Week 3

Let's Gish that! This week we'll talk about the Interpreting Processing Model by Sandra Gish.

Gish's model is different from the other processing models because there aren't 3 boxes - but her model focuses more on what the other models would say is the "middle box". Gish focuses on how to organize and process information.

A bit about "Gish"

Just an overview of why we like Sandra Gish and how we'll use her process for practice and for getting out of tough spots.

Gish as a Tree:

This is how I learned the Gish model -- full of wonderful leaves... that may or may not fall off my tree.

A more traditional way to see the Gish model depicted:

Or you can even think about it as an outline:

Gish's terms defined and illustrated by using the Wizard of Oz:

Goal = the speaker's purpose, the reason they speak. For example to educate, to amuse, to explain, to persuade, etc.

Wizard of Oz Goal: To Educate

Theme = The main point of the text, the topic

Wizard of Oz Theme: "Our dreams lie within us"

Objectives = The main ideas of the text - think about the Roman numerals of an outline. The introduction, the body, conclusion.

Wizard of Oz Objectives: Dorothy decides life would be better somewhere else; She and her dog run away from home; She and her dog take an unusual trip and arrive in a strange land.

Sub-Objectives = A further break down of main points

Wizard of Oz sub-objectives: Dorothy is frustrated by all the people in her daily life; Her dog's life is threatened; She decides to run away.

Unit = A single proposition or series of propositions. The level of analysis most associated with interpreting.

Wizard of Oz units: Dorothy is playing outside her farmhouse with her dog, she gets in trouble by falling in the pigpen, her dog tries to bite the neighbor woman, The neighbor woman threatens the dog, Dorothy begins to wish she lived in a better place

Data = Detailed information the speaker uses that is crucial to the meaning of the text

Detail = Detailed information the speaker uses to enhance the meaning of the text

Data and details can be the same piece of information, such as a name. But is that name crucial? That's Data. Is that name something that can be dropped without losing meaning? That's a detail. We need data (Data processing), don't get lost in the details..

Wizard of Oz Data and Details: Dorothy is playing with her dog Toto outside their farm in Kansas; Dorothy tries walking on the fence around the pigpen and falls in; Auntie Em, in her mid 40s, scolds Dorothy...

Optional Reading on Blackboard: I'll post optional articles on Blackboard regarding Visualization and processing.

Gish as a strategy -- words of wisdom from Sandra Gish:

"Interpreting students need strategies for remaining in control of their interpretations. They need strategies for analyzing incoming information. monitoring their cognitive processes. & maintaining control of their product. Without these strategies. their interpretations are often fragmented, inaccurate. & incomprehensible.

One of the difficulties for beginning interpreters is that they attempt to interpret entire messages, a task that is often beyond their capabilities. When students attempt to interpret everything they often lose control of both the process and the product, and they are unable to monitor the success of their interpretations in terms of their cognitive processes and interpreting product.

I would like to offer an instructional approach that 1) requires students to approach the interpretation as a mental processing task; 2) offers students a structure for analyzing incoming information; 3) requires students to remain in control of their own interpretations; and 4) provides students with a way in which to analyze their interpretations in terms of both process and product.

Students must practice interpreting at each of the levels (of information). One of the challenges that we give to students is this: If you cannot discover and interpret the main theme of a text grammatically and accurately, you are not ready to interpret the objectives.

When you can grammatically, accurately. and congruently interpret the objectives of a text, you are ready to interpret the sub-objectives. When students remain in control of the sub-objective level. they are allowed to interpret the same text at the unit level. After successfully interpreting at each of these levels consecutively, they are allowed to simultaneously interpret first pre-analyzed and then unfamiliar texts at each level of operation.

When students are in control of their interpretations, they are also able to explore their own cognitive processes.

Instructors must re-think their expectations of beginning interpreting students: by allowing students to work first at the theme, objectives, and sub-objective levels. Students are able to remain in control of their interpretations. When quality of the interpretation is established as the first goal of interpreting. students are able to work toward more complete interpretations with guidelines for quality in mind. And by supporting students in their own exploration of the cognitive processes that influence their interpretations, students are able to control not only their own interpretations, but also their own professional growth and change."

So what does that mean?

We need to listen for the GOALS and THEME (Main point) of the text first. Then start adding the supporting ideas on to that, and finally adding the details.

As students and new interpreters we tend to hear all the information at once and get overwhelmed. Or we focus on the details first and we just sign a lot of words that don't end up MEANING anything because we just wanted to "sign everything".

What we need to focus on is listening in the right way. Listening for main points, then "hanging" the supporting points and details onto that foundation. Gish is making the point in her statements above, that students should always start interpreting only at the main point level. And only when they're able to do this with success and confidence should they move on to interpret with more detail.

This is a great exercise - but it can be difficult to retrain your brain to stop and listen just for the main points. It's the first step in building your process. When you practice interpreting texts, stop and listen to the incoming message and only start signing when you understand the main point. Deliberately leave out the details. Don't fingerspell any proper names until you feel confident that your interpretation is making sense at the main point level.

Gish Exercise: Listening for the Main Points and organizing the text

"Vermont"

Instructions:

+ Listen to the whole story (it's 30 seconds long) -- VISUALIZE IT

+ Now from memory, "map" or organize the story into Main points, objectives, down to data and details. You can make a visual mapping, or an outline - whichever you prefer. Do this ALL from memory.

+ When you have it as complete as possible from memory, listen to it again and fill in information you omitted the first time.

Now compare your map to the one at the bottom of this page -- how did you do?

**jump to the bottom to see the Sample Map of Vermont, I didn't want to put it too close to this so you wouldn't be influenced by their map.

Everyone's map will be different -- we organize information in slightly different ways. What I really want to see is that you're identifying the main points and associating the objectives and the details with those points.

Let's try it again with a slightly longer text -

"Blueberries"

Instructions:

+ Listen to the full text (about 2 minutes) and VISUALIZE the story

+ Map out the story into main points, objectives, etc from memory

+ Listen to the story again and fill in or fix information

+ Play the story and record yourself interpreting the story into GoReact. Focus on interpreting at a main point level. I don't care about the details (this means, don't spell anything). You can add them if you have time, but I just want to see you tell the main points of the story. If you get details and miss the main point structure, I'll ask you why you included those details.

Sample map of "Vermont":

OR if you were the outline type:

Extra Exercises:

+ Retell "Vermont" in English (paraphrasing) -- Focus on the main points and then supplement with more detail

+ Retell "Vermont" in ASL -- Again, focus on the main points and add in details. You can restructure the order of the story any way that you feel is necessary to convey the meaning in ASL.

+ Interpret "Vermont" simultaneously and only interpret the main points (no spelling); Add in levels of details when you interpret it a second or third time.

+ Try these same exercises with "Blueberries" and the extra text below:

"Max"

This text is 3:10 --
+ You can decide how you want to approach this text. But I would suggest trying to interpret it Simultaneously as a COLD text, while listening for main points and interpreting at a main point level.

+ Try the other exercises we've performed with the other videos.

Babysitting story from class

Remember to practice space and taking on characters

Peanut Butter Sandwich

Hearing People are Dumb?

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