Presentation for HIN

1. January 27, 2009 Presentation for HIN

2. My Name is Eva Assaff I have been with Across Languages since 1997. I Manage the Translation and the ILSAT Administration, Assessment and Development Departments. In the 1980's Across Languages was a pioneering concept of those who recognized that London had become a culturally and linguistically rich and diverse community. The vision was of trained, paid professional interpreters available in the community and organized by a single non-profit agency. Fees from the service-providing organizations and institutions would sustain the interpreting agency. This goal was realized when Across Languages was created in 1989.

3. Mission Across Languages exists to eliminate language barriers to communication between people of diverse languages and cultures. Our mandate is to advance intercultural understanding and assured exchange of meaning so that together, people may achieve fundamental needs and rights.

4. Across Languages Translation and Interpretation Service exists to enable service providers and decision makers and their non-English speaking clients and patients to communicate accurately with one another through qualified, impartial interpreters and skilled translators. We possess special expertise in training interpreters for health and medical care, for legal settings and tribunals, for situations involving victims of domestic violence/sexual assault, and for work in community and government services.

5. ILSAT The Interpreter Language and Skills Assessment Tool (the “ILSAT”) is designed to test an individual’s skills in English and another language, as well as the ability to perform competently, at an introductory level, consecutive interpretation and sight translation. Across Languages Translation and Interpretation Service, located in London, Ontario is responsible for translation and production of the ILSAT. The agency also developed the marking system by which the ILSAT is assessed. Across Languages recruits, trains and manages the bilingual markers who score the ILSAT.

6. ILSAT The ILSAT was initially produced in 11 languages in 2001 by the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Across Languages Translation and Interpretation Service of London, Ontario, translated and produced 12 new ILSAT languages in 2005; the agency produced 8 additional languages in 2006, and another 6 in 2007 and another 8 languages developed in June 2007. In 2008 13 languages were developed. The ILSAT is available in 58 languages. 31 Practice Dialogues have been developed, and 27 more will be developed in the near future.

7. ILSAT The ILSAT is recognized by The Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Language Interpreter Services Program as one of its requirements for acceptance as an interpreter qualified to provide services to agencies working with victims of domestic violence, abused women and sexual assault victims across Ontario. The ILSAT is also used by Ontario Colleges, community agencies and public institutions to assess interpreting aptitude and language skills of training candidates, staff and volunteers.

8. ILSAT The ILSAT Consists of two parts: Sight translations, one in English and one in the other language. Dialogue Interpreting, between a Non English Speaker and a Service Provider. Candidates gets 10 minutes to practice each sight translation, then they are recorded. Candidates gets a practice dialogue in the language they are being tested for to use and practice at home before the test. (If available in that language)

9. ILSAT Markers are Interpreters that have taken the ILSAT In their language and passed the test, or translators that have worked on the translation of the documents used to develop the ILSAT. We currently work with 19 agencies in Ontario, Winnipeg and Calgary.

10. ILSAT We have marked a total of 1130 tests to date, with the highest number in July 07 (62 tests compared to an average of 26 during other months). There is no limit on the quantity we can receive. The turn around time is normally 2- 3 weeks, it varies depending on the availability of the markers. It could be turned around in one week or up to a month.

11. ILSAT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT (2001-2005)23 ILSATS DEVEOLPED • ALBANIAN • BENGALI • BULGARIAN • BURMESE • CZECH • DARI • DINKA • DUTCH • FINNISH • FRENCH • GUJARATI • GERMAN • HEBREW • HUNGARIAN • ITALIAN • JAPANESE • LOW GERMAN • NUER • PASHTO • ROMANIAN • TAGALOG • THAI • UKRAINIAN

12. ILSAT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT 20068 ILSATS DEVELOPED • Arabic • Armenian • Farsi • Mandarin • Punjabi Perso Arabic Script • Slovenian • Spanish • Swahili

13. ILSAT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT 2007 14 ILSATS DEVELOPED • Indonesian • Kinyarwanda • Punjabi Gurmukhi Script • Tamil • Russian • Vietnamese • Assyrian • Sinhala • Greek • Hindi • Korean • Polish • Slovak • Twi

14. ILSAT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT 200813 ILSATS DEVELOPED • Serbo/Croatian • Karen • Contonese • Portuguese • Somali • Urdu • Amharic • Cambodian • Kurdish Badini • Kurdish Sorani • Turkish • Tigrinya • Oromo

15. 18 ILSAT PRACTICE DIALOGUES DEVELOPED IN 2007 • Albanian • Arabic • Cantonese • Dari • Farsi • French • Japanese • Korean • Mandarin • Polish • Portuguese • Punjabi (PAS) • Russian • Somali • Spanish • Tagalog • Tamil • Vietnamese

16. 13 ILSAT PRACTICE DIALOGUES DEVELOPED IN 2008 • Serbo/Croatian • Karen • Bengali • Burmese • Urdu • Gujarati • Amharic • Cambodian • Kurdish Badini • Kurdish Sorani • Tigrinya • Turkish • Oromo

17. 27 ILSAT PRACTICE DIALOGUES TO BE DEVEOLPED IN 2009 • Bulgarian • Czech • Dinka • Dutch • German • Hungarian • Italian • Nuer • Pashto • Romanian • Thai • Ulrainian • Sinhala • Armenian • Slovenian • Swahili • Kinyarwanda • Punjabi Gurmukhi • Assyrian • Greek • Hindi • Slovak • Finnish • Hebrew • Low German • Indonesian • Twi