Date changed to May 11, 2013!
Location
Willmar Education and Art Center
611 5th Street SW
Willmar MN 56201
Description
Many Deaf and hard-of-hearing students experience difficulty taking standardized tests. Central to this difficulty is the reality that English often functions as a non-native language for these individuals. Compounding the language issue, standardized tests are often constructed with the overall style of language being very specialized, include low-frequency vocabulary words, contain grammatical constructions that make items more difficult to decode, ask music- and/or sound-based questions, and impose artificial time constraints on test takers.
One accommodation is to have interpreters translate questions and answer choices for Deaf and hard-of-hearing test takers. Without adequate knowledge, skill, and preparation, however, attempting to interpret standardized testing could actually harm students’ ability to accurately represent themselves on the exam.
While little in the way of research exists in this arena, David has been involved in translating standardized testing for video delivery for over a decade. From helping to “invent the wheel” to consulting with various states on their approach to testing, David has a wealth of experience to help guide interpreters in this important work.
Topics we will cover
- Discuss appropriate accommodations for Deaf and hard-of-hearing test takers
- Examine standardized testing stem construction
- Equivalency or bias: how much cultural mediation should be allowed?
- Practice translating and interpreting standardized testing questions and answer choices
CEUs
12:30-3:30 PM
Three-hour workshop offering 0.3 CEUs in the Professional Studies category. Requires some content pre-knowledge.
Registration
Free for educational interpreters or school employees in Regions 6 & 8. $50 for those outside the region. Maximum capacity of 40 people.
Send free registrations to Janell Bullard, bullardj@willmar.k12.mn.us. Paid registrations should be made to Willmar Public Schools and mailed. Registration deadline is Tuesday, May 7, 2013.
Information
This workshop will be presented in spoken English. If you require accommodations, please email your request to bullardj@willmar.k12.mn.us by Tuesday, May 7, 2013.