CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETING CHINESE II [CHINESE PATHWAY] - 2021/2

Module code: TRAM396

Module Overview

This module builds on the module “Consecutive Interpreting I” and focuses on the advanced practice of consecutive interpreting between Chinese and English in high-level business and political settings. It covers different types of speeches and bilateral situations, speeches with visual aids and persuasive source texts, providing students with advanced skills and practical knowledge to perform interpreting tasks professionally and confidently to a high standard. 

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

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 77

Seminar Hours: 33

Guided Learning: 40

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Native or near-native competency in English and Chinese, and attendance and submission of units of assessment of Consecutive Interpreting I (TRAM 395).

Module content

Indicative content includes:


  • The module focuses on the intensive practice of one-way and two-way consecutive interpreting. Particular emphasis is on different types of unilateral situations, e.g. political speeches, dinner speeches, keynote speeches by executives, the interpretation of speeches with a persuasive purpose, the interpretation of presentations that include visual aids (e.g. presentation slides) and the processing of scripts that are provided in advance of an interpreting assignment. Due attention is paid to the projection of a speaker’s image and the interpretation of language that is intended to persuade and influence others

  • Equally importantly, the module covers bilateral situations (meetings, negotiations, discussions and debates) to enable students to deal with the bi-directionality of many interpreting situations. This will include learning to handle communicative situations with shared and conflicting goals as well as developing appropriate strategies for creating a rapport between the participants, rendering politeness, managing turn-taking and co-ordinating the interaction effectively.

  • Further practice covers bilateral interpreting to enable students to deal with the bi-directionality of many interpreting situations.

  • 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

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Oral exam or presentation WEEKLY CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETING TASK 30
Oral exam or presentation ORAL: END-OF-SEMESTER CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETING 70

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 to enhance their ability to (self-)monitor their own progress.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

·         weekly consecutive interpreting scores during normal class-time one assignment of consecutive interpreting (both-ways) of approx. 10 minutes on materials of increased difficulty at the end of the semester

Formative assessment

Students receive regular feedback on their preparation and interpreting skills during the practice in class. 

Module aims

  • Enable students to acquire advanced skills and strategies for consecutive interpreting
  • Enable students to consolidate and expand the skills developed in “Consecutive Interpreting I” and to apply them in a professional capacity through a range of exercises and role-play simulations. The focus of practice is on different types of speeches, visual aids and persuasive texts
  • Help students to prepare for professional practice in a wide variety of political and corporate communication situations through critical reflection upon different source texts and interpreting situations
  • Enable students to develop a critical self-assessment system with which to review their own performance after each interpreting assignment

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
1 Interpret consecutively, to a standard approaching professional level, in a wide variety of situations including speeches, presentations, meetings and negotiations, company tours, official functions, etc. P
2 Apply the major principles of interpreting C
3 Grasp, transfer and express ideas, additional meanings and nuances reliably, accurately and clearly P
4 Demonstrate advanced research skills for preparing interpreting assignments including subject-related and terminological research K
5 Project a speaker's image and reproduce the speaker’s intended effect on an audience
6 Support and mediate communication effectively and intervene appropriately if the communication is in danger of breaking down P
7 Interpret presentations that use visual aids P
8 Interpreting using scripts of speeches P
9 Co-ordinate the interaction in bilateral situations P
10 Work effectively under conditions of time pressure and cognitive pressure T
11 Employ a rigorous code of conduct for interpreting including issues such as confidentiality, impartiality, awareness of limitations P

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:


  • Combine interpreting practice with simulated interpreting assignments using the Department’s facilities and including critical evaluation of student performance.

  • Enable learning in language-pair specific group sessions allowing students to develop their practical skills and expertise in interpreting



The learning and teaching methods include:



  • language-pair specific practice (a minimum of 33 hours) that enables students to further develop their interpreting skills through extensive practice


  • guided practice and demonstrations by the tutor in class


  • weekly role-play simulations of ‘real-life’ interpreting tasks, group evaluation and discussion of interpreting problems in class


  • self-practice by students during which students are expected to spend at least 6 hours per week practising 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


  • regular (self-)recording of students to enable them to analyse and enhance different aspects of their performance



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: TRAM396

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Interpreting (Chinese Pathway) MA 2 Compulsory A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module

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 2021/2 academic year.