“To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination.
It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”
(Covey 1989, p. 98)
Prior to entering Northeastern, I had no experience with teaching, let alone writing a lesson plan. Learning how to plan for instruction was a challenging but beneficial lesson. Using the Understand by Design approach I now understand the importance of focusing on the “Big Ideas” of a subject, these ideas are those which are core to understanding a particular topic or subject. Designing instruction that begins by focusing on the big ideas and desired outcomes allows me to work through the process of determining how students will demonstrate they have achieved these outcomes and then plan learning experiences and instruction that will support this evidence. Essentially, in an effort to identify the desired outcomes, I have to first challenge my own understanding of a subject or gestalt in order to identify possible evidence and instructional activities. As I designed my first lessons, I found myself pondering the sequence of learning/teaching interpreting and contemplating which activities or instruction would truly enhance a student’s knowledge and skill. I was engrossed in a process that encouraged my own learning while crafting meaningful lessons.
A key component of a social constructivist classroom is learning which is embedded within its natural or authentic setting. Kiraly (2000) suggests, “We must retain the complexity of the situation.” (p. 43) With this in mind, what better way for me to get my feet wet with instructional design than to dive right in; I had the pleasure of testing my first lesson designs among my classmates and with my practicum teaching placement. What a invaluable lesson to plan a series of courses and watch them unfold. Through my first experiences as a teacher, I identified oversights I had made in the design process and came away with a laundry list of lessons learned. More than anything I learned the importance of pre-planning in order to clearly identify the desired outcomes and create a well thought-out and thorough plan for instruction. With an approach like this, I can design lessons that are truly beneficial to the students while refining my own understanding of the skills, competencies and knowledge needed to achieve a particular outcome. It’s been an incredibly rich journey of dissecting the components of interpreting, language, ethical and professional competencies needed in order to meet the desired outcome of competent interpreters.
Utilizing my own instructional design plans also taught me the important role of the students. Each group of students brings to the classroom a unique and dynamic chemistry. No two classes of students will be the same. Whatever instruction I have planned may change based on the student’s pre-existing knowledge, their motivations, their participation and the ebb and flow of classroom activities and dialog. Yet again, I see the need for creativity, innovation and the ability to reflect throughout the process of both designing and teaching a lesson. The cyclical wheel of teaching and learning were put into motion as I experienced the need for continual review of desired outcomes, evidence, activities and instruction.
Within this domain, Instructional Design, you will see examples of my lessons plans, evidence of my ability to understand the “big ideas” of interpreting and artifacts that highlight the emergence of my instructional design skills along with reflections surrounding areas for continued growth. I support the need for learning embedded within an authentic environment and believe this section of my portfolio reflects my own lessons learned within the authenticity of the classroom.
References:
Covey, S.R. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons In Personal Change. New York: Free Press.
In the summer of 2010, my classmates and I spent a week in Boston. During this week we continued to explore interpreting pedagogy and had the chance to design and teach our first lesson. My original instructional design was based on a research study, “Interpreting Culturally Rich Realities: Research Implications for Successful Interpretations,” by Dennis Cokely (2001). I chose this research as the springboard for my lesson because I felt it truly challenges interpreters to consider meaning and their roles as “cultural mediators.” The goal of this instruction was to “increase awareness for the need to apply bilingual/bicultural knowledge in order to effectively realize the communication goals of interlocutors.” The lesson stems from instruction and discussion surrounding single meaning versus multiple meaning words, cultural bound meaning, language communities and intended communication.
The first lesson went well but I left Boston with “fuel for my fire” and returned home with edits and improvements for the instructional design of this lesson. Since then, I have taught the lesson two additional times; each time making changes to the instruction through added content and added activities. In terms of content, I recognized a need for additional instruction on meaning and discourse. I decided interpreters taking this course, as a professional development workshop, needed more background instruction of these topics in order to guide their dialog. I also added examples which would help illustrate these topics. For example, to illustrate multiple meanings I asked the class what “cricket” meant to them. Most answers included “an insect,” “a game similar to baseball,” or “a wireless phone.” From these responses I was able to explain “cricket,” to me, is a dart game. This example allowed me to illustrate the importance of developing an awareness of our own understanding. In my case, I must recognize that I may need to talk differently about cricket when talking with someone who is unfamiliar with darts versus someone, like my husband, who knows the game. Through observation, I could see these examples assisted the students in building their understanding. Following this example the discussion could turn to examples about multiple meaning that we understand as interpreters that the general public may not.
My edits also included the addition of small group activities. The first two times I taught this lesson the group stayed together as a whole. While the dialog was inclusive of the entire group, I felt participants may prefer to “switch things up a bit.” Therefore, the third time I taught this lesson, participants broke out into smaller groups for discussion. This gave the students additional time for active learning. The students’ post workshop evaluation forms indicated favor for the small group discussions and activities. In addition, I made changes to the content used during these activities. I sought out additional ASL source texts which would demonstrate culturally bound multiple meaning phrases and words. I also recognized my first showing of source texts were all Caucasian individuals, therefore, when choosing new texts, I purposely included speakers who were from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Lastly, I made changes to the post workshop evaluation questionnaire. I added a few additional questions to help me understand the effectiveness of the lesson from the perspective of the students. I used a combination of yes/no questions along with open ended questions. The feedback from participants has helped me gauge learning from their perspective. After the second time teaching this lesson, post workshop evaluations helped me see the benefit students saw in open, collaborative dialog. This feedback also influenced my decision to include smaller group discussion which was then reinforced in the next set of post workshop evaluation feedback. I plan to make additional edits based on the most recent feedback, including the possibility of extending the amount of time allotted for this lesson.
This lesson continues to be one of my favorites. Observing the student’s reactions via their body language, facial expression and comments indicates “a-ha moments” of deeper understanding. The last time I taught this lesson, I enjoyed listening to each of the small group dialogs regarding meaning and how they might interpret a particular culturally rich phrase. The post workshop evaluation forms continue to provide me with insight into the effectiveness of the lesson and the impact on participant’s learning. I believe these artifacts demonstrate my ability to teach concepts such as meaning, discourse and cultural sensitivity. These artifacts also demonstrate my ability to reflect on the effectiveness of my design in order to make improvements.
Artifacts:
Evolution of “Cultural Considerations for Your Interpretations” Instructional Design
Handouts: ASL PAH!
Post Workshop Evaluation Summaries
References:
Cokely, D. (2001) Interpreting Culturally Rich Realities: Research Implications for Successful Interpretations. Journal of Interpretation. Arlington, VA: RID Publications.
Evolution of "Cultural Considerations for Your Interpretations" Instructional Design
Handout: ASL PAH!
Post Workshop Evaluation Summary
Metzger and Bahan describe discourse analysis as “the study of language beyond the level of the grammatical sentence.” (p. 113) For interpreters, understanding discourse and the ability to analyze discourse is a critical skill. Essentially, discourse analysis allows interpreters to perceive language in a holistic and natural way. These artifacts are lessons intended to aid interpreting students in preparing for a either a Time Shifted or Real Time Meaning Transfer using discourse analysis. I chose these lessons because I believe they introduce discourse analysis in a practical way and equip students with strategies for preparing for an interpretation.
The first lesson begins with a brief discussion regarding meaning and purpose as tools for preparing for an interpretation. I then introduce the topic of the source text; an apartment complex manager and a potential tenant. Together, as a class, we brainstorm any possible vocabulary, concepts, questions, content, etc. that may arise during the conversation (to be interpreted). This predictive brainstorm focuses on discourse in its natural form. Students utilize what they know about English, ASL and the natural interaction of an apartment complex manager interviewing a potential tenant in order to prepare for the interpretation. Separating the language from the actual interpretation assists students in focusing on natural language use; discourse.
Once the brainstorm is complete two students participate in a role play. Each student takes on the role of one of the participants in the communication event to be interpreted; one an apartment manager, the other a potential tenant. With both students using English they create a possible interaction. Again, using their knowledge of English and the communication that may transpire in a tenant interview, they naturally explore language use. In doing so, they begin to familiarize themselves with the natural discourse likely to occur in this communicated event.
After the role play, students are given the opportunity to add to the predictive brainstorm and then discuss what they witnessed during the role play. Through discussion they contemplate challenges they may face in interpreting this interaction including power struggles, stereotypes and vocabulary/concepts. The role play is then conducted again with both “actors” using ASL. The role plays give students a chance to utilize their language skills, either English or ASL, to create naturally occurring discourse.
The lesson is intended to be completed by students, working on their own time (outside of class), to produce a consecutive interpretation (from a recording) of the communicated event. Unfortunately, this lesson was taught among my classmates and did not include time for them to produce the actual interpretation. Regardless, the predictive brainstorm and role plays demonstrate discourse analysis strategies that could assist an interpreter in preparing for an interpretation. (Viewable on the Video named, “Crafting a Consecutive Interpretation”)
A similar lesson was conducted among a group of community interpreters who were analyzing formal register discourse. The class, as a whole, conducted a predictive brainstorm regarding the linguistic characteristics and features that may be present during both English and ASL formal register. Students then role played formal register introductions, each producing a pseudo introduction of the keynote presenter (in English). (Viewable on Video named “Formal Register DA”)Following the role play, student’s produced an ASL to English Real Time Meaning Transfer for a presenter introducing a keynote speaker. They role play prepared students with the appropriate register and discourse in order to produce a formal register meaning transfer. These role plays were unscripted and required students to use natural discourse. In both role plays, students utilized vocabulary, pace, intonation, content, etc. specific to the interpreted event.
Winston & Monikowski (In press) indicate, “when interpreters take time to analyze discourse and become familiar with the schemas and structures, they have more time to attend to the full message that is being presented and , therefore, have the potential to render a more effective and comprehensible message.” (p. 2) I believe these artifacts demonstrate activities where students were provided an opportunity to understand the schemas and structures of language.
Artifacts:
Video*: Crafting a Consecutive Interpretation
Video*: Formal Register Discourse Analysis
*Available in my Vimeo Folder
References:
Metzger, M. & Bahan,B. Discourse Analysis. In Lucas, C. (Ed.) The Sociolinguistics of Sign Language. Cambridge University Press.
Winston, E.A. & Monikowski, C. (In press) Discourse Mapping. In C. Roy (ed.), Innovative Strategies for Interpreting Training. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
The “Interpreting Cultural Rich Realities” lesson plan demonstrates my pre-planning and preparation in designing the structure and instruction of a lesson. The intent of this lesson was to increase students’ awareness for the need to apply bilingual/bicultural knowledge in order to effectively realize the communication goals of interlocutors. In order to build this awareness, the instructional design of the lesson included:
I purposely chose these activities to both introduce the topics of meaning and cultural-based meaning and to elicit self-reflection, critical thinking and analysis on the part of the students. Instruction and discussion were intended to help students recognize their intrinsic knowledge as bilingual and bicultural individuals.
The structure of the lesson allowed me to guide the students in dialogs which did elicit self-reflection, critical thinking and analysis. My use of questioning throughout the lesson prompted students to participate in group discussion and provided them with the stimulus for reflection, critical thinking and analysis. I utilized simple yet thought provoking questions such as:
These questions, although fairly simplistic, guide students to think for themselves. Often, my questions are followed by a moment of silence and in many cases I give a sample response as a model. Throughout the lesson students offer responses and begin dialoging, as a class, to provide answers to my inquiries. As an example, one students says, “There’s a big difference as far as their understanding…it’s quite surprising.” In another instance one student expresses the following, “I felt the emphasis on access to communication” There’s a forty second clip where one student provides a response that shows thought and critical thinking. This response causes a dialog between her and another student. Together, they discuss and explore the potential implications of using or not using a particular word. Throughout this dialog I am attentive and listening but interject very little. When I do speak it is to ask the student to repeat a very important piece of thinking they have uncovered. I prompt (with positive head nod, as to say “yes..exactly!!’”), “say that again, it’s not the…” and they join in, repeating their comment “positive connotation intended…” Together, the students discovered the importance of meaning and culturally rich realities.
Once students responded, I typically offered positive reinforcement, rephrased or repeated their responses and often used vocal inflection and deliberate slowed pace for added emphasis. On several occasions I used the strategy of rephrasing the student’s response to emphasis the intended point and to lead to the next segment of the lesson. This is demonstrated at the 00:38-01:05 time marker of my lesson “Interpreting Cultural Rich Realities” where I ask, “What does that (research results) say about the general public and the difference between them and us?” I rephrase the student’s response of “Exposure” to summarize the discussion in order to move on to the next segment of the lesson.
Furthermore, the class lecture and subsequent dialogs addressed the relevance of multicultural communicative competencies and knowledge for language and literacy. Again this was demonstrated through the class dialog regarding the eight cultural meaning based words from the Cokely (2001) article and how we interpret these words from ASL to English. Relevance of the need for this competency was demonstrated via discussion surrounding the intended positive connotation of biographies and stories told in ASL by Deaf individuals and the negative ramification of not interpreting these words as culturally appropriate. For example one student says, “… the concept of residential school [is intended to mean] extended family.” When discussing Deaf clubs another student expresses, “how essential that [deaf club] is to Deaf families and the Culture in general” Understanding the potential negative ramifications is expressed by one student’s comment, “Hearing participants are hearing it (I am Deaf and my family is Deaf) as I cannot hear and my family cannot hear and my brother cannot hear and no one can hear. And it doesn’t mean anything…it is very negative. It’s not the positive connotation that the Deaf individual intended to communicate, it has the opposite effect.” Another examples is heard when the student explains the possible misunderstanding/negative connotation of the Deaf family living together in small house.
In addition, self reflection and overall impact of the lesson was demonstrated through the post-lesson evaluation form which indicated that all of the students present for this lesson felt how they would interpret (ASL to English) the cultural rich words from Cokely’s article (2001) had changed since the beginning of this lesson. Comments on the post-lesson evaluation form also reflected a deeper understanding for the need to think about the audience’s understanding of Deafness and Deaf culture and to be more aware of the fact that as interpreters they are aware of polysemous or multiple meaning terms. One student commented, “I will be more careful [when interpreting], remembering I have access to additional meanings that the hearing audience may not have.” While another wrote, “My a-ha moment is to be mindful of what other individuals have been exposed to and to try to explain it on various levels.”
Based on the student’s in-class discussions and post-lesson analysis responses, as outlined within this reflection, I believe students were able to increase their awareness for the need to apply bilingual/bicultural knowledge in order to effectively realize the communication goals of interlocutors. In addition, the dialog throughout the lesson supports the overall need for interpreters to possess cultural competencies; this is the basis for the article written by Cokely (2001), “Interpreting Culturally Rich Realities: Research Implications for Successful Interpretations,” in which this lesson was based. From discussions students are able to realize the importance of conveying meaning and intention of speakers and signers; a foundational skill that any interpreter should possess and thoughtfully consider while interpreting.
Artifacts:
Video*: Cultural Rich Realities 1
Video*: Cultural Rich Realities 2
*Available in my Vimeo Album
References:
Cokely, D. (2001) Interpreting Culturally Rich Realities: Research Implications for Successful Interpretations. Journal of Interpretation. Arlington, VA: RID Publications.
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