Country Report Spain
FILSE (Federación Española de Intérpretes de Lengua de Signos y Guías-Intérpretes).
FILSE is the Spanish Federation for Sign Language Interpreters and Guide-Interpreters for the Deaf-Blind.
Facts about Spain
Size of Spain: 504.780 km²Population 40,847,371
Deaf population:
1,000,000
120,000 profoundly deaf.
365,000 hard of hearing.
530,000 have problems in perceiving spoken language. Approximately 150,000 deaf people use Spanish Sign Language, but in addition to this, approximately 250,000 hearing people (such as interpreters, families, professionals and students) also use this language.
Number of Sign language Interpreters: FILSE only knows for sure the number of interpreters who are members of the Sign Language Interpreters Associations which are part of FILSE. This year we expect there are around 530 interpreters connected to those Associations.
We estimate the number of qualified Sign Language Interpreters in Spain to be about 3,000. This figure includes both associated and non-associated members, and individuals who have obtained the official qualification but do not work as interpreters.
In Spain there are various ways to train as an Interpreter, but there is only one official, legally recognised qualification. This qualification is obtained through the Ciclo Formativo de Grado Superior en Interpretación de la Lengua de Signos (two-year vocational training course), which consists of 2000 hours divided into 11 modules:
Modern Language (English)
Sociopsychology of Deaf and Deaf-Blind people
Body Language
Spanish Sign Language
Interpretation Techniques
Orientation on the labour market
Linguistics of Spanish Sign Language
Interpretation Contexts
International Sign System
Guide-Interpretation for Deaf-Blind People
Work placement (3 months) in organizations which employ Sign Language Interpreters (e.g. Deaf Associations, High Schools).
Another way of becoming a Sign Language Interpreter is to do a University Masters Course (following 3 years of university). It has a similar content to the above course but it gives you a Masters Degree qualification. In Madrid there is a university (Universidad Complutense) which specializes in training sign language interpreters for legal settings.
Last year FILSE continued to consolidate its status as the organization which best represents the professional body of SLIs in Spain by maintaining relations with other national level organizations (such as CNSE, the National Deaf People’s Association and ASOCIDE, the National Deafblind People’s Association), and participating in working groups set up by governmental bodies.
FILSE played its part in the propelling the law to recognize Spanish Sign Language as official in Spain by giving public support to the process and by providing consultation. (The law was finally passed on 10 October 2007.)
FILSE worked with SLI groups in Asturias and a member of the board paid a visit to Asturias to help set up a regional association which could affiliate with FILSE.
Elections were held for the FILSE board (all positions) and a new board was elected. Several members of the previous board were re-elected (to new positions), thus guaranteeing continuity.
A Forum of Sign Language Interpreters was organized and held by FILSE in Madrid. The event included talks about different aspects of SLI and information about the activities of FILSE.
Much of the work during this year was taken up with the organization of the WASLI conference to be held in Spain in July 2007. FILSE and WASLI drew up and signed a collaboration agreement for the organization of the conference. FILSE established an Organizing Committee (which included several FILSE board members) to deal with the task of putting together an international conference.
FILSE continued to participate in the WASLI network, both distributing information from WASLI and supplying WASLI with information about Spain (working practice, code of ethics, training programs, qualifications, etc.)
Although FILSE was not able to attend the EFSLI AGM in Prague, we continued to distribute EFSLI information to our member organizations and to send news to EFSLI so that Spain still forms part of the European SLI network.
FILSE maintained its relationship with the National Deaf People’s Association (CNSE), developing working agreements and participating together in the negotiations with official bodies on issues such as the qualifications standardization process. FILSE also provides CNSE with information and consultation on matters related to SLI.
FILSE continued to take part in the drawn out and problematic negotiations for the standardization of SLI qualifications, together with the National Deaf People’s Association (CNSE) and the National Deafblind People’s Association (ASOCIDE), to produce a list of approved qualified SLIs to present to the Ministry of Education and Science. This has involved updating our database of qualified SL interpreters and keeping our affiliated associations abreast of developments in these negotiations.
FILSE continued to participate in the process of defining sign language-related training and qualifications being carried out by the National Qualifications Institute (INCUAL).
FILSE was involved in the organization of the WFD Congress to be held in Madrid in July 2007. One of the FILSE board members was the National President of the Special Interest Group for Sign Language Interpreters.
FILSE continued to develop its ties with universities which are involved with or offer SLI training courses. A letter of support was provided to the University of Valladolid for its proposal to set up a European Masters course in Sign Language Teaching and Interpretation.
We continue to maintain and update our web site (www.filse.org) to include more information and news.
Goals of FILSE for this year
To reach a conclusion in negotiations for the standardization of SLI qualifications with the National Deaf People’s Association (CNSE) and the National Deafblind People’s Association (ASOCIDE).
To continue organizing and to host the WASLI Conference in Segovia, July 2007, by setting up an organizing committee.
To provide support and arbitration in the creation of new regional SLI associations (in Asturias).
To continue in the process of improving the basic SLI training qualification through our participation in the process being carried out by the National Qualification Institute.
To continue with international collaboration.