CPD Training for Interpreters and other Language Service Professionals

COVID-19 update: We are fully aware of the risks that this continues to pose to many, however as you know the Government has now removed all restrictions. As such, we have returned to offering our training courses face to face or online, depending on which is most suitable for the teaching session/s being delivered. As always, we will continue to do our utmost to deliver any training in the best and safest way and this may mean offering an online alternative if a course cannot run. All details / changes will be posted on our website as courses are confirmed.

The following is a selection of the Professional CPD Courses that BSL Link for Communication Training can offer. For details on all our Current Courses please click here.

If you want to enquire about booking a place for any of our upcoming courses, workshops and training sessions, please contact us at training@bsl-link4communication.co.uk

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Use of Roleshift when Interpreting

09.30am to 1.30pm

Presented via Zoom with a max of 12 participants

£55.00 inc VAT

Tessa Padden MA, in BSL

We are delighted that Tessa Padden has agreed to deliver this invaluable online training session for us (2 dates available).

In this four-hour workshop Tessa will be focusing on the application of roleshift when interpreting English to BSL and will also be highlighting why roleshift is integral to both interpreting and translation. The participants will take part in practical activities as well as being equipped with some useful strategies to ensure that roleshift can be embedded into translating/interpreting practice.

This course is open to all trainees and qualified interpreters/translators (both Deaf and hearing).

Tessa is a qualified Deaf Interpreter and Translator as well as a BSL Teacher Trainer and an experienced teacher of BSL and Linguistics at University level.

Exploring Unconscious Bias

One Day Workshop - TBC

9.30am to 5.00pm (Arrive 9am)

Crawley / Gatwick - TBC

In the region of £120 (including VAT) - the exact course fee will be confirmed when dates are finalised.

Having delivered this course online last year, due to Covid and to allow for participants across the UK, both trainers are agreed that remote delivery is not the option of choice for this training and does not allow for the best interaction between students. As such this training will take place in person, not online.

Josef Baines and Darren Townsend-Handscomb in BSL

In this very interactive workshop we explore:

Unconscious Bias (UB)
The concept and in the 'real world', critiques and alternatives.

Unconscious Bias and the Interpreter / Translator
How Unconscious Bias impacts on us as interpreters and translators.

Unconscious Bias and interpreting / translation
How Unconscious Bias impacts on our interpreting and translation.

What we can do to address Unconscious Bias

Josef Baines and Darren Townsend-Handscomb will be delivering the taught sections, and facilitating the discussions. The workshop will be delivered mainly in BSL (Josef is a deaf BSL user).

The day will conclude by looking at what we can do and next steps.

For further details, please email training@bsl-link4comm.co.uk

Hypothetically Speaking

One Day Workshop - TBC

9.30am to 5.00pm (Arrive 9am)

Crawley / Gatwick - TBC

In the region of £120 (including VAT) - the exact course fee will be confirmed when dates are finalised.

Byron Campbell and Stewart Bailey in BSL

There are many difficult concepts and abstract ideas that are difficult to translate into clear BSL.

The hypothetical 'if', Conditionals and interpreting statistical information can often cause us problems, for example; 8 out of 10 people will …., 1 in 3 people have …. How do we make sure this concept is clear to the Deaf user?

We will also look at interpreting comparisons, the concepts of ‘affect’ and ‘effect’, emphasis and the use of time lines.



For further details, please email training@bsl-link4comm.co.uk

Humour in the Workplace

Dr Jules Dickinson , delivered in spoken English

Dr Jules Dickinson, RSLI/FASLI. Jules is an experienced community interpreter and qualified Professional Supervisor. She is passionate about supporting interpreters to be healthy and resilient practitioners. Jules’ PhD examined the ways in which the interpreter impacts upon workplace interaction, focussing on humour and small talk in meetings. Aside from her role as a Professional Supervisor, she continues to support the development of the interpreting profession as a trainer, research-practitioner and consultant.

Small talk, humour and swearing present a challenge for the interpreter, especially in the workplace setting, where there are established relationships and implicit norms. These types of interactions occur throughout the working day, from greetings at the start of a shift through to banter in a team meeting and they fulfil a variety of functions.

This workshop will focus on the relational elements of workplace talk and will look at why the interpreter needs to ensure the Deaf employee has access to all elements of workplace dialogue.

Learning outcomes
  • Understanding the importance of relational talk in the workplace.
  • How to manage small talk and humour at work.
  • Develop strategies for interpreting workplace humour and small talk.
  • For further details, please email training@bsl-link4comm.co.uk