School translators and interpreters are essential to strengthening engagement with emerging bilingual students and families. Clackamas Education Service District hosts periodic trainings for this group of professionals during the year, and this spring we’re hosting our first statewide conference to help both new and experienced translators gain more skills.
Registration is now open for the Educational Interpreters and Translators of Oregon Conference on Monday, April 17 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Clackamas ESD administrative offices at 13455 SE 97th Ave. in Clackamas. We’re able to provide this full-day session at no cost to attendees, thanks to funding from House Bill 3499, which helps districts address disparities experienced by English language learners.
“The professionals who provide translation and interpretation services in our schools have intense responsibilities that are continuing to grow,” said Leah Hinkle, an education consultant on Clackamas ESD’s teaching and learning team. “There is a great need for more training and support, so we’re excited to facilitate an all-day professional development session that we hope will become an annual opportunity to bring education translators together to grow their skills and build a supportive peer community.”
All bilingual school staff who facilitate communication with families are welcome at the conference, regardless of proficiency level. There will be sessions in Spanish and English for those new to interpreting and translating in schools, as well as sessions designed for more experienced interpreters and translators. Multiple topics will be covered, including interpretation “basics,” simultaneous interpretation, best practices in remote interpretation, general translation tips and techniques, and translating educational terminology.
An embedded half-day strand is designed for district administrators and coordinators of language services. Topics for those sessions include how to work with an interpreter and developing language access plans for schools.
Featured presenters include:
- Ana Soler of the National Association of Educational Translators and Interpreters of Spoken Language
- Giovanna Carriero-Contreras of the American Association of Interpreters and Translators in Education
- Patricia Martinez of the Greater Albany Public School District, who provides contracted translation education support to Clackamas ESD
For more information about the conference, contact Leah Hinkle at lhinkle@clackesd.org.
