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Navigating the Study Packet Table of Contents | Overview | Framework | Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Lesson 5 | Lesson 6 | Lesson 7 | Lesson 8 | Lesson 9 | Lesson 10 | Authors/Acknowledgements | Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D | Appendix E | Appendix F | Download PDF Version The Table of Contents has longer descriptions of these links.

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Framework for this Independent Study

This independent study may be used by an individual, in a study group, in a mentoring relationship, or in an academic classroom. Each setting may require modification to be effective.

The format of this study packet draws on the ideas of Dean and Pollard’s "Application of demand-control theory to sign language interpreting: Implications for stress and interpreter training," (Dean, R.K. & Pollard, R.Q., 2001, in Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 6(1), 1-14).

Dean and Pollard apply the framework of Demand-Control theory (Karasek 1979, Karasek & Theorell 1990) to the task of interpreting (2001). They define four categories of demands that interpreters face in their work. These include environmental demands, interpersonal demands, paralinguistic demands, and intrapersonal demands (Dean and Pollard 2001). (More on the Demand-Control theory....)

For the purposes of this study packet, we are offering information to help you identify some of the demands you will face interpreting for pregnancy and childbirth, and the controls or resources and information that will prepare you for the task. A further step suggested by Dean and Pollard is to observe the tasks in a non-interpreting situation. We encourage you to see what options might be available to you to do just that. If you are able to be involved in someone’s pregnancy process – medical appointments, etc. – that will greatly enhance your ability to meet the demands of the job of interpreting. And if you are able to participate in the childbirth process as an observer, that too will better prepare you to interpret for childbirth. If you are not able to participate in this way, try talking with lots of people, Deaf and hearing, who have been through pregnancy and childbirth. There is much to be learned by listening to others’ stories!

One “participation” opportunity that should be easy to arrange is to attend a pre-natal class. These are offered by hospitals and OB/Gyn clinics. Contact them and explain your reasons for wanting to observe the classes.

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Table of Contents | Overview | Framework | Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Lesson 5 | Lesson 6 | Lesson 7 | Lesson 8 | Lesson 9 | Lesson 10 | Authors/Acknowledgements | Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D | Appendix E | Appendix F | Download PDF Version