The Art of Interpretation
The job of a docent at The Ruth Bancroft Garden is vital to the success of The
Garden because docents help visitors to understand what they are seeing.
During most of our training classes, we focus on learning what is in the garden
and what makes up the collection to share that information with visitors. To
be a successful and professional interpreter, you must make an effort to
gather a sound base of knowledge about your subject. This will help you not only be able to answer
questions, but to establish self-confidence when talking about your topic. It is just as important to learn
how to use good interpretation techniques in order to help enhance our visitor’s experiences. The
following material will help you to understand all of the other components that play into your tour.
What is Interpretation?
Interpretation is the method of conveying information to others. As interpreters (docents), we all have
distinct personalities, skills, interests, and experiences which enhance our visitors’ experiences. Telling
every visitor all that you know is both impossible and impractical. Both time and visitors interests are
limited, and people cannot absorb too much information at one time.
Definitions of Interpretation:
National Association for Interpretation: Interpretation is a communication process that forges emotional
and intellectual connections between the interest of the audience and the meanings inherent in the
resource.
Freeman Tilden: “Interpretation is an education activity which aims to reveal meanings and
relationships through the use of original objects, by firsthand experience, and by illustrative media,
rather than to simply communicate factual information.”
Interpretive Mediums
One of the wonderful things about the art of interpretation is that it can take many forms. Face to face
interpretation through tours and conversation is an excellent means of interacting with the public.
Mixed media can also assist with interpretation. For example, brochures, pictures or objects can
enhance a visitor’s learning experience.
Successful Interpretation Tips
Population Aggregate
Determine what type of group you will be working with. What is the age range? What is the education
level of the group? Is the group homogenous or mixed? Are there any disabilities to consider? Where is
the group from? How much prior knowledge does the group have of the subject matter? By answering
these questions you can modify your tours to best relate to the visitors.
Key Pointers for Successful Tours
 Friendliness, a smile and positive approach go far in how your participants respond to you. If you
are having fun, it is likely that your participants will too.
Docent Info Handout C: Interpretation 1
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Position yourself so everyone can see and hear you (in front of the group).
Keep your groups comfort in mind (such as if they must face the sun to see you).
Try to establish eye contact.
Gauge your group’s interest and curiosities.
Use questions to engage.
Try to end different sections with a basic point for guests to remember or think about later.
Stay away from rote recitation of your material.
If you don’t know the answer to a question, there is no harm in saying that you don’t know, but
offer to find out if they would like. Sometimes you can turn a question back to the group and get
an answer from another guest. Offer to ask or research the answer and get back to the visitor.
Help people to feel connected to the Garden and appreciated for visiting.
Learning styles
When leading a group, you should consider various learning styles. According to psychoanalyst Carl Jung,
there are four basic learning styles: Feelers, Thinkers, Sensors and Intuitors and it is important to learn
how you can reach each type of learner. Which type of learner are you?
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Feelers need to make a personal connection between the subject matter and themselves. They
need to understand what the subject means to them and why they should learn about it.
Engage this type of learner by trying to relate the material to them and allowing guests to ask questions.
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Thinkers are analytical people who like to know the facts about a subject. Traditionally schools
and educational programs only addressed this learning type.
Engage this type of learner by trying using facts, history and statistics throughout your tour.
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Sensors need to process facts and information through sensory investigation. They need to
make real world connections to information that is provided and enjoy using their different
senses to do this.
Engage this type of learner by incorporating the touch, smell, and maybe even taste into your tour.
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Intuitors develop their own insights and connections to information and enjoy expressing this
information to others.
Engage this type of learner by encouraging your guests to share their observations and opinions.
Generally, individuals have one dominate learning style but have elements of the other styles as well.
Because of this, we must plan our interpretation in a way that reaches different types of people so that
the needs of our varied audiences are met.
Assumptions About Learning
William J. Lewis
1. It is generally recognized that people retain about:
10% of what they HEAR
I hear, I forget.
30% of what they READ
I see and hear, I remember.
50% of what they SEE
I see, hear, and do, I understand.
90% of what they DO
-Old Chinese Proverb
Docent Info Handout C: Interpretation 2
The Art of Interpretation
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New learning is built on a foundation of previous knowledge.
People learn better when they're using more senses.
Learning requires activity on the part of the learner.
An organized presentation is more memorable than an unorganized one.
Increasing the ways in which material is presented can help people derive meanings.
-Tilden’s Six Principles of Interpretation.
Excerpted from: Interpreting our Heritage, Freeman Tilden, page nine.
1. Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being displayed or described to something
within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile.
2. Information, as such, is not Interpretation. Interpretation is revelation based on information. But they
are entirely different things. However, all interpretation includes information.
3. Interpretation is an art, which combines many arts, whether the materials presented are scientific,
historical, or architectural. Any art is to some degree teachable.
4. The chief aim of Interpretation is not instruction, but provocation.
5. Interpretation should aim to present a whole rather than a part, and must address itself to the whole
man rather than any phase.
6. Interpretation addressed to children (say, up to the age of twelve) should not be a dilution of the
presentation to adults, but should follow a fundamentally different approach. To be at its best it will
require a separate program.
Larry Beck and Ted Cable. Interpretation for the 21st Century.
1. The purpose of interpretation goes beyond providing information to reveal deeper meaning and
truth.
2. The interpretive presentation –as a work of art- should be designed as a story that informs,
entertains and enlightens.
3. The purpose of the interpretive story is to inspire and to provoke people to broaden their
horizons.
4. Every place has a history. Interpreters can bring the past alive to make the present more
enjoyable and the future more meaningful.
5. Interpreters must concern themselves with the quantity and quality (selection and accuracy) of
information presented. Focused, well researched interpretation will be more powerful than a
longer discourse.
6. Quality interpretation depends on the interpreter’s knowledge and communication skills, which
should be developed continually.
7. The overall interpretive program must be capable of attracting support – financial,
volunteerism.
8. Interpretation should instill in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their
surroundings – to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation.
9. Passion is the essential ingredient for powerful and effective interpretation – passion for the
resource and for those people who come to be inspired by the same.
Docent Info Handout C: Interpretation 3
Interpretation Session 1
Developing your own Style of Interpretation based on your talents, interests and motivations.
1. What are your relevant Talents, Interests and Motivations for Interpreting / being a Docent?
Talents:
Interests:
Motivations:
2. What do you need / want to learn practice to be a good interpreter / docents?
Docent Info Handout C: Interpretation 4