NIC Performance Exam Details

The NIC Performance Exam will be retired as of May 18, 2022.   Last date to take the NIC Interview & Performance Exam is May 17, 2022.  The new CASLI Generalist Performance Exam – Hearing will be available for candidates to take either late May or early June 2022.

Preparations for NIC Exams

Reporting Irregularities

Exam Structure

Test Flow and Timing

Grounds for Dismissal

Exam Vignettes

Day of the Exam

Preparing for the NIC Interview and Performance Exam

The NIC Interview and Performance Exam tests the ability to apply the RID Code of Professional Conduct to ethical dilemmas in interpreting situations and real-world interpreting skills appropriate to an interpreter holding national certification. The NIC Interview and Performance Exam evaluates a candidate’s understanding of the “Skill Statements” associated with the set of tasks that was developed through the RID Role Delineation Study. Additionally, see the list of suggested reference materials. 

  1. Assess each interpreting situation to determine if qualified for the assignment.
  2. Prepare for assignment by determining logistics and purpose of interaction for all parties involved.
  3. Maintain competence in the field of interpreting (e.g., attending workshops and classes, reading professional literature, working with a mentor).
  4. Apply the Code of Professional Conduct for the interpreting profession.
  5. Provide interpreting services that reflect awareness and sensitivity to culturally and ethnically diverse groups.
  6. Facilitate the flow of communication during the interpreting process.
  7. Apply the appropriate communicative mode and language register.
  8. Construct equivalent discourse in the target language while monitoring message comprehension and feedback to modify interpretation accordingly.A. Use ASL proficiently within expressive interpreting tasks, including choice of sign vocabulary, use of sign modification to show variation in meaning and grammatical function, and appropriate use of space, facial expression, and body movement.
    B. Comprehend ASL proficiently during the interpreting task, including sign vocabulary choice and sign modification to show variation in meaning and grammatical functions.
    C. Use English proficiently to construct an equivalent message in the target language, including appropriate vocabulary choice, tone, grammar, and syntax, with appropriate use of register, pausing, rhythm, intonation, pitch, and other supra-segmental features.
    D. Comprehend English proficiently to construct an equivalent message in the target language, including appropriate vocabulary choice, tone, grammar, syntax, appropriate use of register, pausing, rhythm, intonation, pitch, and other supra-segmental features.

Test candidates should prepare for the NIC Interview and Performance Exam by strengthening their real-world skills in interpreting. They should also ensure that they have a detailed working knowledge of the RID Code of Professional Conduct.

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Exam Structure

The NIC Interview and Performance Exam consists of seven (7) video-based “vignettes”: two (2) ethical “interview” vignettes and five (5) interpreting “performance” vignettes. A vignette is a short problem that contains a real world problem or interpreting activity. The subject matter of these vignettes is as follows:

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Ethical “Interview” and Interpreting “Performance” Vignettes

The first two (2) vignettes in the exam assess a candidate’s ability to evaluate ethical situations and apply the RID Code of Professional Conduct. Candidates are expected to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the RID Code of Professional Conduct and the ability to interpret and apply the tenets contained in the code. Note: the previous format of this exam required the candidate to choose one (1) of five (5) signers. The current ethical “interview” vignettes do not offer this option.

  • Stimulus – Candidates are presented with: A written description of the context of a real-world written description of the action that an interpreter chose to take in response to the ethical dilemma.
  • Problem Statement – Candidates are instructed to evaluate the interpreter’s actions from a prescribed point of view (i.e. either to criticize or to defend the interpreter’s actions), as indicated in the problem statement. The candidate’s evaluation must be based on the RID Code of Professional Conduct. Candidates are required to refer to specific tenets and sections of the RID Code of Professional Conduct in their response.
  • Response – Candidates are required to provide their response to the problem statement using ASL only.

  • Stimulus – Candidates are presented with:
    1. A written description of the context of a real-world interpreting situation;
    2. A written description of the people involved in the conversation;
    3. A written description of the conversation that precedes the point in the conversation that the candidate is to begin interpreting (if applicable); and
    4. A written indication of when to begin interpreting.
  • Problem Statement – Candidates are instructed to interpret all spoken communication into ASL and to interpret all ASL communication into spoken English, just as they would in a real-world interpreting assignment. Vignettes may contain all ASL, all spoken English or a combination of both.
  • Response – Candidates provide their interpretation simultaneously to the stimulus presented

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Test Flow and Timing

  • Candidate gets situated in the testing chair while the test administrator sets up/adjusts camera and backdrop.

*Note: Candidates have the ability to view and monitor themselves on screen while testing. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that they fully are in the recording screen during the Ethical Interview, the English-to-ASL performance vignettes and the interactive performance vignettes. (It’s okay to move up closer to the computer during the spoken English performance vignettes but be sure to readjust yourself during any ASL or English-to-ASL portions of the test).

*Note: The vignette minutes are not absolute, they are meant to give candidates an idea of the time approximation each vignette runs throughout the exam. Variations in the length of time vignettes are played is to be expected.

  • The test administrator starts the exam and leaves the testing room.
  • The exam begins. 

Interview:

2 minutes    Introduction to the ethical “interview” problems

4 minutes    Vignette #1 – Presentation of ethical problems; candidate forms a response.

3 minutes    Candidate presents response

2 minutes    Rest/Break

4 minutes    Vignette #2 – Presentation of ethical problems; candidate forms a response.

3 minutes    Candidate presents response

2 minutes    Rest/Break

Performance:

2 minutes    Introduction to the interpreting “performance” problems

2 minutes    Vignette #3 – Presentation of interpreting situation and context

4 minutes    Vignette #3 – Candidate interprets source material

2 minutes    Rest/Break

2 minutes    Vignette #4 – Presentation of interpreting situation and context

4 minutes    Vignette #4 – Candidate interprets source material

2 minutes    Rest/Break

2 minutes    Vignette #5 – Presentation of interpreting situation and context

4 minutes    Vignette #5 – Candidate interprets source material

2 minutes    Rest/Break

2 minutes    Vignette #6 – Presentation of interpreting situation and context

4 minutes    Vignette #6 – Candidate interprets source material

2 minutes    Rest/Break

2 minutes    Vignette #7 – Presentation of interpreting situation and context

4 minutes    Vignette #7 – Candidate interprets source material

Exam ends: Total exam time – 60 minutes

  • Test administrator ends the exam and collects all scratch paper from candidate
  • The candidate will be sent a Candidate Feedback Form through CASLI Exam System for us to review.

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On the Day of the NIC Interview and Performance Exam

Candidates must complete the following steps in order to take the NIC Interview and Performance Exam.

You should wear professional attire, which is appropriately color-contrasted to skin tone. However, you should not wear whites or reds, as these colors may cause problems for color video recording equipment.

Your test administrator will provide you with the location of your test site. Plan your travel carefully so that you arrive at the test site at least 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. If you arrive at the test site less than 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment, you may be denied access to the test site, and it will be considered a missed appointment. You may not be admitted to the exam if you arrive after your scheduled starting time. A missed appointment forfeits the exam and all related fees. You would then be required to register and pay for the exam again in order to sit for it in the future.

When you register and pay for your exam, the CASLI Exam System will email you with your uniquely assigned token connecting your name and RID Member Number with you to the test site.You MUST have your Token with you when you go to take your exam exam. Failure to do so will result in forfeiting your exam and registration fees.

CASLI employs very strict testing security measures. One level of security involves your identification. You must bring at least one form of identification that meets the following requirements:

Your identification (ID) must:

  • Display your first and last name exactly as it appears in your CASLI Exam System account
  • Have a permanently-affixed photograph of your face
  • Be current — expired IDs will not be accepted
  • Be an original document — no photocopies will be accepted

Acceptable forms of identification are:

  • Government-issued driver’s license
  • State ID card
  • Passport
  • Military ID (except those with chips)
  • Permanent resident visa or green card

Unacceptable forms of identification include:

  • Employee identification or work badge
  • University/college identification

If you do not present acceptable identification, you will not be allowed to take your exam, and it will be considered a missed appointment, even though you appeared at the test site.

A missed appointment forfeits the exam and all related fees. You would then be required to register and pay for the exam again in order to take the exam in the future.

The test administrator at each test site has been trained in the procedures specific to CASLI exams. The test administrator will guide you through the steps that have been developed by CASLI. The following is what you can expect when you arrive at the test site:

  1. Personal items will not be allowed in the testing room. You may not bring any personal items with you to the test site, other than your personal identification. (This includes purses, wallets, watches, jewelry, cell phones, calculators, etc.) If you do bring personal items to the test site, the test administrator will show you where to store them. Neither test administrators nor CASLI will be responsible for lost or stolen items.
  2. You must provide one form of acceptable identification. The test administrator will verify that the name on your government-issued identification card matches the name on the CASLI Exam System Account, that the photo is of you. You must keep this identification with you at all times during the exam.
  3. You will be provided five (5) pieces of scratch paper and a pen with which you can take notes during the exam. These will be collected at the conclusion of the exam. You cannot take any notes from the test site.
  4. You will not be allowed to bring any food or drink into the testing room.
  5. You will be escorted into the testing room by the test administrator. The test administrator will show you where to sit and will adjust the video camera to ensure that you are being properly recorded. You must remain in your seat during the entire exam.
  6. You will have an opportunity to verify that the video quality and sound level within CASLI Exam System is acceptable to you.
  7. The test administrator will start the exam and the webcam which will record your responses.

Here are the general instructions for taking the exam:

  • You must remain seated during the entire exam.
  • The exam will take approximately one hour to complete. The exam will not stop. The exam video will continue to play and the webcam will continue to record you throughout the testing period.
  • You will not be able to stop or rewind the exam video.
  • There are built-in two-minute breaks from testing after each exam vignette. You will see the break time displayed on the screen. You cannot change the length of these breaks, and you must stay in the testing chair during these breaks.
  • You should not leave the testing room until the exam is complete. Only in cases of a significant irregularity – e.g. technical or test site issues – should you leave the testing room to contact the test administrator once the exam has started.
  • There are no “warm up” vignettes. However, there is introductory information for you to review before each vignette, which will orient you to the next problem. Please review this material carefully. You may make notes while viewing the introductory material if you wish and as time permits; however, all notes will be collected at the end of the testing session.

The exam will begin and flow as described in the Test Flow and Timing section of this page. You will complete each vignette in order and then contact the test administrator when the exam is complete.

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Reporting Irregularities or Concerns

If you experience problems with any part of the exam administration process, including issues with exam materials, the facility, or other difficulties, tell the test administrator immediately. You must allow the test administrator at least 30 minutes to correct any problems. If the problem is corrected, the test administrator will restart the test from the beginning of the affected vignette and you may continue with your test. If the problem continues for more than 30 minutes, you have the choice to stay until the problem is corrected or to have your appointment rescheduled.

CASLI cannot help to resolve a problem that has not been reported to the test administrator at the time it occurs.

The test administrator is not able to respond to questions (other than those regarding exam administration) about the exam content or testing and rating process. If you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding your testing experience or with the exam vignettes, contact CASLI at testing@casli.org or (571) 257-4761. Please note that while CASLI will review all comments provided regarding an administered exam, CASLI will not re-evaluate or otherwise change a candidate’s scores or results based on these comments.

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Grounds for Candidate Dismissal from Test Site

Any candidate who engages in any form of misconduct or does not comply with the test administrator’s warnings to discontinue inappropriate behavior may be immediately dismissed from the test site. Some examples of misconduct are:

  • Creating a disturbance, using abusive language, or being uncooperative or disrespectful
  • Attempting to take the examination for someone else
  • Using any prohibited aids that would provide an advantage while taking the exam
  • Tampering with the operation of the exam recording equipment or stimulus materials
  • Giving or receiving assistance of any kind

Dismissal from a test site due to misconduct forfeits the exam and all related fees. The candidate would then be required to register and pay for the exam again in order to sit for it in the future, as long as CASLI determined that the candidate’s behavior did not warrant a permanent ban from taking the exam.

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