SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING CHINESE II [CHINESE PATHWAY] - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module builds on the module “Simultaneous Interpreting I” and focuses on the advanced practice of simultaneous interpreting between Chinese and English in high-level business and political settings. The module takes place in professionally equipped, ISO-certified simultaneous interpreting labs and covers different types of unilateral and bilateral situations, providing students with advanced skills, strategies and practical knowledge to perform simultaneous interpreting tasks professionally and confidently in a variety of relevant communicative situations.

Module provider

School of Literature and Languages

Module Leader

WANG Fang (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Simultaneous Interpreting I (TRAM 397)

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• The module focuses on the intensive practice of one-way and two-way simultaneous interpreting in a booth. The module strongly builds upon student learning in TRAM397 and helps to acquire more advanced skills in preparation for professional life. Compared to semester 1, Greater emphasis is placed on detailed and nuanced renditions, the projection of the speaker’s intentions.Another important aspect is learning how to deal with bilateral situations in which simultaneous interpreting is required such as bilateral talks and debates.


• In all situations, due attention is paid to the students’ ability to handle the simultaneity of source language comprehension and target language production and the production of an accurate, coherent and fluent output in the target language.


• Further practice covers team work and the use of aids in the interpreting booth. Students will also review how to prepare for an assignment and how to continue learning after an assignment.


• In-class analysis and discussion are based on the students’ own performance as well as prototypical interpreting scenarios, their respective challenges, and the knowledge and strategies required to master them. The module also includes discussions of potential clients' needs, the interpreter's role and relevant codes of conduct for interpreting.


• Materials include live and recorded materials from semi-specialised and specialised registers.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Resits may exceptionally require an alternative form of assessment. In such cases, the topic of the assignment may be modified, or the assignment may be done on the basis of recorded spoken material. The achievement of the learning outcomes is measured in the same way as in the first attempt, using the criteria for oral interpreting assignment.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their practical interpreting skills as well as their reflective skills, alongside the other module outcomes, via both formative assessment (ongoing throughout the module) and final summative assessment - Through this strategy, this module empowers students to build self-evaluation into assessment process and creates space for them to reflect and critically comment on own performance. Also, students are encouraged to identify which aspect(s) of their work they would like to request feedback, thus developing them into independent learners.
 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Weekly Assignment of Simultaneous Interpreting on a short audio/video clip during class teaching time (40%)


• One Assignment of Simultaneous Interpreting of approx. 5 minutes on materials of increased difficulty at the end of the semester (60%)

 

Formative assessment and feedback

Students receive regular comprehensive feedback and feedforward from tutors and peers on their preparation and interpreting skills during the practice in class, which allows them to monitor their progress week by week. In the formative interpreting exercises, tutors use the same assessment criteria as in the summative assignments. The criteria are made available to and explained to the students in class.

Module aims

• The module aims to: enable students to acquire advanced skills and strategies for simultaneous interpreting between Chinese and English
• enable students to consolidate and expand the abilities and skills developed in Simultaneous Interpreting and to apply them in a professional capacity through a range of exercises, role-play simulations and increased exposure to a variety of speech types, accents and stances. The focus of practice is on interpreting in a booth
• help students to prepare for professional practice in a wide variety of political and corporate communication situations through critical reflection upon different source language registers, subject areas and interpreting situations

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

* combine teacher-led input and discussion (approx. 30%) practical exercises (approx. 70%) allowing for extensive practice using the School’s facilities
* enable collaborative learning through small group discussions (tutor-directed and peer-supported) allowing students to develop bonds with their peers in order to foster a good team spirit which will be helpful in this module, and future modules
* give all students confidence in the fundamentals of Simultaneous Interpreting practice, regardless of academic backgrounds, allowing students to develop their practical skills and expertise in interpreting.
* encourage critical self- and peer-evaluation of the students’ performance

 

The learning and teaching methods include a combination of:

* Practice workshops that enable students to develop advanced interpreting skills through extensive practice, extended interpreting assignments and thematic approaches to the study of interpreting and receive a large amount of formative feedback from their tutors and peers. Workshops include opportunities for hands-on practice in simulated real-life scenarios.
* Guided learning that includes simulations based on material provided to facilitate practice and skills acquisition outside the classroom and in small groups. Formative simulations are accompanied by a briefing and instructions for reflective post-performance observations to develop awareness and enhance critical skills.
* Independent study during which students are expected to research the subject areas and are encouraged to develop Internet digital and research skills to enable them to find appropriate materials for preparation; students are also expected to spend time practicing on interpreting materials, individually and in groups; and carry out regular (self-)recording to analyse and enhance different aspects of their performance; interpreting problems arising from assignments are discussed in class.
* Students are encouraged to be active participants throughout the practical sessions, and support one-another during the process, and in doing so, develop as informed, confident, collaborative and independent learners.
* Self-practice by students during which students are expected to spend at least 6 hours per week practicing on interpreting materials, individually and in groups.
* Independent study during which students are expected to to spend at least 4 hours per week researching the subject areas and are encouraged to develop Internet and research skills to enable them to find appropriate materials for preparation.


Teaching is normally a minimum of 3 hours per week.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: TRAM398

Other information

Native or near-native competency in English and Chinese

Surrey's Curriculum Framework is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in a range of areas.

This module provides students with the knowledge and advanced skills required for Simultaneous Interpreting (English-Chinese/Chinese-English), preparing them to be employment ready. It is closely linked with TRAM395, which equip students with basic consecutive interpreting knowledge and skills. In this module, students continue to use the Virtual Learning Environment for real-time in-class learning as well as guided learning and self-study activities making use of specialist digital resources tailored for interpreting training. This module is taught by Dr Kevin Lin, the lead interpreter of British Foreign Affairs Office and his team, who bring into the classroom invaluable experience and insights on interpreting in high-end contexts. Students will be equipped with all the core competences required of professional interpreters working in political and business scenarios. This module will also develop students’ intercultural awareness and emphasizes the importance of engaging effectively with people from diverse language and cultural backgrounds in the process of working as an interpreter. Weekly tests on simultaneous interpreting will improve students’ self-monitoring, self-reliance, and resilience. In this process, students will develop their own resourcefulness and reflective skills that will benefit their critical thinking and ability to identify appropriate solutions and strategies to cope with a range of different challenges arising from interpreting practice. To prepare for such weekly tests, students will be able to navigate and utilize a wide range of digital and technological resources for terminology extraction and subject knowledge mining. Tutor-led and peer-supported small group leaning will enable students to become collaborative and independent learners for this module and future modules. Employability is enhanced by completion this module as students will not only gain advanced skills for interpreting in a range of settings but achieve in-depth understanding of professional requirements of high-end interpreting based on Dr Lin and his team’s training. Employability and sustainability are also enhanced by the fact that Dr Kevin Lin, as the director of KL Interpreting company, provides a wide range of internship opportunities for students before and upon graduation The module approaches the theme of sustainability in more focused or more diffuse ways. On a more local level, the topics of environmental sustainability, decent work and economic growth and sustainable consumption are addressed in practical interpreting practice. In a more diffuse way, students discover which interpreting solutions may best serve future tasks through group discussion or self-reflections, thus consolidating resources, saving time and preparing them for greater volume of work and work diversification in the future.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.