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Welcome to the world of ASL therapy! If you’re reading this, you probably already know that ASL is an American Sign Language. It’s a visual language that uses hand gestures to communicate with others. The first time I saw it was when I was in high school, and I thought it was so cool that people could use their hands to talk without having to speak out loud. It just seemed like such a fun way to communicate, and I wanted to learn more about it.
I’ve always had an interest in helping people, so when I found out about the field of ASL therapy, I knew it would be perfect for me. Now that I’ve been doing this for several years now, I can tell you that becoming an ASL therapist is just as fun as it sounds!
In this article, we’ll talk about what exactly ASL therapy is; what kinds of skills and experience you’ll need before starting; how much money you can expect to make; and what kind of career growth opportunities are available if you decide this is something you’d like to do long-term!
What does an ASL interpreter do?
An ASL interpreter has a crucial role in providing communication between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who are hearing. Here are some common responsibilities of an ASL interpreter:
- Learn common industry terms and the best ways to sign them
- Use software or programs to translate remotely
- Clearly communicate messages both verbally and in ASL
- Keep up to date with changes in ASL and industry
- Determine the best ways to translate colloquialisms and idioms
- Reflect the tone of both parties
How to become an ASL interpreter
Here are the steps for becoming an ASL interpreter:
1. Master ASL
If you have not already mastered ASL, then the first step is to plan how you can learn and master American Sign Language. Some options include online classes, local classes or private tutoring. It can take several years to learn the unique grammar rules and understand the deaf community and culture. Many people learn ASL more quickly if they get involved in the deaf community. Some deaf communities have area chats at libraries and coffee shops for people who want to practice their ASL skills.
2. Consider an education
The minimum requirement to be an ASL interpreter is a high school diploma or equivalent. However, many employers prefer a college degree in ASL, English, communication or interpretation, with additional coursework in ASL or deaf culture. A large number of colleges offer ASL interpreter programs, from certificates of achievement to bachelor’s degrees. You can find a list of all the accredited ASL programs through The Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education. Some other professional associations with ASL programs or information about ASL programs include the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers and the Conference of Interpreter Trainers.
3. Earn ASL certification
An ASL interpreter certification can help you reach your highest potential in this career. You can get your National Interpreter Certification (NIC) through the Registry for the Interpreters of the Deaf. This rigorous process includes having a bachelor’s degree, completing several interviews, passing the NIC Performance exam and passing the NIC Knowledge exam. There are three levels of certification:
- National Interpreter Certification
- National Interpreter Certification Advanced
- National Interpreter Certification Master
You can also earn specialized certifications for different positions and industries as you diversify and broaden your skills. It’s important to note that some states require passing a statewide screening test to earn a state-specific license or certification in addition to a national certification.
4. Gain experience
The majority of ASL interpreter positions require considerable experience, in addition to a certification or degree. It’s common for employers to request two to five years of ASL interpreter experience, such as participating in sign language groups, tutoring deaf and hard-of-hearing students or volunteering with deaf assistance organizations. You can also gain experience with internships or mentorship programs through universities or ASL training programs or with certified language interpreting experts.
5. Learn professional and personality traits
Employers expect ASL interpreters to have certain professional and personal traits. Some of these traits include:
- Expert understanding of both ASL and English
- Willingness to relay all ideas and concepts
- Working with many personalities and types of people
- Cultural sensitivity, compassion and positivity
- Following the RID code of ethics
6. Seek employment
There is an enormous variety of ASL interpreter jobs because of the wide variety of positions they fill in so many industries. When you’ve decided on the industry or type of position you want, you can research companies that are hiring in those fields to learn more about their specific requirements. Here are just some of the possible positions to choose from:
- School interpreters: These ASL interpreters work full time in hearing or deaf schools to translate for students and instructors.
- Medical interpreters: This is a specialized ASL position that typically requires knowledge about the medical industry and additional certifications.
- Video relay interpreters: These ASL interpreters work in an office managing video phones and mediating calls between hearing people and deaf people.
- Court certified interpreters: This is a specialized ASL position that typically requires knowledge about the law industry and additional certifications.
- Community interpreters: Agencies assign jobs to ASL interpreters after receiving calls from dentists, doctors, schools or other organizations that have a deaf client and need an interpreter.
ASL interpreter skills
Here are common skills that ASL interpreters posses:
- Knowledge of ASL and Signed Exact English (SEE)
- Cultural knowledge about the deaf community
- Active listening
- Writing
- Communication
- Interpersonal skills
- Excellent memory
- Attention to detail
- Ability to sign for long periods of time
How To Become An ASL Therapist
How To Become an ASL Interpreter in 6 Steps
American Sign Language (ASL) is a popular language in the United States. There is usually a high demand for ASL interpreters, and they can work in any industry. This rewarding and dynamic career positively affects people’s lives and provides an exciting variety of opportunities. In this article, we discuss what an ASL interpreter is and does, how to become an ASL interpreter and the skills, salary, job outlook and workplace environment of ASL interpreters.
What is an ASL interpreter?
An ASL interpreter, or ASL translator, works with people who are deaf or hard of hearing by translating sign language into spoken words and spoken words into sign language. ASL translators need an expert level understanding of both American Sign Language and the English language to communicate and translate between both languages. They can work in any setting where translation is necessary, and when working in technical fields, like medical or legal, they must study and understand technical terminology in order to translate accurately. It’s common for ASL interpreters to work with individuals one-on-on or in a group setting.
ALS interpreters must follow a code of ethics established by The Registry for the Interpreters of the Deaf (RID). It has important rules about behavior, like not changing the message you’re interpreting, not adding personal opinions or advice to the translation and keeping confidential information private. Other tenets of the RID code of ethics include conducting yourself in an appropriate manner, treating others with respect, maintaining professional development and possessing the skills and knowledge needed for particular situations. Let employers find you when you create an Indeed Resume
how to become a sign language interpreter
Narrowing down a specific direction within a particular occupation also helps in the process of selecting a career working with deaf people. For example, candidates interested in a counseling job may decide to focus only on working with deaf clients. Others may choose to work with the hard of hearing as a sign language instructor, but specializing in teaching preschool children.
Other occupations include:
Sign Language Interpreter
Speech Language Pathologist
Psychologist
Employment Counselor
Social Worker
Child Care Worker
Audiologist
teaching-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-childrenSome settings which employ people who work with the deaf and the hard of hearing include:
Mental health clinics
Social service agencies
Hearing and speech agencies
Hospitals and clinics
Government institutions
Public and private schools
After establishing a career path, finding the right education is the next step in the process. Degrees needed to work with the deaf and hard of hearing can range from an Associate in Early Childhood education degree and a Bachelor in American Sign Language degree to a Doctorate in Audiology and a Doctor of Psychology degree.
In order to graduate, these programs often require students to take core classes in areas such as linguistics, anatomy, child development, cognitive psychology, and research methods, as well as to complete a special practicum and student teaching assignments and to pass exams.
Some master’s and doctoral degree programs may require internships/clinics, published research papers, exams, and/or a cumulative dissertation to complete the program.
If any of the occupations mentioned above sound interesting, the detailed educational requirements, programs and potential job prospects listed below will help in planning a career working with deaf people and hard of hearing people.
Most states require special licenses and certificates. Each state has its own degree and licensing requirements, so check current state mandates regularly.
Following is a list of nine broad job categories, with the details of what to expect from a career in each field, and how to prepare yourself for it. The job titles are listed alphabetically.
audiologistAudiologist
An audiologist, a trained professional, works to diagnose, prevent, and treat balance and hearing loss problems using state of the art equipment and procedures.
In clinical settings, an audiologist examines patients, determines the cause and extent of hearing or balance issues, and administers an appropriate treatment plan for deaf or hard of hearing people.
An audiologist offers such services as auditory and assistive listening device training, fitting and monitoring hearing aids and cochlear implants, sign language or lip-reading training, and family counseling.
Audiologists work in schools, audiology clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. Due to an aging population, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts a 37% employment growth for audiologists from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.
Audiologist training
Audiologists must earn a doctoral degree (AuD) and obtain a license to enter the field. Vanderbilt University offers one of the top programs in the country, ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report. At Vanderbilt, education and training in audiology typically lasts four years. Students need a bachelor’s degree to enter most Doctor of Audiology degree programs.
The Vanderbilt University Doctoral Degree in Audiology
Audiologists need a Doctor of Audiology degree (AuD) to ensure the highest level of clinical service to patients with auditory, balance, and related hearing loss problems.
A Doctoral degree in Audiology typically includes courses in research methods, pediatric audiology, neuroanatomy, audiologic assessment, habilitation and rehabilitation, genetics, communication development, pharmacology, and ethics. Programs also include several hours of supervised clinical practice and research projects.
Licensing requirements vary from state to state; however, an audiologist needs a license in order to practice. Though not all employers require certification, audiologists can obtain certification through different organizations such as the American Board of Audiology or the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASLHA), which offers the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A). In some states, to acquire a license, audiologists need to graduate from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).
Doctoral Degree in Audiology admission requirements usually include:
Completion of an undergraduate degree in communication disorders or related field
Knowledge of American Sign Language
GRE scores
Minimum GPA requirement
childcare-providerChildcare Provider
Childcare providers work with children from birth to five years of age. They work in many settings, from private households and child day care centers to hospitals, clinics, and schools.
Most deaf children attend nursery and kindergarten classes in hospitals, clinics, and schools; the childcare providers work with these children in a structured setting alongside teachers and teacher assistants. Classes often involve language and vocabulary development, social interaction activities, and motor skills development.
Childcare providers of preschool deaf children may also work closely with parents, as well as provide other services such as preparing meals and snacks for children, developing schedules, and monitoring the safety of children in their care.
Childcare provider training
Childcare provider education and training typically requires an associate degree in early childhood education or a child development credential. However, requirements vary with employer, state regulations, and employment location. For example, some employers may require a childcare provider to have CPR and first aid certification, while others may need licensing. To qualify for licensing, most workers need to pass a background check and meet minimum education and training requirements.
Some childcare workers need certification; they receive their Child Development Associate (CDA) certification through the Council for Professional Recognition.
Associate in Early Childhood Education Degree
An Associate in Early Childhood Education degree program prepares students to use the education learned in childhood development and assessment and to apply this knowledge in a classroom setting.
The teaching programs consist of core courses in areas such as child language and literacy, child development, special education, health, safety, and nutrition, and educational assessment and planning. Many degree programs also require students to complete student teaching seminars.
Deaf studies major jobs
Description: A program that focuses on the sociological, historical and linguistic aspects of the deaf and hearing impaired, and that prepares individuals to work with the deaf and hearing impaired. Includes instruction in American Sign Language, deaf studies, American deaf culture, structure of American Sign Language, history of the American deaf community, and civil rights of deaf people. Is Deaf Studies the right major for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it fits one of your top recommended majors!
Deaf Studies Major
Overview
Schools
Careers
Overview
Schools
Careers
What jobs and careers are associated to a major in Deaf Studies?
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Interpreters and Translators
Salary Info
Median Annual Wage
$49,790
Median Hourly Wage
$23.94*
Total Employed Nationally
44,200
ASL interpreter workplace environment
ASL interpreters can work as full-time employees in courtrooms, schools, hospitals, business offices, music concerts, churches and many other settings that need translation services. They can also work as part-time employees, freelancers or independent contractors. Because of the wide variety of industries and positions, ASL interpreter workplace environments are quite diverse.
ASL interpreter salary and job outlook
According to the BLS, interpreters and translators, including ASL interpreters, can expect an employment growth rate of 20% from 2019 to 2029. This growth rate is much faster than the average for all occupations.
The salary for an ASL interpreter is $63,300 per year. Salary varies depending on the level of education, amount of experience, geographic location, specific industry and job market demand.
Please note that none of the organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.
Jobs that involve sign language
According to the Hearing Health Foundation (HHF), one in five Americans have hearing loss in at least one ear and three out of every 1000 children are born deaf or hard of hearing.
Looking at these staggering statistics, it’s obvious why people with the skills to work with the deaf community are increasingly in demand.
From sign language interpreters and teachers to speech pathologists and audiologists, the range of occupations working with deaf and hard of hearing people is wide, and jobs in this field are readily available.
Careers in the field vary in terms of age ranges, settings, and educational scope. Volunteering in hospitals, researching jobs and college programs, and learning sign language are all helpful in choosing a career path.
Thanks for reading, and we hope you enjoyed learning about how to become an ASL therapist. We know it’s not an easy process, but we also know that it’s worth it. You’ll be able to help people in their most vulnerable moments, and you’ll get to use your language skills to help them communicate with the people around them.
If you want to learn more about this field, we recommend starting with some general research on ASL therapy and its benefits. You can find plenty of articles online that will give you a solid understanding of how this type of therapy works and why it’s so important for deaf people.
If you’re ready to take the next step and apply for a program, we recommend checking out The American Sign Language Program at [school name]. This school offers an Associate of Arts degree in sign language with emphasis on ASL interpretation and translation. They offer both on-campus classes as well as online courses so that no matter where you live or work, they have options available!
Thanks again for reading!