Flow: Key Skills of Effective Interpreters 

Please join Metaphrasis Language and Cultural Solutions, LLC. and guest speaker, Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle on October 24th from 6-8 PM for "Flow: Key Skills of Effective Interpreters". This participatory and informative session will facilitate development of essential interpreter skills that revolve around the idea of flow. The difference between an interpreting encounter that flows smoothly and one that does not is immediately noticeable to the parties involved. The idea of "flow" as used in this workshop refers to how clear and natural an interpreted communication feels. Flow is about not just the pace and rhythm of an interpreted encounter, but the extent to which parties are able to connect with each other and build a common set of understandings across language and cultural differences.

 This workshop will cover three key skills essential to creating good flow. The effective implementation of these skills are often under-appreciated by interpreters but very appreciated by providers and patients (or other audiences in non-medical environments) when used well. These are: 

• Smooth and effective managing of flow
• Clear and engaging simultaneous interpreting when appropriate
• Facilitating direct communication between parties

Learning objectives:

• Participants will further appreciate the difference between being bilingual and being a skilled and professional interpreter
• Participants will gain knowledge of and practice with using oral and non-oral cues to smoothly and effectively manage flow
• Participants will increase awareness about how to improve simultaneous interpreting skill and how to decide when and how to use it
• Participants will develop an understanding of the many subtle ways an interpreter's positioning, gaze, tone and managing of flow ensure direct communication and relationship building between the parties of an interpreting encounter

 About the Presenter: Matt Gisberg-Jaeckle

 Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle is a freelance Spanish/English conference and community interpreter, a part time medical interpreter at a prestigious rehabilitation hospital  and the coordinator of interpreting for Strategic Alliance International. He was recently recognized in the Chicago Reader's Best of Chicago 2013 edition for his work interpreting and managing a team of interpreters for over 150 CPS hearings this spring. He is also the former Director of Interpreter Training for Healthcare Language Services. He regularly coordinates and interprets for human rights observation delegations to Honduras through La Voz de los de Abajo and has been doing human rights work in Honduras for over 14 years. His most exciting interpreting encounter was interpreting for former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya. He has a B.A. in Latin American History from the University of Chicago and is currently pursuing a Masters in Translation Studies at the University of Illinois Champagne-Urbana.