(8.2) The student for whom you are interpreting must complete an activity that requires him to solve a complex problem with a partner. Rather than collaborating with his partner, your student asks that you just tell him and his partner the answer. How would you re-direct this student and encourage him to work with his partner and persist in the task?
For this scenario, I would tell the student that I was not going to give him the answer and that he needs to work with his partner to solve the problem. I would tell him that I am here if he needs help communicating. If my student needed to talk to the partner, I would interpret. I might encourage him to ask his partner and see if they have any good ideas. Sometimes deaf kids can feel unsure about working with hearing kids because they have to talk through an interpreter. Because they might feel uncomfortable, I might start off the conversation by telling the deaf child that he needs to ask his partner for ideas and help. This might help get the students more comfortable with one another. Depending on the age of the child, the interpreter can tell the student that they are only there to facilitate communication, and are not going to tell them the answer. The interpreter has to set up boundaries from the very first.
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Stem/hearing.html
Setting the boundaries first is very important. I think it is a good idea for everyone in the classroom to know their roles along with what role everyone else is expected to play. The accommodations list on the website is great! I like that it contains information about a variety of disabilities, not just deafness.
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