victims Advocacy Services (DVAS) on behalf of VTAD pleads:
"Hello all again! I really do appreciate any of you who contacted your local representatives. We went and testified and did a great job!!!! (Pat on mine and Rene and Mary's back!)
The committee seemed very open to the bill and so we want to push them one more time to remind them to pass the bill soon cuz if they don't pass it within three weeks it will become "DEAD". So please if you can contact your representatives in the HOUSE not the senate, that would be great, you can look at the list below for your people in your district and again if there is no one listed in your district then contact the chairperson Peg Flory! Thank you again!
You can put something in the email like .... "We understand that you had good testimony from the Deaf Community on H. 79. Please don't let our needs wait. Please pass the bill. Thanks."
OK! Any questions please let me know!
Thanks! Please do this ASAP this week! KERI:)
Keri Darling DVAS-
Deaf Victims Advocacy Services
PO Box 61
South Barre, Vermont 05670
(802) 479-1934 TTY (
802) 479-9446 FAX
www.dvas.org
List of Representatives:
House Judiciary committee
Representative Peg Flory Chair
Rutland: Pittsford Sudbury
pflory@leg.state.vt.us
Representative Maxine
Grad Vice Chair
Franklin, Moretown, Northfield, Roxbury
mgrad@leg.state.vt.us
Representative Avis Gervais
Franklin: Bakersfield, Enosberg
agervais@leg.state.vt.us
Representative Carl Haas
Rutland: Rutland City
chaas@leg.state.vt.us, countrycar1@surfglobal.net
Representative Willem Jewett
Addison: Conwall, Goshen, Hancock, Leicester, Ripton, Salisbury
wjewett@adelphia.net
Representative Michael Kainen
Windsor: Hartford
no email can call 296-2100
Representative Sylvia Kennedy
Orange: Chelsea, Corinth, Orange, Vershire, Washington, Williamstown
skennedy@leg.state.vt.us, peansk@juno.com
Representative Duncan Kilmartin
Orleans: Coventry, Irasburg, Newport City, Newport Town
dkilmartin@leg.state.vt.us, rexkilvt@together.net
Representative Robert Kiss
Chittenden: Burlington
bkiss@together.net
Representative William Lippert
Chittenden: Hinesburg
wlippert@leg.state.vt.us
Representative Marek
Windham: Marlboro, Newfane, Townshend
no email can call 365 9107
VTRID Library holdings
WELCOME to the RID LIBRARY
RID has just negotiated an agreement with CASTLE Worldwide, a psychometric testing company, to administer the current RID Generalist Written Test (GWT) by computer-based testing. This innovative testing opportunity will be offered January, February and March of 2004 and is limited to the GWT only. The GWT will not be offered at the existing RID testing sites during this time. CASTLE currently maintains 250-400 secure testing sites nationwide and is continually adding more locations. Proctors trained by CASTLE will administer all tests.
Any person who takes and passes the GWT will have their allotted five years to take and pass the performance portion of the test (the CI and CT). The current performance testing system for the generalist certification will continue to operate as long as there are valid candidates for testing and there are no other options for completing this portion of the test. RID is seeking to establish comparability between the GWT and the new National Interpreter Certification (NIC) Knowledge (written) Test so that those who have passed the GWT may be allowed to go directly to the NIC Interview and Performance tests. The possibility of this has not yet been determined, but if it can be achieved, RID will inform the membership on our website and in our monthly publication, VIEWS.
Please note, the OTC, SC:L and CDI-English Version written tests will not be offered for computer-based testing. However, they will continue to be offered at each of the RID Regional Testing Centers (RTCs) on the first Saturday of June and December.
Applications for all RID tests can be acquired at the RID website (www.rid.org) or in any current issue of VIEWS.
Fax or send, by certified mail, your application to RID. We will be accepting applications through March 5, 2004. Any applications arriving at our offices past the deadline will not be processed but will be returned to you.
The National Office will high-prioritize your application and quickly process it.
RID will mail you a receipt letter with all of the information you will need to contact CASTLE and schedule your computer-based test with them.
Go to the CASTLE site indicated on the receipt letter and follow the directions. CASTLE will confirm your appointment within 72 hours and provide you with directions to the site as well as a link to a generic practice test site CASTLE has established to help applicants become familiar with the test delivery system.
Take the test at the appointed time and place. Your results letter will be printed for you before you leave the testing site. Those of you who pass the GWT will be considered candidates for certification and may then apply to take the CI and/or CT performance test(s). Those who do not pass the GWT may apply to take the new NIC Knowledge Test being administered June 5, 2004."
Vermont RID Membership
Vermont RID Scholarship Guidelines & Application
In this issue:
*March Meeting date/time/location changed*
*Mentorship Program *
*Upcoming Foundations of Interpreting Series, April*
*Theresa Smith/Legal Training Hold the Date*
*Evidentiary Privilege Bill (H79)*
*Library Holdings List*
*NY Times Article of interest*
*RID implements Computer based testing*
*Membership Form*
*Scholarship Application...$ available!!!*
Saturday, March 20th
1:30 pm-3:30 pm at Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin
> Improve your interpreting skills?
> Develop your ASL fluency?
> Enhance your professional network?
Been there, Done that? Well, do it again!
The Foundations Series is not designed such that you achieve mastery after one round. Come back, grow more. There are some participants who have done the series 4 times and are still wanting more.
Do not miss this opportunity! It is NOT too late to register.
