Practicum

Welcome to NTID’s Bachelor of Science Degree in ASL-English Interpretation (BSI) practicum information and resource website. Regardless of your role as a mentor or a mentee, the mentoring relationship fosters the expansion of knowledge and skills, the seeking and giving of advice, professional networking, career advancement, and so much more.

In this site, you will find information for:

• • Future Practicum students

  • Current Practicum students

  • Mentors

  • Instructors

The practicum is organized according to the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE) Standards (2014) by which the interpreting program is accredited. Each student will develop a portfolio as well as skills that reflects mastery of the standards. In addition, each student will develop a Professional Development Plan. This diagnostic goal plan assists students in identifying areas that need improvement or growth and specifies activities to accomplish this growth.

The practicum experience is the culmination of coursework and skill development, along with the assimilation of the guiding principles below that are used to construct the development of the following frameworks: understanding, knowledge, skills, and dispositions which are necessary when making interpreting related decisions. Field experiences provide the link between theory and practice to facilitate the acquisition of these critical frameworks. The practicum placement process is student-led and oriented, requiring students to find their own placements that meet program requirements.

We encourage students to review and follow the process described on this website. As noted under the Preparation link on the navigation bar above, there are many approved practicum sites with which we have active and current affiliation agreements. Students should review this list and consider one of the currently approved sites, as it will expedite the placement process. If a student is interested in a practicum site that is not approved, permission must be granted by the Practicum Coordinator. Ultimately, students are responsible for securing their own practicum placements and will be assisted by the Practicum Coordinator throughout the process. Overall, this website is a comprehensive resource for mentors and students alike that will provide you with the information necessary for a successful practicum experience.

The BSI practicum is based on the following guiding principles:

• We value alliance with the Deaf and DeafBlind communities and respect the cultural norms inherent to these populations.

• We emphasize a spirit of respectful collaboration, partnership, and collegiality.

• We encourage a combination of professional skills development and dispositional growth in emerging interpreters.

• We promote personal responsibility and ownership for self-development and self-assessment.

• We foster an open-minded approach to diversity of all kinds.