In order to interpret into the target language and be equivalent to the source

language, Ive had to learn how to work with the Deaf consumers and monitor their
understanding.
In the artifact from 2015, motoring feedback with this particular client wasnt easy.
I hardly received and feedback through facial expressions or nodding. Often times, I
didnt know there was a gap in understanding until the client made a comment to the
class or answered a question. Once I realized that comprehension wasnt happening, I
slightly changed my interpretation. While I continued to use more Signing English
mode, I chose to start expanding when possible. For example, when the professor was
talking about having good posture at time code 3:01. I first showed good posture, then
bad posture, and I also fingerspelled the word posture. Another example is when the
professor mentions time lines. I first sign TIME+LINE and then expand and sign WHEN
THINGS D-U-E. There were times when I didnt know what sign the particular client
used and I still wasnt getting feedback. The word was CUSS and I know how to sign it
two different ways and so the first time the word was mention I signed it both ways and
expected the client to indicate which sign they preferred. However, I never got this
feedback and so I continued to use both signs for CUSS throughout the lecture.
The artifact from 2016, is another one that was hard to get feedback from the
client. Its hard to get accurate feedback from a 5 year old but we make it work. Often
times, the feedback is one sign or a smile for understanding.
At time code 0:50 the student was paying attention and caught the sign
Valentines Day party and signed back PARTY. From that I understood what the student

had caught from the message and they missed when the party was. At that point, I reinterpreted that the party was tomorrow.
At time code 2:19, the teacher asks the class who is this? and I already knew
that the student wouldnt have known Abe Lincoln. So I redirected the students
attention and signed WHO? And then taught the sign name for Abe Lincoln and the
student signed it back to me to indicate comprehension had occurred.
The student didnt comprehend the fact that the class was voting on which book
they wanted read and so I had to directly ask the student myself at time code 3:30.
Following that the student wanted to raise the hand for the book she didnt want and I
then had to tell her to put her hand down and wait.
There were also times when the student would only sign one sign back to me for
comprehension. Such as time code 5:55, the student signs turtle but missed the fact
that the boys had hurt the turtle and I then expand with TURTLE HURT.
From these experiences, I have learned that we cant always know if
comprehension is happening because feedback isnt always given or clearly given.
Sometimes we as interpreter have to ask for it directly and other times we have to just
keep interpreting and hope that comprehension is happening. Once we see that
comprehension isnt happening we then have to modify how we are presenting the
information.