Interpretation, Translation & Working with LEP Populations

Because of the coronavirus, many meetings are now on Zoom. If you are meeting with someone who speaks another language, you can use Zoom with Interpreting.  Download one page guides, in English and Spanish, from Transcend's website.

Dear friends and allies, In preparation for ICE raids, as a community we have developed a set of Know Your Rights PSAs in Maya Mam to address the critical language barrier faced by many Maya families in the United States. The first set of SIX AUDIO CLIPS can be found on…

Title VI Language Access Conference Learn to successfully represent clients with limited English proficiency by advocating for their language access rights In Massachusetts, 22% of the population speaks a language other than English at home, and…

Office of Court Interpreter Services (OCIS) maintains and periodically updates a public list of court interpreters. These interpreters may be hired by legal services programs to come to program offices to do interpreting and translating. All are screened. The table indicates which are certified.

The following are links to glossaries of legal terms in a variety of languages: Spanish (MA Trial Court, Office of Court Interpreter Services) Spanish  (NJ Office of the Trial Court) Vietnamese  (Washington, Office of the Administrator for the Courts) Cantonese …

In order to communicate effectively with a limited English proficient individual, it is essential that you use a qualified and trained interpreter. Attached is a list of possible resources for finding qualified interpreters and translators.

"Lexicool.com offers primarily a directory of all the online bilingual and multilingual dictionaries and glossaries freely available on the Internet. The directory currently has links to over 7500 dictionaries and glossaries, many of which have been created by translators working in specialist…

1. The National Center for State Courts website offers resources for interpreters who are looking to improve their legal interpreting skills, glossaries, self-assessments, exam preparation materials, information about how to become a court certified interpreter and much more. 2. The Minnesota…

The attached list of resources was developed to assist interpreters in accessing resources to expand their legal vocabulary and practice their interpreting skills.

When interpreting, there are often words that do not have an equivalent in the target language, especially in a legal setting. A well trained interpreter will have a running glossary of terms. It is essential that the interpreter understand what the term means in English first before being able to…

The below resources are a great place for interpreters and translators to find training opportunities and to connect with other professionals in their field. These are also excellent resources for advocates who are looking to find interpreters or create an interpreter list for their…

This document was designed as an interpreting crash course for advocates who were to be used as interpreters. This is a guide that can be edited to fit your organization's training needs.

The Boston Interpreters Collective is dedicated to promoting a multi-lingual society by eliminating language barriers and building community. They work toward social justice by supporting community organizing through their interpretation services and language classes and popular education workshops.…

Click the links below for several tips sheets on how to work with an interpreter and more effecively communicate with LEP clients. Working with Interpreters: 10 Important Tips for Communicating with Clients with Limited English Proficiency created by Greater Boston Legal Services,…

The Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) created the ILR Language Proficiency Scale as a tool to measure linguistic proficiency of United State Government employees by an objective system applicable to all languages. This is not a test to critique your language proficiency, rather a helpful tool…

The American Immigrant Policy Portal is a website that provides digests of major reports and studies focusing on policy options and model practices designed to promote immigrant integration, intergroup understanding, economic revitalization, and organizational success. "Due to cultural…

The Resource Guide for Advocates & Attorneys on Interpretation Services for Domestic Violence Victims was supported by a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence, Interpretation, Technical…

The Massachusetts Legal Services Training Module on Working with Intepreters & Interpreting is designed for legal service advocates and service providers to learn skills that facilitate more effective communication with clients who are limited English proficient (LEP) or Deaf/Hard of Hearing…

Speak Your Languages is an effort through Highline Public Schools that offers a free, online, self study training program specially designed for English-speaking users of interpretation or translation services to communicate effectively and build trust with individuals who are limited English…

The following links are short training videos provide general information on how to effectively communicate with clients who are limited English proficient (LEP), Deaf or Hard of Hearing. These videos give an overview of the role of an interpreter, modes of interpretation, and practical…

"The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators' (NAJIT) mission is to promote quality services in the field of legal interpreting and translating. NAJIT members play a critical role in ensuring due process, equal protection and equal access for non-English or limited…

These basic training videos, produced by Clarity Interpreting, highlight 7 tips that demonstrate some of the core differences between a trained and untrained interpreter.  The videos give examples of each tip through a recorded interpreted encounter. The 7 Tips include: Body…

This document was put together by the Consortium for Language Access in the Court, Professional Issues Committee. It is designed as a tool of best practices and tips on translation of court forms and materials. Click "Go to Website" below to access the document.  

From MPI's website: "Advances in translation and interpretation technology have given language access professionals a multitude of options for breaking down language barriers. However, with different and seemingly complex types of technologies now available, selecting the right…

This document provides information on the top six languages spoken in MA (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Khmer) and best practices for translating English language materials into these languages.

This portal is a database of hundreds of resources used to provide services to LEP individuals. It seeks to provide relevant documents and guidance to government agencies and others who are seeking to make their services available to those who have limited proficiency in English. Materials include…

From the intro: The Cultural and Linguistic Competence Implementation Guide provides community examples, best practices, and information on specific tools and resources that can assist system of care communities, partnering agencies, and organizations to build and promote CLC. The Implementation…

Growing numbers of limited-English-proficient senior citizens frequently encounter language barriers when attempting to access government services and programs. Older people have a number of language-access rights under both federal and state law as well as under legal services program policies.…

This article, by Muneer Ahmad, highlights the complexities of layering across language differences particularly in poverty law. The article examines the many struggles in representing LEP individuals and invites readers to reimagine the traditional attorney client relationship when an interpreter is…

Resources for people wanting to improve their interpreting skills Content Includes: -Standard Reference Materials -Self-help Training Resources -Sample Examination -Colleges/Universities That Offer Courses -Other…

Visit the MassLegalServices.org YouTube Channel to access the Interpreter Ethics and Skill Building Playlist to access Vancouver Community College's videos on interpreter ethics and other videos about professional interpreting.  Vancouver Community College put together eight videos that…