Approximately one million people in the US are functionally deaf, and 6 million people report that they are hard of hearing. How they prefer to communicate depends on their education, the age they became Deaf, and the severity of their deafness. We’ll cover some of the ways the DHOH would prefer to use to communicate: American Sign … Continued
What makes interpreters great communicators? The answer is more complex than merely language proficiency. Bilingual people consistently prove to be more adept than monolingual people in areas of creativity, cognitive ability, and empathy. Creativity Regularly using two or more languages can help boost creativity, or the ability to come up with new ideas or products. … Continued
Interpreting is a highly specialized profession that requires training and practice. Professional-level interpreters acquire and develop many skills beyond being merely bilingual. Here are five skills that quality, professional interpreters possess: LANGUAGE SKILLS An interpreter needs extensive, high-level knowledge and vocabulary in both their native and secondary languages in order to be effective. They also … Continued
Sometimes when working with an interpreter, the speed and length of the their interpretation may seem to differ from what you said or heard. For example, you utter a sentence consisting of about twenty syllables, and your Mandarin interpreter follows it with something that sounds much shorter. In another instance, your Spanish patient rattles off … Continued
Interpreting is a well-established profession with many protocols and standards. These protocols might seem a little perplexing or startling for those who may have never used an interpreter before. Here are the answers to some questions you may have about how an interpreter conducts an interpretation session. Q: Why is my interpreter speaking in the … Continued
In its short, 200-year history, American Sign Language (ASL) has seen both incredible advancements and survived intense controversies. To share why, we’ve compiled some of the most significant events that have impacted the development and use of ASL today. Early Sign Language in the United States In the early 1700’s, Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts had … Continued
A video interpreter is essential for a successful remote video consultation with limited-English proficient patients or customers. Health systems and hospitals across the country have adopted telehealth solutions as an alternative to meeting patients in person. Many businesses and other organizations have also adopted video teleconferencing technology to comply with social distancing guidelines from the … Continued
Over a quarter of Americans struggle with literacy: 42 million Americans cannot read, and 50 million adult Americans read at 4th or 5th-grade reading levels. When it comes to health information, the percentage of Americans who feel comfortable reading and comprehending it are also at almost a quarter of the population. When the research firm … Continued
On January 13, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a statement encouraging financial institutions to make their products and services more accessible to limited-English-proficient (LEP) customers. By releasing these guidelines, the CFPB aims to “promote access to financial products for all consumers; facilitate compliance by providing clear rules of the road; and educate and empower consumers … Continued
On June 12, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its Final Rule on Section 1557. This Ruling included some updates to the information surrounding the requirements for posting notices of nondiscrimination and taglines. The material herein is educational and informational only. No legal advice is provided. What is Section … Continued
