Christian Interpreter Training

No matter what town, city, state, or country you live in, there is one thing all these places have in common: Deaf people. These individuals depend upon signs in order to communicate in their heart language. It has been estimated that there are more than 500,000 individuals in the United States alone who use American Sign Language as their main form of communication. It is also reported that only one out of every 50 Deaf individuals has ever heard the Gospel message. This means that 98% of the Deaf know nothing about Christ!

Now more than ever, we need men and women who are willing to step up and learn sign language as well as the Word of God so that they can minister to the Deaf.

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Are you willing to answer the call and minister to those whose voices are silent as they cry out for help? Become a Christian Interpreter for the Deaf today!

LEVEL 1: AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

LEVEL 2: EMPHASIS CLASSES

This is an entry-level American Sign Language course that covers the first half of A Basic Course in American Sign Language, 2nd ed., by Tom Humphries, Carol Padden, and Terrence J. O’Rourke. This course builds students’ vocabulary while teaching important grammatical features.
Students cover the second half of A Basic Course in American Sign Language, 2nd ed. This course provides students with basic conversational skills in ASL.
Students focus on ASL vocabulary prevalent in religious settings. Students learn and practice the art of interpreting hymns, scriptures, and devotional thoughts. This course culminates with students interpreting a song or verse during SIBI chapel.
Students watch videos of ASL storytelling. These videos demonstrate different aspects of effective ASL storytelling. Students then apply the various storytelling skills taught in class as they create their own stories. Students also practice their receptive skills while voicing for Deaf storytellers.

Students are taught how to interpret English idioms into appropriate ASL equivalents. They learn hundreds of ASL idioms unique to the Deaf community.
Students learn vocabulary specific to the various fields in which they may be required to interpret. They learn to tailor their interpreting styles to match the tenor of each setting. Interpreting assignments help to solidify new information presented in class.
This course focuses on a historical overview of the American Deaf community and its evolving culture, showing that deafness is a culture and not a disability. It also gives an overview of ethics for Christian Deaf Interpreters.
This course follows some foundational concepts from Willard J. Madsen’s textbook Conversational Sign Language. It also helps students incorporate a range of interpreting themes.