When it comes to on-site interpretation, TNOLA’s interpreters use two main techniques: simultaneous interpretation and consecutive interpretation.

Simultaneous interpretation is the act of communicating what’s being said in the source language to the target language speaker in real-time. This means two people are talking at the same time, and the target language speaker is listening to the interpreter rather than the source language speaker.

Consecutive interpretation is the process by which the interpreter listens to the source language speaker and takes careful notes. After the source language speaker is done speaking, the interpreter will relay what they said to the listener in the target language. The benefit of this method is that the listener can effectively “listen” to the source language speaker while they talk and receive the meaning afterward.

When these two techniques are used in unison, the interpreter can provide the most detailed and accurate understanding possible. The interpreter not only communicates the meaning behind the messages, but they also allow both parties to understand one another’s tone.

Professional education interpretation services are important because meaning is deeper than the words we use to convey it. Professional interpreters are well familiar with the idiomatic expressions, cultural intricacies, industry-specific, and other non-conventional phrases that exist in all languages. For example, there are words and phrases that simply don’t exist in English, and they wouldn’t make any sense if they were translated word-for-word.

If you were to use someone who is bilingual but untrained in interpretation, they may stumble over these types of expressions and relay an inaccurate message in the target language.

TNOLA understands that effective communication is crucial to providing all of our students, parents/guardians, and educators a quality educational environment.