What makes the difference?

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Permalink Reply by Daryl G Crouse on November 9, 2008 at 12:48am

I thought a good place to start would be to sort of pool anything that's already been offered across the entire TerpLink site by doing a quick search (see top right).

Search Term "test" - Content Capsule

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Permalink Reply by David N. Evans on November 10, 2008 at 7:06am

According to RID, the difference between the Advanced and Master levels is in the interview responses. As far as I know (and this is purely anecdotal), everyone who has gotten the Master-level certification has received "high" marks on all three of the interview domains (see the NIC Interview Examination Rubric Anchors).

Hope that helps,
David N. Evans

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Permalink Reply by ASL4U on February 8, 2009 at 8:02pm

The masters around here are a couple years out of school - one has an associates and works part time, the other has a brand new bachelors and works post secondary educational - PSE. So far as I can see - no amount of experience or expertise is required to get Master - nor is it based on something you get out of school - because the associates holder graduated before a whisper of the test was available to the program she attended.
toss a coin and pray .. and dont sign as well as you normally do, the better you sign, the harder it is to pass... (see my scores on Blapnet) - I only passed after my signing competency was lowered... and according to this test - I'm nowhere near Master...
good luck to you Brenda
warmly
Terri Hayes

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Permalink Reply by Laura G on February 14, 2009 at 4:13am

You can read what the difference is between master and advanced on the examination rubric for the ethical (interview) portion that is available from RID. Your signing skills are not judged for this part, so fluency doesn't matter. Only the quality of your answer.

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Permalink Reply by ASL4U on February 14, 2009 at 4:27am

I answered according to the rubric 3 times... I have 30 years of experience - I have MANY examples and I understand why they worked and why they didn't.. (perhaps - better than the person rating me)... I know people who shared ONE example on each portion of the interview (just to get it overwith - and fully expected to fail on that basis)... and passed Master... and others who passed Advanced...
there is something else that is being used to evaluate the answers... I dont know what it is... but its not entirely the rubric.

One thing does appear to be certain however, according to my results - if you dont sign as well - you have a better chance of passing than if you do. (my test results are posted - both passing and failing on Blapnet...) make of it what you will.

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Permalink Reply by Davena Burns-Peters on February 14, 2009 at 8:08am

Well...I would have to disagree on the "don't sign as good as you normally do" as a technique to passing the test. While NIC has come a long way from the old NAD days as far as making the test more objective with less subjectivity from the raters, I do agree that there is still a bit of subjectivity that makes the determination between master and advanced. I have not known any interpreter to pass the test that is not a good signer. However, I have know primo interpreters that failed due to the interview. I agree that the interview is a critical part of the process and does make a huge difference in your rating. From my experience and those that took the exam with me it seems they are looking for very natural, yet concise answers to those questions. Do well there and match with Excellent signing skills that matches each and every client you are faced (not just ASL or just PSE) and you will do very well. As for the education....I do not think it is about what one specifically learns in school, but more about learning how to test, how to respond in an articulate manner, how to answer with a grain of critical thinking showing through and just knowing what to expect. However, the ITP's these days are teaching to the current expectations, standards and best practices for interpreting these days rather than the "old school methods". I do know that interpreters with years and years of experience, but no education have not done well on the test the first time around while recent graduates are passing first time through. I can only attribute this to mind sets based on experience and a difference in paradigm. Those of us that can brag about 20+ years of experience must be also be sure that we are continuing our personal education and growth along the way so that we match the current best practices and expectations. I too have MANY years of experience, however I also teach ASL courses and have pursued my education to the point of earning degrees. These things I believe have contributed to my ability to think critically and stay current, as well as pass the NIC first time around. Just my humble opinion and experience.
Davena (recent tester of NIC....and passed :-) )

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Permalink Reply by ASL4U on February 14, 2009 at 12:18pm

It is amazing to me - the number of interpreters (and you are not alone spouting the new rhetoric) who can say, and seem to believe that it is reasonable, that "primo" or "the most experienced" interpreters - are not passing - based on the interview... as if this is a reasonable assumption. People who have spend 20 and 30 years of their life dedicated to figuring out how to do it - and how to do it right... only to come to this place where - Apparently we are not, how do you say - "precise" enough?
You suspect we do not know how to "articulate" our ideas? Our Experience?

Ah, perhaps we are just "old school.".. But then, considering the age and generation of the teachers in the current ITPs... I'd be really curious to hear what you think "old school methods" are... and why you believe your Teachers (also - age-wise - veterans in the field)... are not teaching those said-same "old school methods"...hmm?? Do you believe that somehow the Teachers have "improved" themselves beyond the "old school methods" while the working interpreters have somehow missed it?
Just FYI... ALL of my students have passed ... all of them - a couple of them Master (and one of those has an Associates... so much for the necessity of a Bachelors)... several of them Advanced - everyone else NIC... so much for my teaching "old school methods" eh?... It is one of those things where the students surpass the teacher - using the teachers answers.
(but NONE of them have my skill... which begs to ask yet a different question...)

But one thing is sure. None of this conversation matters. The future belongs to the children - and as we watch the best of the best get removed from the field - so you, young and ever so wise things that you are... can move in and "do it right"... What you fail to comprehend is that you are simply starting over. In 20 or 30 years - you'll come to be exactly where we (a-hem - "old school") are now...(exactly.... or a little bit behind - because you're throwing away things you do not recognize the value of... and likely will not be recaptured.) This profession is taking a huge step backwards... perhaps - so that the definition of "competent" can be reconciled with our professional "mean" of linguistic incompetence.

But never you mind me... I do realized that once you've been "educated" - even if what you've been taught is wrong - it'll take an earthquake to make you see it.

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Permalink Reply by Stefan on May 19, 2009 at 2:38pm

I would have to agree with other's that say the RID ruberic is the place to start for your Interview portion. Concentrate on the Master's level information and nothing else if you want to succeed. If you are remotely familiar with any of the mneumonics that will help you break down any of the senerios, they are excellent tools. The test will only ask you 'what's the conflict?', 'what would you do?', 'why?', which is also in a practice form, available on DVD from RID. (Geez do I sound like an infomercial or what?!) You will need to break the senerio down further than it suggests. Use the ruberic!

As far as the Performance portion of the test....wellllll, Interpret realllly good and you will be okay. Honestly tho, it really depends on how your skills are. As one of my CODA friends humerously puts it "How's your Deaf talk?" In other words, a good indicator would be how the 'Deafies' react to your interpreting/ASL. Explore that avenue, if you will.

Go in confident, you will be fine.

Would be glad to let you know what I personally did and found helpful during my study time before I went for testing about a week ago.

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Permalink Reply by Brenda Dencer on May 20, 2009 at 8:30am

I got the new edition of 1001 Encounters with Reality and a friend/mentor and I are discussing the vignette in light of the rubric. I am finding out what I didn't do and what I could have done better. I think one skill is attention to detail. Another is the ability to organize thoughts. Anyway, good luck to all of you who haven't taken the test.

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Permalink Reply by Davena Burns-Peters on June 9, 2009 at 12:04pm

Great book to use for practice. Be sure to do some simulated situations while video taping yourself and setting a timer as well. That will help a lot. Use the rubric to assess yourself and shoot for the MA level (as was stated in a previous comment). Pay close attention to the need to refer to literature, political/social impacts and experiences in order to reach MA level.

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Permalink Reply by Deborah on June 2, 2009 at 5:14pm

This post is directed to Stefan, but anyone can answer.

Yes, I would be very interested in what you found helpful? I'm scheduled to take the test next week, so if you could give me some advice, I would be ever so grateful. I've been involved with an online interview prep course which has helped quite a bit with breaking down the areas needed to be answered. I'm using an acronym to help me identify and keep track of the different components. (VERSE: Viewpoints/ perspectives, Ethical Consideration, Resources, Solutions, Effects-short & long term).

I think my biggest fear is freezing and not having the ability to recall information. I do understand that it's not so much having the right answer/ solution, but being able to support your solution.

I know you can't divulge any of the testing information, but I wouldn't mind knowing what you did to make yourself at ease under pressure.

I'm really confused as to what I've read on this thread about not signing as well as normally. I thought that for the interview portion, signing was required - although sim-com is optional, so long as you don't just voice. Someone else told me that sim-com makes it harder to perform. What's your take?

If you can get back to me as soon as you can, I might be able to put some worries at rest. Thanks a million!!!!

Deborah

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Permalink Reply by Davena Burns-Peters on June 9, 2009 at 12:20pm

"I do understand that it's not so much having the right answer/ solution, but being able to support your solution."-This is true to a large degree. Whatever you do be confident in your decision and choice.
"but I wouldn't mind knowing what you did to make yourself at ease under pressure."-Practice, practice, practice. Practice situations while being video taped with a time limit and do self assessment, as well as some peer assessment. Do not forget do practice your performance portion as well. There are many resource online via YouTube, Vlogs, and other places where you can practice your "interpreting" skills. Be sure to include a variety of styles, age groups, source languages, etc.. in your practice to work on your register range and other techniques. There is also a rubric on this section you can find on the RID site that can be used to assess yourself.

Other than that..BREATH and be yourself.
Good luck.

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