Growth & Mastery Journal
Through the practice of the first competency, I have developed a solid understanding of the theories and knowledge required to be an effective practitioner. My time in the program has provided a strong foundation that will support me as I continue to grow in the profession. I have engaged with theories such as the Demand-Control Schema, Role-Space Theory, and Systems Thinking, as well as models of interpretation, including the Cokely, Gish, and Colonomos models.
Applying these theories and models—and strengthening my ability to interpret and integrate them into my work—has noticeably enhanced my practice throughout the program. I look forward to continuing to refine both my understanding and application of these frameworks through deliberate practice.
This domain also emphasizes the importance of interpreters continually expanding their knowledge, not only of the subject matter they interpret but also of the cultural nuances and historical contexts that shape the communities they serve. As a future practitioner, I am committed to being a lifelong learner. I will actively seek opportunities to deepen my knowledge so I can draw on those experiences to provide more effective, culturally responsive practice.
For my Domain #1 Comprehensive Essay, please click below.
Competency 1.1
Demonstrate world knowledge through discussion of current and historical events in regional, national, and international contexts and by describing systems that support society (e.g., governmental, educational, religious, social, and judicial).
Demonstrate knowledge of linguistics and cross-cultural and interpretation theories by discussing the implications of each of the work interpreters in various contexts ( e.g., approaches to the process and analysis of task).
Competency 1.2
Competency 1.3
Apply linguistics and cross-cultural and interpretation theories by analyzing a wide range of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting samples in a manner that reflects synthesis of the theoretical frameworks as they apply to the interpretations.
Compare and contrast linguistic characteristics in a variety of signed language interpretations.
Competency 1.4
Competency 1.5
Identify and discuss personal and professional demands that occur during interpreting and identify strategies leading to an effective interpretation (e.g., strategies to prevent injuries, reduce stress, ensure personal safety, use of team interpreting).
Competency 1.6
Discuss professional and ethical decision-making in a manner consistent with theoretical models and standard professional practice.
To demonstrate my understanding and current skill level of this competency, I will cluster it with other related competencies to ethical decision-making. To find my work demonstrative of this competency and the other competencies it is clustered with (2.2, 2.6, & 5.4), please click below.
Competency 1.7
Compare and contrast majority and minority cultures in American society (e.g., social norms, values, identity markers, humor, art forms, language use, oppression).
Competency 1.8
Identify and discuss the major historical eras, events, and figures in people, and the resulting implications for interpreting (e.g., audism, Deaf President Now, Clerc, Milan).
Competency 1.9
Demonstrate critical analysis of current literature in the interpreting discipline by writing a research paper. (PLACEHOLDER)
Below is a research paper that I wrote in the Fall of 2023. The first copy is the final draft I submitted for INTR 204: ASL for Interpreters II. Embedded in the PDF below are the comments my instructor made when she provided feedback on my final draft. You can view those comments by clicking on the red carrots within the text.
The next PDF is a revised and revisited version of the same research paper that I improved this past summer in 2025. The edits that I made were based on the instructor's feedback and were fairly minor. Most of the revisions were making corrections for the sake of using proper grammar and ensure that I am expressing my thoughts clearly. I also edited a few of my resources on my resource page to be sure that they are APA compliant, as when I wrote this, I had little experience with APA citations before. After taking more classes in the program like INTR 230: Research Methods for Interpreters, I am more comfortable with creating citations, both in-text citations and reference pages. The majority of the paper was strong and no revisions were necessary at this time.
As social media becomes more and more prevalent in today's world, it is important to stay in the know about how it is impacting our communities. As interpreters, it is especially important to know how it is impacting the Deaf community. A large responsibility of interpreters is understanding our role and what our place is. This research shows that hearing people (including interpreters) should not take to social media and use their knowledge of ASL and Deaf culture for clout or monetary gain. This can be very harmful to the Deaf community and have repercussions that last longer than a video remains viral. Misinformation spreading can lead to perpetuating stereotypes and misunderstandings between the Deaf and hearing worlds and cause more division where there is already such a struggle for unity and understanding. In this social media-centric world, it is important to reflect on our actions and the impact they have on the communities we are involved in.