10/31/2025 2:31:03 AM	ASL 133 Course Outline as of Spring 2007	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  ASL 133	Title:  ETHICS FOR INTERPRETERS
Full Title:  Ethics and Decision Making for Interpreters
Last Reviewed:12/18/2006

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	4.00	Lecture Scheduled	4.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	70.00
Minimum	4.00	Lab Scheduled	0		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	4.00			Contact Total	70.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  140.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 210.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

This course provides a theoretical foundation and a broad range of practical exercises and activities that explore the various dimensions of ethical decision-making as it applies to sign language interpreting. It is designed to guide aspiring and practicing interpreters toward a clear and effective strategy for ethical decision-making in future interpreting assignments.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Completion of ASL 131 and 132 or the equivalent.

Recommended Preparation:
Completion of ASL 130 or equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course provides a theoretical foundation and a broad range of practical exercises and activities that explore the various dimensions of ethical decision-making as it applies to sign language interpreting.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:Completion of ASL 131 and 132 or the equivalent.
Recommended:Completion of ASL 130 or equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1.  Describe their values based on individual and group ethics

   originating in Ancient Greece and Rome.

2.  Evaluate and describe the cultural implications of their own

   cultural norms, behaviors and values and the impact of

   these "filters" on the ethical decision-making process.

3.  Analyze the interpreter's role in the ethical decision-making process

   and apply ethical standards and decision-making processes to

   specific case studies and interpreting situations.

4.  Describe the guiding principles of the code of Ethics and the Code

   of Conduct of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), compare

   them with ethical codes of conduct of other related professions, and

   participate in selected interpreting situations which illustrate

   these principles.

5.  Document the role of cultural competence, personal values, and roles

   and identities as tools for resolving ethical dilemmas as future

   interpreters.

6.  Describe various issues and aspects of audism in the context of

   oppression of cultural and linguistic minorities.

7.  Demonstrate the principles and applications of ethical

   decision-making in a variety of situations involving

   interpretation or translation between American Sign Language and

   English, including interpreting scenarios, role-playing,

   translations, case studies, and other types of demonstrations.

Topics and Scope

I.    Philosophical basis of ethics and morality

     A. Ancient Greece - Ethical ideas and philosophies of Aristotle,

        Socrates and Plato

     B. Ancient Rome - Stoicism, natural law and ethical thinking

II.   Elements of a "tool box" for decision-making

     A. Identification of personal cultural norms, behaviors and values

        through discussion and journaling

     B. Examining multiple perspectives of an issue and the impact of an

        individual's specific perspectives on ethical decision-making

     C. Looking at settings and situations where the exploration of

        value differences is beneficial, e.g. workplaces, classrooms,

        business environments, medical situations, conflict management

        situations and other contexts

     D. Analyzing lexical choices and linguistic/cultural decisions

        by working from ASL to English and vice versa

     E. Practical applications through selected interpreting role-playing

        situations

III.  An examination of the interpreter's role in ethical decision-making

     A. The interpreter as a linguistic and cultural mediator

     B. Interpreter as advocate

     C. Practical applications through selected interpreting role-playing

        situations

IV.   Professionalization of the field

     A. Applying a principle-centered approach for solving personal and

        professional problems and examining how to live with fairness,

        integrity, honesty, and human dignity as essential principles

        for professional working interpreters

     B. The concept and meaning of professional boundaries and the

        application of those boundaries on the job

V.    Codes of Ethics and Codes of Conduct

     A. Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct of the Registry of

        Interpreters of the Deaf (Hereafter RID)

     B. Analysis and comparison of RID's codes with codes of other

        professions

     C. An examination of medical and legal codes of conduct as a basis

        for ethical decision-making in medical and legal fields

     D. Practical applications through selected interpreting

        role-playing situations

VI.   Analyzing and resolving ethical dilemmas

     A. Exploring and developing practical guidelines for a mindful

        approach to analyzing and resolving ethical dilemmas

     B. Applying practical tools for developing awareness and resolving

        dilemmas associated with working outside an individual's own

        culture and language

VII.     Audism

        A. How an interpreter's experience of being able to hear has

           a profound impact of his/her world experience

        B. How interpreters unknowingly contribute to inadvertent

           oppression

VIII.    Practice translation and interpreting exercises to apply

        ethical decision-making to specific interpreter situations

        A. Translation

        B. Voice to sign

        C. Sing to voice

        D. Role-playing ethical decision making

        E. Demonstrating certain case scenarios

Assignments:

1.  Reading 15-20 pages of textbook - involves in-depth analysis of one

   case study per class with follow-up written homework.  Other homework

   activities include interpreter interviews, journal writing,

   internet research plus one supplementary article (5-15 pages) per

   class with accompanying essay questions.

2.  Application of self-assessment tools (already taught in 131) in 2-3

   class presentations and in-class discussions to encourage

   self-reflection in the decision-making process.

3.  Development and presentation of two-three in-class presentations on

   individual case studies taken from a variety of articles and the

   class textbook.

4.  Development and presentation of two-three case studies that explore

   the meaning of "professionalism" as it relates to Sign Language

   Interpreters and applies a professional code of ethics to individual

   interpreting situations.

5.  Two-three written exams on presented materials and readings.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 15 - 20%
Journal writing and written reports
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 20 - 25%
Case studies, applying self-assessment tools
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 20 - 25%
Class presentations, paraphrasing, translations
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 25 - 30%
Written exams
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 15%
Attendance, Class participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Students will purchase one textbook and read an assortment of articles.

ETHICS AND DECISION MAKING:  ETHICAL STANDARDS AND PRACTICE WITHIN

  PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE INTERPRETER EDUCATION PROGRAMS, Stewart,

  K.L., Witter-Merithew, A., Teaching Sign Media: 2000.

Instructor prepared materials

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