Spanish-English Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination

Spanish-English Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination
Background Questionnaire
Directions: Please answer the following questions. Your answers will help the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) understand more about the individuals who are interested in becoming Federally Certified Interpreters and how their background may be related to examination performance. Personal identification is requested only for the purpose of matching background questionnaires and examination scores. Your answers will not affect the score you will receive on any FCICE examination. The contractor for the AO, the National Center for State Courts, deletes your examinee identification information after questionnaire data are matched with score records. The information from your questionnaire is only examined in aggregate with others. Examinee Identification Number:

Spanish-English Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination
Background Questions

1. Name:	,
	Last	First	Middle
2. Examinee Identification Number:
3. Year of birth (four digit year):
4. Sex:
Male Female
5: In which language do you feel most competent? (choose ONE answer, even if you believe both are equally strong)
English Spanish
6. At what age did you begin to learn English?
0-4 years 5-8 years 9-14 years 15 years or older
7. At what age did you begin to learn Spanish?
0-4 years 5-8 years 9-14 years 15 years or older

Spanish-English Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination
Interpreting Background
8. Have you ever worked as a Spanish/English interpreter in a Federal Trial Court?
NO YES
8a. If the answer is “Yes”, please estimate how often: fewer than 5 assignments 6 to 20 assignments more than 20 assignments
9. Have you ever worked as a Spanish/English interpreter in a State Trial Court?
NO YES
9a. If the answer is “Yes”, please estimate how often: fewer than 5 assignments 6 to 20 assignments more than 20 assignments
10. Have you ever worked as a Spanish/English interpreter for the U.S. State Department or United Nations?
NO YES
10a. If the answer is “Yes”, please estimate how often: fewer than 5 assignments 6 to 20 assignments more than 20 assignments
11. Have you ever worked as a Spanish/English interpreter for the Executive Office of Immigration Review (“Immigration Court”)?
NO YES
11a. If the answer is “Yes”, please estimate how often: fewer than 5 assignments 6 to 20 assignments more than 20 assignments
12. Have you ever worked as a Spanish/English interpreter in a hospital or other medical setting?
NO YES
12a. If the answer is “Yes”, please estimate how often: fewer than 5 assignments 6 to 20 assignments more than 20 assignments
13. Have you ever worked as a Spanish/English interpreter for any other government or civil service agency (e.g., public assistance eligibility)?
NO YES
13a. If the answer is “Yes”, please estimate how often: fewer than 5 assignments 6 to 20 assignments more than 20 assignments

Professional certifications or association memberships

14. Are you currently certified as a Spanish/English court interpreter in one or more states?

NO
YES

14a. If “yes”, indicate which states:

Alabama	Alaska	Arizona	Arkansas	California
Colorado	Connecticut	Delaware	District of Columbia	Florida
Georgia	Hawaii	Idaho	Illinois	Indiana
Iowa	Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana	Maine
Maryland	Massachusetts	Michigan	Minnesota	Mississippi
Missouri	Montana	Nebraska	Nevada	New Hampshire
New Jersey	New Mexico	New York	North Carolina	North Dakota
Ohio	Oklahoma	Oregon	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island
South Carolina	South Dakota	Tennessee	Texas	Utah
Vermont	Virginia	Washington	West Virginia	Wisconsin
Wyoming

15. Are you currently a member of one or more of the following:

American Translator's Association (ATA)
National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT)
American Association of Language Specialists (TAALS)
International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC)?

NO
YES

16. Are you currently a member of other interpreter associations not listed in the preceding question, including State interpreter associations?

NO
YES

17. What is the most advanced formal training you have achieved in interpreting?

I have no advanced formal training.
I have completed an in-service course in interpreting (15 hours or less) in the U.S. or abroad.
I have completed an extended college-level equivalent course in interpreting in the U.S. or abroad.
I have a Bachelor's or equivalent degree in interpreting earned in the U.S. or abroad.
I have a Master's or equivalent degree in interpreting earned in the U.S. or abroad.

Spanish-English Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination
Educational Background
18. In which language did you receive the majority of your elementary school education?
English Spanish Other language Half Spanish/half English immersion program
19. In which language did you receive the majority of your junior high/middle school/lower secondary education?
English Spanish Other language
20. In which language did you receive the majority of your high school/upper secondary education?
English Spanish Other language Did not attend high school/upper secondary
21. In which language did you receive the majority of your college education?
English Spanish Other language Did not attend college
22. In which language did you receive the majority of your graduate/professional school education?
English Spanish Other language Did not attend graduate or professional school
*23. What is the HIGHEST degree you earned in a country where English* is spoken?**
High School diploma or equivalent Junior College (Associate’s Degree or equivalent) Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree Law Degree Other professional degree Ph.D. No degree earned
*24. What is the HIGHEST degree you earned in a country where Spanish* is spoken?**
High School diploma or equivalent Junior College (Associate’s Degree or equivalent) Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree Law Degree Other professional degree Ph.D. No degree earned
25. How many times have you taken the FCICE Written Examination?
None One Two Three More than Three