Interpretation Services

Interpretation Requests

Submit a request form for interpretation services >>

Confirm Meetings With Parents

Schools should call parents a day or two before scheduled meetings to remind them of their appointment.

If parents are unable to attend the meeting, call Translation Services at (505) 881-9429 ext. 80070 to cancel the request for an interpreter.

American Sign Language Interpretation

Contact Kim Corwin at (505) 362-7936 or corwin@aps.edu for sign language interpretations

We provide interpreters for:

• Individualized Educational Program (IEP) meetings
• Student hearings

• Student Assistance Team meetings
• Academic Improvement Plan meetings
• Parent-teacher conferences**
• Parent-teacher organization meetings
• Screenings, evaluations, and testing
• Health clinic visits

**For parent-teacher conferences, we encourage schools to use their staff who are willing and able to provide interpretation since the demand for interpreters is so high during that time.

Working With Interpreters

Here are some helpful hints for staff working with interpreters:

• Introduce the interpreter.
• Talk directly to the parents, not to the interpreter.
• Allow the interpreter to sit next to parents.
• An interpreter is a bridge between two groups and should not be considered a source of general information about the school or district matters.
• Only one staff member or individual should speak at one time.
• If reading a document, read slowly, and  provide a copy of it to the interpreter ahead of time, if at all possible.
• Whenever possible, avoid highly technical terms or vocabulary and phrases that may not be easily understood by people outside the field of education.
• Allow the interpreter to decide if they want to translate taking turns (consecutive translation) or translate simultaneously with the speaker (simultaneous interpretation).
• If the interpreter is performing consecutive interpretation, limit yourself to one or two sentences with each turn.
• If the interpreter is performing simultaneous interpretation, slow your rate of speech.
• Make sure that all interpretation equipment is returned at the end of the meeting.
• If some of the participants (teachers, therapists, etc.) at a meeting speak the parents' language and wish to address the parents in that language, they may do so.
• Nevertheless, the speaker should allow the interpreter to repeat in English what was said for the benefit of those who do not speak the parents' language.
• We strongly recommend, however, that all participants use only English and allow the interpreter to interpret everything that is said for the parents.