This course is for bilingual and multilingual adults who want to use their language skills to support their communities through translation and spoken language interpretation. It is designed for those interested in working in community settings such as healthcare, social service agencies, civic and public organizations, workplace safety and orientation programs, law enforcement, and other public-facing environments.

As a foundational course, it introduces the interpreting and translation fields, key professional expectations, and the practical skills needed to begin serving effectively and ethically in community-based settings.

Before being accepted in the course, applicants must demonstrate oral language proficiency in English and their target language. They can submit a: 

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate accurate and complete consecutive interpretation in simulated community settings.
• Apply ethical decision-making using established professional standards.
• Perform sight translation of common community documents.
• Understand the fundamentals of professional translation, including the translation process, key translation resources, and the main categories of translation errors. 
• Recognize the strengths and limitations of modern machine translation systems. 
• Use domain-specific terminology in healthcare, social services, government, public services, and employment settings.
• Demonstrate professional workplace behaviors aligned with industry standards.
• Describe employment pathways and certification options in the interpreting and translation professions.

Across four live sessions, you’ll practice core skills alongside experienced community interpreters and translators. Sessions include guided discussion of real ethical dilemmas, field-specific glossary building, note-taking practice, and consecutive and simultaneous interpreting exercises. You’ll receive immediate feedback on your performance so you can build confidence and improve in real time. We’ll also invite representatives from language service agencies to share practical insight into entry-level requirements, freelance interpreting, and what it takes to work professionally in the field.

No. Upon completing all course requirements, you will receive a Certificate of Completion and guidance on national certification pathways such as Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters, and National Certification for Educational Interpreters of Spoken Languages (NCEISL).

No. For resources, best practices, and high-quality courses for translators and spoken language interpreters working in early childhood and K-12 settings, please visit NAETISL.org. Click on https://naetisl.org/courses/ for information about beginner, intermediate and advanced training for spoken language interpreters, foundational training for translators, and continuing education opportunities. 

This course was developed by experienced community interpreters and translators, subject matter experts, and Dr. Ana Soler. Dr. Soler has been a curriculum developer, healthcare and education interpreter, translator, and trainer for over 25 years. She is an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Georgia and has authored interpreter training curricula nationally, including the Intercultural Parent and Youth Leadership Program, Interpretation Academy for Bilingual High School Students, Arkansas Interpreter in Education Credential Training, and a 40-hour course for medical interpreters. She completed her degree in Social Work at Georgia State University, her Master’s Degree in Public Health at Emory University, and her PhD in Special Education at the University of Georgia. Dr. Soler is also Co-Chair of the National Association of Educational Translators and Interpreters of Spoken Languages (NAETISL.org), the only organization offering a valid and research-based certification exam for spoken-language interpreters in education.