GLADIATORS! A bloodless, skills-based workshop about presenting evidence for language services to hostile skeptics

TEAM
Facilitators:
Wilma Alvarado-Little, New York, NY
Lee Bultman, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, AZ
Irma Bustamente, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, AZ
Kinneil Coltman, Greenville Hospital System, SC
Christina Cordero, Joint Commission, Chicago, IL
Bruce Downing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Erica Galvez, Joint Commission, Chicago, IL
Elizabeth Jacobs, Cook County Hospital/Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL
Nataly Kelly, Common Sense Advisory, Lowell, MA
Cynthia E. Roat, Seattle, WA
Jorge Ungo, Pacific Interpreters, Houston, TX
Amy Wilson-Stronks, Joint Commission, Chicago, IL
Moderators:
Barbara Rayes, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, AZ
Marjory Bancroft, Cross-Cultural Communications, MD
*REVISED ABSTRACT*
GLADIATORS!
A Bloodless, Skills-Based Workshop About Presenting Evidence for Language Services to Hostile Skeptics
GRAND COLOSSEUM EVENT with Gladiators, a Roman Emperor, Duels and Fireworks/ Note to participants: Come prepared for battle. Weapons provided.
THEME: Language access.
TIME: Two hours.
FORMAT: A Colosseum event.
SETTING:  Stage.
GOAL: Participants who attend this workshop will learn how to present compelling evidence for language services (a) clearly; (b) coherently; and (c) with logical precision. Such arguments may help them to create, support or enhance interpreting and translation programs. Participants will engage in practice debate with gladiator skeptics who, through wordplay and swordplay, will endeavor to hack participant arguments to pieces.
To strengthen the participants' skills in marshalling and presenting strong evidence to support the need for language services, this workshop will include:
1) PHASE I: GLADIATOR BATTLES  After introductions and the presentation of a Roman Emperor and Roman Goddess who serve as judges, participants will hear two experts briefly lay out a case regarding the current evidence for language services. The audience will learn the importance of assessing the quality of evidence, which includes medical research, laws and legal cases, national standards, expert opinion, accreditation requirements, case studies and reports from the field. Three duels will follow between gladiators who viciously (but verbally) assault three untrained innocent orators who support language services, shredding the orators’ arguments to ribbons.
2) PHASE II: GLADIATOR TRAINING in small groups will follow. Each work group will have its own facilitator and work with two handouts:  one handout that summarizes the evidence in favor of language services and another that lists tips and strategies about how to present such evidence calmly and persuasively. In this hands-on portion of the session, each small-group facilitator will play a hostile skeptic to help participants practice presenting strong arguments in favor of language services.
3) PHASE III: THE GRAND GLADIATOR FINALE! Three trained “orators” will demonstrate how to defend themselves against three gladiators. The gladiators will argue with words and weapons; the three trained participants, bearing no weapons, will peacefully disarm their gladiators with charm, sound arguments and compelling evidence, preserving the dignity and decorum of all (while providing the thrill of a feisty debate). The Roman Emperor and Roman goddess will crown the victors. The event will close with celebratory, smoke-free fireworks.