{"id":43337,"date":"2022-09-08T14:44:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T19:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=43337"},"modified":"2022-09-08T15:12:03","modified_gmt":"2022-09-08T20:12:03","slug":"tjc-sign-language-interpreting-program-announces-new-coordinator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2022\/09\/08\/tjc-sign-language-interpreting-program-announces-new-coordinator\/","title":{"rendered":"TJC Sign Language Interpreting program announces new coordinator"},"content":{"rendered":"

TJC Sign Language Interpreting program announces new coordinator<\/strong><\/p>\n

Published: Thursday, 1st September 2022<\/p>\n

American Sign Language and interpreting isn\u2019t just Kim Hunt\u2019s profession, it\u2019s also her passion.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>That passion also extends to making sure certain terms are written properly: \u201cDeaf and Hard of Hearing are capitalized because it is part of their identity,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen it is used in the lower case, it implies a medical condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born into a Deaf home. My parents and several family members are Deaf, so American Sign Language (ASL) is my first language,\u201d she said. \u201cKnowing sign language didn\u2019t automatically make me an interpreter, but it was the origin of what took me in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hunt brings her lifetime of personal experience \u2014 plus 39 years as a professional certified interpreter \u2014 to her new position as professor\/coordinator of Tyler Junior College\u2019s Sign Language Interpreting program.<\/p>\n

Sign language interpreters provide vital communication between the Deaf and hearing worlds, assisting everywhere from classrooms to courtrooms and physician\u2019s offices.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack in my day, Deaf people did not mainstream into the public schools, they went to the state school,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, there wasn\u2019t that immediate awareness of the Deaf community. People are much more aware today.\u201d<\/p>\n

That awareness is partly due to more prominent media coverage, with Deaf actor Troy Kotsur winning multiple awards \u2014 including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor \u2014 for his role in the movie, \u2018CODA,\u2019 as well as his costar Marlee Matlin, a longtime well-known actress in the Deaf community, and Nyle DiMarco from \u201cAmerica\u2019s Top Model,\u201d who is Deaf, winning the mirror ball trophy on \u201cDancing with the Stars.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hunt hopes that increased awareness will bring more attention and resources to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the United States, there are 10 million Deaf or Hard of Hearing people. In Texas, there are 350,000. In East Texas, there are 90,000,\u201d she said. \u201cAcross the entire state of Texas, there are 1,556 active certified interpreters to cover 350,000 Deaf or Hard of Hearing people.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued, \u201cThat need just continues to grow, and there aren\u2019t enough interpreters anywhere. Everyone is stretched thin.\u201d<\/p>\n

When there aren\u2019t enough interpreters to go around, she said people must either reschedule important appointments or travel long distances to get what they need \u2014 or they go without services.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are in an interpreter crisis across the nation, the state and East Texas,\u201d Hunt said, \u201cand we have a program right here that can contribute to easing that crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

About the program<\/p>\n

TJC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in sign language interpreting, which includes extensive training in interpreting and translating in preparation to take the state board exam. Three certificates are also available for people in professions where learning ASL skills can be an asset in their careers such as healthcare, education and law enforcement.<\/p>\n

In addition to the practical aspects of communicating through sign language, Hunt said students learn about Deaf history and culture as well as the interpreter\u2019s professional code of conduct.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are certain behaviors that our students will know by heart before they graduate, including ethics, confidentiality and even their attire,\u201d she said. \u201cWe dress in a certain way because it\u2019s a visual language that requires focus. Black or solid colors are good because flashy jewelry and clothing with a lot of stripes or patterns are distracting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hunt also hopes to get the students more involved in the East Texas Deaf community.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a department, our goal is to produce students who are trained and ready to go into their career,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re planning to partner with several entities that allow students to do some job-shadowing and have mentors to help them get ready and see what we actually do in the field. Those are things they can\u2019t get in the classroom setting.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are also plans for some fun projects outside the classroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will do a zoo day where the students will go around and interpret the placards at the animal exhibits,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are also certain nights each month at various restaurants in Tyler, Lindale and Longview that offer Deaf nights. So, the students can go and practice in a low-stakes environment. Deaf people want to help the students learn, and it helps the students get out of their comfort zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hunt is also proud of her highly qualified team of educators.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith all of our experience, our department is very strong,\u201d she said. \u201cAmong the four professors including myself, two of whom are Deaf, we have over 140 years of experience and 19 degrees or certifications between us. That expertise plus a student\u2019s willingness to learn will help to create a new generation of much-needed interpreters. We all share the same goal, which is communication access for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information, go to http:\/\/www.TJC.edu\/SignLanguage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SOURCE:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.tjc.edu\/news\/article\/814\/tjc_sign_language_interpreting_program_announces_new_coordinator<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TJC Sign Language Interpreting program announces new coordinator Published: Thursday, 1st September 2022 American Sign Language and interpreting isn\u2019t just Kim Hunt\u2019s profession, it\u2019s also her passion. That passion also extends to making sure certain terms are written properly: \u201cDeaf…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[4621,961,919,40,21616,180],"class_list":["post-43337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-article","tag-coordinator","tag-east-texas","tag-interpreter","tag-kim-hunt","tag-tyler"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-bgZ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36981,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2018\/01\/19\/interpreter-workshop-what-no-one-tells-you-about-medical-interpreting-tyler\/","url_meta":{"origin":43337,"position":0},"title":"Interpreter Workshop: What no one tells you about Medical Interpreting – Tyler","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"January 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Sign Language Training Program\u00a0Tyler Junior College Presents \u201cA Thumb is a Finger! What no one tells you about Medical Interpreting\u201d By Kim Hunt, NIC Master; TX BEI IV\/Court\/Medical Certified Interpreter Date: Saturday, February 24, 2018 Time: 9:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M One hour lunch on your own-TJC cafeteria available BEI .6 CEU\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/TJC-Medical-Workshop-for-Interpreter-791x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/TJC-Medical-Workshop-for-Interpreter-791x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/TJC-Medical-Workshop-for-Interpreter-791x1024.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36616,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2017\/11\/03\/medical-interpreting-with-kim-hunt-workshop-february-2018-tyler\/","url_meta":{"origin":43337,"position":1},"title":"Medical Interpreting with Kim Hunt Workshop: February 2018 – Tyler","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"November 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Please find attached the information and registration flier for the medical interpreting workshop at Tyler Jr. College given by Kim Hunt at our Apache Rooms Saturday, February 24, 2018. .6 CEU\u2019s. Pass it on to anyone you feel is interested and post where possible or add to the calendar.\u00a0\u00a0We have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8390,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2009\/11\/11\/tjc-hiring-asl-and-interpreting-instructors-tyler\/","url_meta":{"origin":43337,"position":2},"title":"TJC Hiring ASL and Interpreting Instructors – Tyler","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"November 11, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"TJC Hiring ASL and Interpreting Instructors Tyler Junior College Sign Language Interpreter Training Program Searching for Instructors I. We are searching for qualified ASL professors for our growing program. 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Tyler Junior College offers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38211,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2018\/09\/24\/tjc-sign-language-interpreter-training-program-open-house\/","url_meta":{"origin":43337,"position":4},"title":"TJC Sign Language Interpreter Training Program Open House","author":"Chrissy Snider","date":"September 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"PROGRAM OPEN HOUSE Part of \u201cEast Texas Deaf Awareness Week\u201d Events Do you want to become an interpreter? Become proficient in American Sign Language? Come check out our program \u2013 the only one between Dallas and Shreveport Saturday, October 6, 2018 10:00 AM - Noon Where: George Pirtle Technology Building,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Capture-8-232x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8171,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2009\/10\/16\/students-read-sign-story-time-at-bookstore\/","url_meta":{"origin":43337,"position":5},"title":"Students read, sign story time at bookstore","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"October 16, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Students read, sign story time at bookstore By: Christine Strong Posted: 10\/16\/09 Most people take hearing for granted, but not the Tyler Junior College's Sign Language Interpreter Training Program students. 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