Teaching Note—Critical Issues for Language Interpretation in Social Work Practice

ABSTRACT

This teaching note describes a workshop to help monolingual and multilingual social workers prepare for language interpretation in social work practice. Language barriers negatively affect access to social services across populations in the United States, particularly for immigrant groups with limited English proficiency. Effective language interpretation is a key component of social workers’ ethical obligations of informed consent and client comprehension. Although multilingual and multicultural social workers regularly communicate across languages and cultures, language interpretation responsibilities fall disproportionately on multilingual social workers. To address these challenges, this teaching note presents two case illustrations to show how interpretation implicates ethical practice and social justice and to help develop awareness of critical issues related to language interpretation in social work practice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John Doering-White

John Doering-White is assistant professor at the University of South Carolina.

Rogério M. Pinto

Rogério M. Pinto is associate dean for research and professor at the University of Michigan.

Rosa Maria Bramble

Rosa Maria Bramble is a licensed clinical social worker based in New York City.

Maria Ibarra-Frayre

Maria Ibarra-Frayre is a social worker and organizer based in Detroit, Michigan.