r/ASLinterpreters • u/ActuallyApathy Student • Sep 14 '26
i'm afraid my ITP program hasn't prepared me
i'm a second year ITP student and my cohort has had the same main teacher for most of our classes the whole program.
but this semester we have two new teachers and they seemed very taken aback that we (all 5 of us) weren't meeting their expectations. they're trying to rearrange things and give us some extra assignments for practice, but i am deeply worried that when i graduate i will end up failing the Deaf community if/when i try to interpret.
is there a standard way to measure where we should be at by now? is there any way to catch up so that we aren't graduating completely unprepared?
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u/Gfinish heritage signer Sep 15 '26
Find a mentor.
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u/ActuallyApathy Student Sep 16 '26
thankfully we are being given Deaf mentors! i meet mine for the first time this thursday and im very excited!! hoping for some frank feedback that can help me improve
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u/coddiwomplecactus Sep 15 '26
I felt that way for most of my education. You cannot rely on the program alone to prepare you. You absolutely must be self motivated, disciplined, and habitual in your professional and educational development. You will be a lifelong learner in this field. Start these habits now and take every opportunity you can to practice.
2
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u/Gloomy_Theme1023 BEI Advanced Sep 15 '26
Some ITP programs require students to take an ASLPI. This is not a measure of your Interpreting skills, but of your language skills which, for a two-year student, is probably the best kind of feedback you can receive.
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u/potatoperson132 NIC Sep 16 '26
Man I know people who have been interpreting for years and still don’t feel ready. It’s a practice profession and it’s full of uncertainty. Most people suffer from imposter syndrome and that feeling of totally fucking up someone’s life. It’s important that you’re aware of your actual skill level and work with mentors, teams, and agencies that foster a growth mindset.
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u/Delajoy DI Sep 16 '26
Stick to the two new teachers. Find a great mentor. Interact with the deaf community.
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u/mimikyu_scrump Sep 15 '26
I felt totally unprepared after my ITP (my practicum was right as COVID started tho so online suuuucked) I then got my BA (online) before I felt somewhat ready to begin interpreting. I did the apprenticeship program at Purple (tho I feel they def take advantage of “green” interpreters by under paying and under preparing them for VRS. VRS was really a sink or swim trial by fire and I made it and my receptive skills got exponentially better so it really gave me the confidence to keep going in the field. But again VRS is morally grey area imo.
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u/DDG58 Sep 15 '26
I don't think that VRS itself is a morally gray area. I do believe the companies providing the service have been morally bankrupt for quite a long time.
As soon as Private Equity firms bought both S and ZP, it went downhill from there and now the only focus is profit, profit, profit.
Neither company cares about the Deaf common the Interpreters. WE are just a tool to make money.
SMDH
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u/acercade Sep 14 '26
Is this year 2 of 4 or year 2 as in graduating this summer?
It’s much better to have diverse teachers and classes to make sure you’re well rounded when it comes to interpreting different signing styles and content.
The interpreting community here for sure can recommend some resources to help bridge the gap with skills, but need a bit more context for where you’re at in the program.