British Sign Language (BSL) / English Interpreting Services

Role of a BSL / English Interpreter

A British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreter facilitates communications between users of British Sign Language and users of a spoken language, or between users of two different sign languages. Interpreters utilise their skills and knowledge of the two languages, and their understanding of any cultural differences between those for whom they are interpreting, to transfer a message from one language into the other.

British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreters may look very active with their hands, but most of the hard work happens in their heads. They have to carefully listen to, or watch the message, and extract the meaning in order to find an appropriate way to express the message in the second language.

I’m a qualified BSL / English Interpreter (RSLI), registered with the Regulatory Body for Sign Language Interpreters and Translators (RBSLI) and the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD). I completed my interpreter training in 2017 and am available for remote and face-to-face Interpreting & Translations bookings. I mainly work in the London/South East Region, but I am flexible when considering working further afield. I am a member of the Association of Sign Language Interpreters(ASLI), Visual Language Professionals (VLP) and the European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters(EFSLI).

Trusted Interpreting & Translation Services

I’m a qualified BSL / English Interpreter (RSLI), registered with the Regulatory Body for Sign Language Interpreters and Translators (RBSLI) and the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD). I completed my interpreter training in 2017 and I am available for both remote and face-to-face Interpreting & Translations bookings. I mainly work in the London/South East Region, but I am flexible when considering working further afield. I am a member of the Association of Sign Language Interpreters(ASLI), Visual Language Professionals (VLP) and the European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters(EFSLI).

I have experience working as a BSL / English Interpreter in the following domains:

Community
Conference
Court
Education
Employment
Medical
Mental Health
Police
Political
Social Services
Solicitor
Training Courses
Theatre & Arts (Performance Interpreting)

Working with a Sign Language Interpreter

Before the meeting:

Inform the interpreter of the type of assignment and details such as the date, time, length, and location.
Tell them how many deaf people will be using the service.
Make sure the interpreter has a contact name and telephone number.
Ensure that the interpreter receives copies of the agenda and any other relevant papers at least a week before so they can prepare for the assignment.

Positioning of the Interpreter:

There should be plenty of light on the interpreter. They should not be placed in front of a window or with light coming from behind, which darkens the face.
The background behind the interpreter should be visually clear and calm. Vividly patterned wallpaper can be distracting or straining on the eye.
The ideal position for the interpreter will also depend on the type of assignment.

In a job interview, it is helpful if the interviewer and the applicant face one another with the interpreter next to the hearing person.
In a round table meeting, the interpreter should be positioned opposite any deaf participants.

At a conference with a deaf presenter, the interpreter must be placed opposite the deaf person to see the signing. For a hearing presenter, the interpreter is better placed as close as possible to the presenter and near to any visual aids so that the deaf people in the audience can view both quickly and easily.

During the meeting:

Time for deaf people to look at visual material (e.g. slides, handouts). They can’t watch the interpreter and read materials at the same time.
Only one message can be interpreted at a time, and only one person must speak or sign at a time.
Interpreters should only work for 20 minutes with a break. For meetings or events lasting more than two hours (or of a particularly intense nature), it is often necessary to book more than one interpreter.
Sometimes, an interpreter may need to interrupt the person speaking or signing to ask for repetition or clarification to enable them to interpret effectively.