EIPA - Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment Interpreting Process and Ethics Questions and Answers

Question 1

An educational interpreter is approached by the principal and asked to supervise a deaf student on the playground because the student's regular aide is unexpectedly absent.
According to the EIPA Guidelines of Professional Conduct, what is the interpreter's most appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Politely decline, explaining that this supervisory duty falls outside the defined role of an interpreter and could create a dual-role conflict.

Answer

Agree to supervise the student to be a 'team player' and ensure the student's safety.

Answer

Ask the deaf student if they are comfortable with the arrangement before agreeing.

Answer

Supervise the student but report the incident to the principal's supervisor later.

Question 2

In the context of the interpreting process, what is the critical distinction between 'lag time' and 'processing time'?

Accepted Answer

Lag time is the observable delay between the source message and the target message, while processing time is the cognitive work happening during that delay.

Answer

Processing time refers to how quickly a student understands the interpretation, while lag time is the interpreter's delay.

Answer

They are interchangeable terms for the delay between the source and target message.

Answer

Lag time is the duration of the interpreted message, while processing time is the time spent preparing for the assignment.

Question 3

An interpreter in the staff lounge overhears two teachers discussing confidential details about a deaf student's difficult home life. The next day, the school counselor asks the interpreter, 'I've noticed Alex seems upset lately. You're with him all day, do you know if something is going on at home?' What is the most ethical response?

Accepted Answer

Explain that you are not privy to that information and redirect the conversation back to your professional role.

Answer

Share what was overheard, since the counselor is part of the student's official support team.

Answer

Suggest the counselor speak directly with the teachers who were originally discussing the matter.

Answer

State that all communication is confidential and that you cannot discuss the student in any capacity.

Question 4

Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies an interpreter adhering to the professional conduct tenet regarding ongoing professional development?

Accepted Answer

An interpreter who attends a weekend workshop on interpreting scientific terminology for an upcoming high school chemistry unit.

Answer

An interpreter who asks the deaf student to teach them new signs they don't know during class.

Answer

An interpreter who has worked in the same school for 10 years and relies solely on their accumulated experience.

Answer

An interpreter who only accepts elementary school assignments because they are most comfortable with that age group.

Question 5

While interpreting a fast-paced physics lecture, the teacher uses a term the interpreter is unfamiliar with, causing them to miss the remainder of the sentence. The deaf student has a confused expression. What is the most effective and ethical immediate action for the interpreter to take?

Accepted Answer

Pause the interaction, inform the teacher that clarification is needed, and interpret the corrected information for the student.

Answer

Guess the meaning of the term based on the context and continue interpreting to maintain the flow.

Answer

Omit the missed information and try to catch up with the lecture to avoid further disruption.

Answer

Sign 'I DON'T KNOW' to the student and wait for the teacher to move on to a new topic.

Question 6

According to the Demand-Control Schema (D-C S) as applied to educational interpreting, which of the following is best categorized as an 'environmental demand'?

Accepted Answer

Poor lighting in the classroom and the teacher frequently pacing back and forth.

Answer

The complex and abstract vocabulary used in a social studies lecture.

Answer

The interpreter's personal feeling of fatigue near the end of the school day.

Answer

The student's preference for conceptually accurate ASL over transliteration.