Portuguese Court Interpreter Training Program
Prepare for your career as a Certified Court Interpreter
About the Program
The Portuguese Court Interpreter Training Program is designed to prepare individuals for state court interpreter certification. It will help students develop the specialized skills required to work effectively in legal settings, preparing them for the oral portion of state certification examinations.
Program Structure
Classes meet once weekly via Zoom from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern Time. This evening format accommodates working professionals while allowing students throughout the United States to participate regardless of their geographic location, maintaining the interactive, collaborative learning environment essential for interpreter training. All sessions are recorded for participant review, allowing students to revisit material and track their progress over time.
What You'll Practice
Students engage in practice across all three modes of court interpretation: consecutive interpretation, simultaneous interpretation, and sight translation. The exercises are designed to build proficiency in both language directions as required in actual court proceedings.
Each class session focuses on real-world scenarios that interpreters encounter in legal settings. Students take turns performing interpretations while classmates listen and provide constructive feedback. This peer review process is central to the program's pedagogical approach, helping students develop both their technical skills and their ability to critically assess interpretation quality.
Assessment and Feedback
Renditions are evaluated across multiple dimensions including terminology accuracy, grammatical precision, register appropriateness, and overall flow. This comprehensive feedback helps students identify areas for improvement and track their progress throughout the program.
Course Materials
The primary textbook for the program is The Interpreter's Edge (Portuguese edition), which provides structured exercises and materials specifically designed for interpreter training in legal contexts. Purchase the textbook here.
Important Information
This program is a practical training course focused on skill development. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are not granted for participation.
Who Should Enroll
This program is ideal for bilingual professionals seeking to enter the court interpreting field, as well as practicing interpreters who wish to formalize their skills and pursue certification.