Before the mentoring relationship begins, please review the following materials and steps to ensure a smooth start to the semester:
Watch the Orientation Video
Review the 55-minute orientation video (conducted in ASL). For best viewing, open the video on a computer and switch to Gallery View. Refer to the image provided for instructions on adjusting your view.
Review Course Expectations
Your mentee will provide you with a copy of the course syllabus. Read it to familiarize yourself with what we expect from students during practicum.
Inform Key Individuals
Let your supervisor, classroom instructors, Deaf students, and other key staff know that an interpreting student will be working with you this semester.
Briefly explain the practicum student’s role and purpose in the setting.
Schedule Weekly Supervision Meetings
Schedule a consistent weekly supervision meeting with your mentee. Students and mentors must meet for a minimum of 30 hours per semester (averaging 2 hours per week). Meetings may occur in one sitting or be divided into shorter sessions.
Review the Tips for the Weekly Supervision Meetings for guidance.
Explore Skill-Building Resources
Visit the Resources page for links to activities that can support interpreting skill development.
Textbook
Students will be reading The Interpreter’s Quick Guide to Self-Employment by Johnson and Bocian. If you would like to borrow a copy of this book to help reinforce the information being learned with your mentee, please contact the practicum coordinator.
As part of our ongoing commitment to our mentors, we are now offering asynchronous mentor training. This is not a requirement, but we do strongly encouarge you to take advantage of this professional development opportunity. We were fortunate to collaborate with Amanda Smith, former professor at Western Oregon University, to create a mentor training specific for our mentors. The training consists of 5 one-hour modules. Up to .5 RID CEUs are awarded at no cost for those who complete the training. You can take any or all of the modules. If you have already completed this training, you still have access to the content but cannot earn CEU's again.
To access the training, visit the https://arsmith-studios.teachable.com/courses/enrolled/2809976 and the promo code will be provided upon confirming mentorship. You will not be charged for this training.
To understand what courses your mentee has already taken or is taking concurrently with Practicum, view the course sequence and course descriptions on our Curriculum page.