Sign language program names a new department director <\/p>\n
Dennis Gonsoulin <\/p>\n
Issue date: 11\/15\/08<\/p>\n
A flourish of hand movements, body gestures, and facial expressions
\naccompanied a spoken lesson as students sat in a Theater Appreciation
\nclass listening to their instructor give a lecture. <\/p>\n
A sign-language interpreter translated the lecture so that a student
\nwith a hearing impairment could receive all the information just the
\nsame as her classmates. <\/p>\n
With a brand new department chair and a revised curriculum planned
\nfor next fall, no one can say the TJC Sign Language Interpreting
\nprogram is all thumbs. <\/p>\n
With an estimated 8.8% of the Texas population suffering from some
\nkind of hearing loss, according to the Texas Commission for the Deaf
\nand Hard of Hearing, the demand for sign-language interpreters is
\never-increasing. <\/p>\n
As the TJC Interpreting program is the only one of its kind from
\nShreveport to Dallas, it is fitting that the program is continuing to
\ngrow. <\/p>\n
Rhonda McKinzie, who has been an instructor at TJC since 2006, became
\nthe head of the department in August when former Chair Dr. Judy Barnes
\nretired. Having over 30 years of experience in American sign language,
\nMcKinzie is a level three and court-certified interpreter for the
\ndeaf. <\/p>\n
“I’ve been doing this since I was about 13 years old, so now I get to
\nteach other people how to interpret for the deaf,” said McKinzie. <\/p>\n
While many students were halfway through their training when Barnes
\nretired, McKinzie’s leadership has so far been greeted with approval
\nfrom students. <\/p>\n
“We’re really lucky that we had the tutelage of Dr. Barnes, and Ms.
\nMcKinzie stepping in has been just wonderful as well. She is a great
\nasset to the program,” said sophomore Karla Watts. “She’s a really
\ngood leader. It’s like ducks following their mama.” <\/p>\n
With the change of leadership in the program comes a revitalization
\nof the program of study. In the future, a new curriculum is slated to
\nbe implemented, possibly including advanced American Sign Language
\ncourses. <\/p>\n
While nothing is set in stone yet, McKinzie hopes to have the new
\ncurriculum approved in time for the changes to be in effect by next
\nfall semester. <\/p>\n
But even before any curriculum changes have been made, interpreting
\nstudents are already experiencing new aspects in their training. <\/p>\n
McKinzie recently kicked off Sign Language Story Time Saturdays at
\nBarnes and Noble, a program to reach out to deaf and hearing-impaired
\nchildren in the community, while giving the students real-world
\nexperience in working as interpreters for the public. The program,
\nwhere children’s stories are read aloud as well as signed, is being
\nheld at 10 a.m. every other Saturday at the Barnes and Noble in Tyler.<\/p>\n
“It’s fantastic to be able to share something with the kids and also
\nuse it as a learning experience. It was a really good idea,” said
\nWatts. <\/p>\n
Once students graduate from the Interpreter Training program, there
\nare many options where they can apply their preparation. in education
\nand professional fields. <\/p>\n
The number of interpreter positions are expected to increase by 24
\npercent over the next decade. The median hourly salary for
\ninterpreters was $17.10 in 2006. <\/p>\n
Source:
\nhttp:\/\/media.www.tjcnewspaper.com\/media\/storage\/paper1314\/news\/2008\/11\/15\/News\/Sign-Language.Program.Names.A.New.Department.Director-3542013.shtml<\/p>\n
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Sign language program names a new department director Dennis Gonsoulin Issue date: 11\/15\/08 A flourish of hand movements, body gestures, and facial expressions accompanied a spoken lesson as students sat in a Theater Appreciation class listening to their instructor give…<\/p>\n