Better Feedback, Better Practice Rewriting the Rules on Giving and Receiving Feedback

Feedback is an important part of professional development, yet for sign language interpreters and translators, giving and receiving it can sometimes feel uncomfortable or difficult.

Our work is often personal, and professional relationships can be complicated by expectations, power dynamics and the unwritten rules surrounding how we respond to colleagues' work. We may notice something that could have been approached differently but hesitate to raise it, particularly when feedback hasn't been requested.

However, avoiding these conversations isn't always helpful. When concerns about interpreting decisions or professional practice go unaddressed, the consequences can extend beyond the individuals involved to the people relying on our work.

So how do we give feedback without making it personal? How do we approach a colleague when something hasn't worked well, particularly when we were part of the assignment ourselves? And how can we learn to receive feedback without immediately feeling criticised or becoming defensive?

This interactive webinar with Brett Best explores the challenges surrounding professional feedback and considers how we can approach these conversations more openly and constructively.

Drawing on interpreting-specific research, alongside wider research into feedback, psychological safety and behaviour change, the session will introduce practical tools and approaches for giving, receiving and requesting feedback.

Through realistic scenarios, breakout discussions and reflection, participants will explore ways to make feedback a more useful part of everyday professional practice.

What We'll Cover

• Understanding the role of feedback in interpreting and translation practice.

• Exploring the professional expectations and unwritten rules that can discourage open conversations.

• Recognising how power dynamics and professional relationships influence feedback.

• Giving constructive feedback that focuses on the work rather than the individual.

• Approaching difficult conversations, including when feedback hasn't been requested.

• Understanding defensive reactions and considering how to respond to them.

• Learning how to ask for feedback that is specific, relevant and genuinely useful.

• Developing practical approaches to making feedback part of ongoing reflective practice and professional development.

Why Attend?

Whether you're newly qualified or an experienced practitioner, giving and receiving feedback can raise difficult questions.

We may worry about damaging professional relationships, feel uncomfortable questioning a colleague's decisions or struggle to separate comments about our work from how we see ourselves as professionals.

This webinar offers an opportunity to examine these challenges in a supportive professional setting, explore realistic interpreting scenarios and consider approaches that make feedback more constructive for everyone involved.

Participants will leave with practical ideas for approaching feedback conversations with greater clarity, responding to feedback more openly and supporting a professional culture where discussing our work is seen as a normal and valuable part of practice.

Workshop Information

• Trainer: Brett Best

• Date: Monday 5 July 2027

• Format: Online via Zoom

• Session type: Interactive webinar with practical activities, breakout discussions and reflection

• Suitable for: Sign language interpreters, sign language translators, trainee practitioners and other language professionals

• CPD Certificate: Provided following attendance (2 points)

• Course Materials: Workshop handbook provided to participants

Please note: This is an interactive session. Participants are encouraged to contribute to discussions and take part in the practical activities throughout the webinar.