Teaching and Learning
Methodologies and
Educational Tools
Daniel Linder
Universidad de Salamanca (SPAIN)
[email protected]
1
Thinking starters
Have you ever done a course in translation
teaching?
Had you done a course in translation teaching
before your first lesson teaching translation?
Have your ideas about teaching translation
changed over the years?
Have they changed as a result of coursework?
Reading? Personal experience in the classroom?
Professional experience? Exchanges with likeminded colleagues?
Survey of Methods
Teacher-centered (teaching)
-Lecture
-Teaching Translation by Doing
Student-centered (teaching/learning)
-Task-based learning
-Project-based learning
-Problem-based learning
-Case study method
Lifelong learning (learning)
-Continuing professional development
3
Teacher-Centered Learning
 Teachers control access to information and direct learning
process, which is envisioned to consist of knowledge
transmission to student
 Students are envisioned as empty vessels or tabula rasa
 Syllabi are discipline-specific and product based
 Assessment is typically by exam
 Teaching objectives (rather than learning outcomes)
Teaching Translation by Doing
The “traditional” translation class
(Kelly, 2005: 11)
An example from the teacher’s
perspective (Pym, 1992: 5-7)
An account from the student’s
perspective (House, 1980)
Discussion starters
 Teacher-centered lectures (or presentations) and “traditional”
translation classes can have many negative aspects. In your
view, what are the negative aspects of lectures? What are the
negative aspects of “traditional” translation classes?
 However, teacher-centered lectures (or presentations) and
“traditional” translation classes can have positive aspects and
serve specific needs of institutions. In your view, what can be
the positive aspects of lectures? What can be the positive
aspects of “traditional” translation classes?
 Do you think teacher-centered lectures (or presentations) and
“traditional” translation classes have a place in contemporary
translation teaching? Do you use teacher-centered methods?
Thinking starters
 How student-centered is your approach?
 How would you describe your method?
Student-Centered Learning (SCL)
 Teachers are facilitators of the learning process, which is
envisioned to consist of constructing meaning of information
within social contexts and by means of reflection
 Students prior knowledge is valued and individual learning
styles are recognized
 Syllabi are organised not merely around facts but also on the
process of learning them
 Assessment is typically continuous assessment of the learning
process
 Learning outcomes (rather than teaching objectives)
Student-Centered Learning (SCL)
 Bologna Process- European Higher Education
Area
-Conference of European Ministers Responsible
for Higher Education, Leuven and Louvain-laNeuve (2009)
-Bucharest Ministerial Conference and Third
Bologna Policy Forum (2012)
-Next EHEA Ministerial Conference in Yerevan,
Armenia (2015)
Task-Based Learning (TBL)
 Definition: Translator training based on a series of brief,
concrete exercises that are gradual and sequenced and which
help practice specific points leading up to and overall
aimstated in terms of learning outcomes (based on Kelly,
2005).
 Less student autonomy in Task-Based Learning with respect to
Project-Based Learning (Kelly, 2005: 116)
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
 Definition: Definition: Translator training based on a series of
exercises which help practice points leading up to a predefined final product; the exercises and sequence is
determined by the teacher and student in accordance with the
learning needs for the final product (based on Kelly, 2005).
 Greater student autonomy in Project-Based Learning with
respect to Task-Based Learning (Kelly, 2005: 116)
 In Optimale Professionally-Oriented Practices Working
Package (WP5.3), few institutions reported using ProjectBased Learning
Problem-Based Learning
 Definintion: Learners are faced with a relatively challenging,
problem which learners must take active steps to solve.
 Problem-solving involves the following sequencing: analysis of
the problem using existing knowledge, search for unknown
knowledge and integration into known knowledge, application
of the knowledge to the situation, putting forward the
solution as a presentation or short report
 Less student autonomy and less authenticity in Problem-Based
Learning with respect to the Case Study Method
Problem-Based Learning
Huang, Kuo-shu, Wang, Tzu-Pu. Applying Problem-based Learning (PBL) in University
English Translation Classes. The Journal of International Management Studies, Volume
7 Number 1, April, 2012
http://www.jimsjournal.org/13%20Tzu-Pu%20Wang.pdf
Stewart, John: Orbán, Wencke; and Kornelius, Joachim. Cooperative Translation in the
Context of Problem-Based Learning. T21N-Translation in Transition. 201001.http://www.t21n.com/homepage/articles/T21N-2010-01Stewart,Orban,Kornelius.pdf
Kerkkä, Karita. Experiment in the application of problem-based learning to a translation
course. Käännösteoria, ammattikielet ja monikielisyys. VAKKI:n julkaisut, N:o 36.
Vaasa 2009, 216–227.
http://www.vakki.net/publications/2009/VAKKI2009_Kerkka.pdf
Inoue, Izumi. “PBL as a New Pedagogical Approach for Translator Education” Meta :
journal des traducteurs / Meta: Translators' Journal, vol. 50, n° 4, 2005
http://www.erudit.org/revue/meta/2005/v50/n4/019865ar.pdf
Case Study Method
 Definition: Learners are faced with a relatively challenging, authentic
problem which learners must fully analyse and propose a solution
for, writing up the potential solution in the form of a report.
 The case study method involves the following sequencing: analysis
of the problem in its actual context using existing knowledge, search
for unknown knowledge and integration into known knowledge,
application of the knowledge to the situation, write up a report
 Greater student autonomy and greater authenticity in the Case
Study Method with respect to Problem-Based Learning
Case Study Method
Sebnem Susam-Sarajeva. 2009. The Case Study Research Method in
Translation Studies. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer (ITT):
Volume 3, Number 1, 2009. Special Issue: Training for Doctoral
Research: 37-56
Neubert, Albrecht. Case Studies in Translation: The Study of
Translation Cases. Across Languages and Cultures, Volume 5,
Number 1, 9 April 2004 , pp. 5-21(17)
Şebnem Susam‐Sarajevaab. Is one case always enough? Perspectives:
Studies in Translatology, Volume 9, Issue 3, 2001, pages 167-176
An example of Task-based learning
Translating abstracts for specialized research articles in the
humanities and the social sciences
1. Read an academic article which does not have a Spanish
2.
3.
4.
summary nor an English abstract.
Write a Spanish summary for the academic article following
a basic IMRD structure.
Students select the best student-produced version for
translation into English.
Students translate student-chosen summary into English.
An example of Project-Based
Learning
Produce a translation of a semi-specialized text for a website on
local tourism which has a special section on industrial tourism.
1. Students are asked to find a text on dam construction in the
2.
3.
4.
5.
Duero River basin, preferably one containing images, graphs,
charts and sidebars.
Of all the student-provided texts, one of the right length and
semi-specialised language is chosen
Students and teacher draw up a list of what they need to
learn and the tasks they need to do in order to learn (3-4
tasks)
Students and teacher decide on sequencing
Students produce translation
An example of Problem-Based
Learning
Problem: The Quality Management Department of a locallybased foreign-owned bearing manufacturer needs to produce
into-English translations of all reports generated in Spanish for
returned merchandise; there are about 3 or 4 reports per
week and all of the reports follow a standard format
1.
Students analyse the problem, using previously known
information
2. Students search for additional information, not previously known
to them,
3. Students apply their knowledge and analyse potential solutions
4. Students decide on a single solution and make a presentation or
short report
An example of Case Study Method
You have been contacted to translate Technologies I, a textbook
and workbook for third year of secondary school to be used in
Technology classes in bilingual education institutions in Spain
1. Analysis of the problem in its actual context using
2.
3.
4.
existing knowledge,
Search for unknown knowledge and integrate into
known knowledge,
Application of the knowledge to the situation,
Write up a report
An example of Case Study Method
 Perucha Sanz, Alfredo y Mª Dolores González Martínez.
Technologies I Student’s Book. Trans. Daniel Linder and
Fernando Toda Iglesia. Madrid: Ediciones Akal, 2011 (ISBN:
978-84-460-3399-8; Depósito Legal M-21.678-2011).
 Perucha Sanz, Alfredo y Mª Dolores González Martínez.
Techologies I Workbook. Trans. Daniel Linder and Fernando
Toda Iglesia. Madrid: Ediciones Akal, 2011 (ISBN: 978-84-4603400-1).
The Case Study Method
Potential sources for case studies: Translation gone wrong
stories
 The Onionskin: Promoting Good Translation Practice (Translation
Journal) http://translationjournal.net/journal/02onion.htm
 The Onionskin II: Promoting Good Translation Practice
http://translationjournal.net/journal/03onion.htm
 The Onionskin archives (ATA)
http://www.atanet.org/ata_school/onionskin.php
 Translation Bloopers, ATA Outreach Kit
http://www.atanet.org/client_outreach/translation_bloopers.php
However, these might be in unsuitable language combinations
and there may be no way to access source texts and target
texts
The Case Study Method
Another potential source: Real professional translations; See
professional links
 http://www.elanex.com/EN/translation-case-studies.aspx
 http://www.todaytranslations.com/case-studies
 http://www.betterlanguages.com/about/case-studies/
 http://www.onehourtranslation.com/translation/case-studies
However, private industry confidentiality clauses may prevent
access to texts and these cases invariably involve cases of
successful translation
The Case Study Method
Best practices:
 Real, not realistic, professional situations which are known to the
teacher
 Must have access to source text(s) and target text(s)
 Works best with published texts
 Could be cases of successful or unsuccessful translation
 Cases of bilingual publication (tourist brochures and so on) seem
to work well
Another case study could be with Panacea, a Spanish medical
translation and terminology journal that recently decided to
commission external translations of abstracts rather than ask
authors to provide English abstracts with their articles.
Discussion starters
 Give examples of how you use task-based learning,
project-based learning. Do you use the problem-based
learning and the case study method?
 Do you use a single method when teaching translation,
or do you combine different methods eclectically?
 How do you combine different methods eclectically?
 How would you describe your method?
 Assuming that you no longer use the “traditional”
translation class method described by Kelly, how would
you define the current eclectic student-centered
methods most of us use?
Designing tasks
State learning outcomes
Select appropriate materials (authentic texts, realistic
translation commissions which reflect the professional
market)
Identify features of the texts that lend themselves to task design
Brainstorm tasks
Sequence tasks (pre-translation, translation, post-translation)
Compile tasks into activity
Designing tasks
Yo soy mileurista/I am a thousand-a-monther
 Module: Economics and Business Translation
 Outcome: Students will be able to identify how culturally-
specific items in translation can influence translation decisions
and propose natural-sounding English solutions
 Activity:
1. Read ST entitled Yo soy mileurista
2. Read and discuss partial TTs
3. Translate into English according to very explicit instructions
Designing tasks
One-sided Translation of Business Correspondence into English
Module: Economics and Business Translation
Outcome: Students will be able to identify intertextual relations
between a source text and previous communications within a
business communication situation.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read a ST, which is the response to a business letter
Translate the ST without access to the letter it is a response to
Identify portions which contains references to the original lettter
Read original letter, then revise the portions identified in 3.
Designing tasks
From Local Director to Transcultural Manager: An activity in
Revision
Module: Economics and Business Translation
Outcome: Students will be able to identify instances of
excessively literal or unnatural translation, recognize the need
for revision and correct the target for naturalness.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Read a ST, which is an introduction to a list of top Spanish business leaders
Read the published TT
Identify instances of excessive literalness and wordiness in the TT
Correct selected fragments according to specific instructions
Read a style-corrected version of the TT
Discuss whether omissions and solutions in the TT are ethical
Directionality: Direct vs. Inverse
The Code of Professional Conduct from the Chartered Institute
of Lingusists (CIoL) states that “Practitioners shall work (…)
only into their language of habitual use.” The Code of the CIoL
goes on to specify that a non-mother tongue translator may
be best under certain conditions: “if a Principal requests that
the Practitioner translate out of his or her language of
habitual use (as may occur if the Principal believes that a
mother-tongue translator will have a better understanding of
the text), the Practitioner may proceed provided (…) that the
Principal has been made aware of the potential
disadvantages”.
http://www.iol.org.uk/Charter/CLS/CodeofProfConductCounci
l17Nov07.pdf).
 Task 3.
Directionality: Direct vs. Inverse
The Code of Professional Conduct of the Institute for Translation
and Interpreting (ITI) states that “members shall translate only
into a language which is either their mother tongue or
language of habitual use.”
http://www.iti.org.uk/pdfs/newPDF/20FHConductIn_(0408).pdf
 What is your opinion about translating into the non-mother
tongue professionally?
Directionality: Direct vs. Inverse
 The Code of Professional Conduct and Business Practices of the
American Translators Association approved by the Board of Directors
in 2002 stated that translators must have a “mastery of the target
language equivalent to that of an educated native speaker”.
 However, in the latest version of the American Translators
Association Code of Ethics and Professional Practice of October 2010
translators accept the duty “to represent our qualifications,
capabilities, and responsibilities honestly and to work always within
them” and “to convey meaning between people and cultures
faithfully, accurately, and
impartially”.http://www.atanet.org/certification/online_ethics_code
.php)
Directionality: Direct vs. Inverse
 Pokorn, Nike K. 2009. Natives or Non-natives? That Is the
Question . . .: Teachers of Translation into Language B. The
Interpreter and Translator Trainer (ITT): Volume 3, Number 2:
189-208
 Wagner, Emma. “Translation and/or Editing—The Way
Forward?” In Anderman, Gunilla and Margaret Rogers, Eds.
Into and out of English: for better or for worse? Clevedon:
Multilingual Matters, 2005, pg. 214-226.
 Rogers, Margaret. “Native versus Non-Native Speaker
Competence in German- English Translation: A Case Study”. In
Anderman, Gunilla and Margaret Rogers, Eds. Into and out of
English: for better or for worse? Clevedon: Multilingual
Matters, 2005, pg. 256-274.
Educational Tools
Smartboard
Moodle and LMSs (Blackboard)
Institutional repositories (Gredos, USAL)
Open Courseware (OCW)
Internet (terminology and parallel texts)
Internet (audio and video)
Daniel Linder
Universidad de Salamanca (SPAIN)
[email protected]
TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGIES AND
EDUCATIONAL TOOLS
34
Yo soy mileurista, A letter to the Editor of El País by Carolina Alguacil
The following text appeared in the letters to the editor section of the leading Spanish
newspaper El País on August 21, 2005. In her letter, the author, Carolina Alguacil,
coins the term “mileurista” (a thousand-a-monther) and offers a definition of it. The
term is now widely known, and a recent variant, nimileurista (not even a thousand-amonther) has even begun to be used.
Read the Spanish source text in its entirety:
El mileurista es aquel joven, de 25 a 34 años, licenciado, bien preparado, que
habla idiomas, tiene posgrados, másteres y cursillos. Normalmente iniciado en la
hostelería, ha pasado grandes temporadas en trabajos no remunerados, llamados
eufemísticamente becarios, prácticos (claro), trainings, etcétera. Ahora echa la
vista atrás, y quiere sentirse satisfecho, porque al cabo de dos renovaciones de
contrato, le han hecho fijo, en un trabajo que de alguna forma puede
considerarse formal, "lo que yo buscaba". Lleva entonces tres o cuatro años en el
circuito laboral, con suerte la mitad cotizados. Y puede considerarse ya un
especialista, un ejecutivo; lo malo es que no gana más de mil euros, sin pagas
extras, y mejor no te quejes.
El mileurista hace tiempo que decidió irse de casa, y gasta más de un tercio de su
sueldo en alquiler, porque le gusta disfrutar de la gran ciudad. Comparte piso
con más gente, a veces es divertido, pero ya cansa. "Yo en 30 metros me
apañaría".
El mileurista no ahorra, no tiene casa, no tiene coche, no tiene hijos, vive al día.
A veces es divertido, pero ya cansa. El mileurista ha ido a "Europa" este verano,
en uno de esos vuelos baratos donde te hablan de tú, y ha dormido en un hostal
joven (qué divertido). El mileurista ha pagado lo mismo por un café, incluso
menos por la comida, que en su ciudad. Pregunta, investiga y allí los alquileres
son parecidos, y piensa que España está ya al nivel europeo.
Pero lo malo es que se ríen cuando dice que gana "nine hundred and ninety seven
euros".
http://elpais.com/diario/2005/08/21/opinion/1124575203_850215.html
Portions of this text have appeared in English translation over the years. Read the
three published target text fragments.
1. The mileurista is somebody aged between 25 and 34, with a university degree
and who speaks foreign languages, with a post-graduate qualification and
training. They normally start out in the hostelry sector, and have spent long
periods working unpaid as what are euphemistically called interns. After several
years, you finally get a fulltime contract, but you won’t be earning more than
1,000 euros a month. But you’d better not complain. You won’t be saving any
money; you can’t afford a car; and forget about children. You live from day to
day. (http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/03/12/inenglish/1331575980_208983.html)
2. The mileurista is a young person with a university degree, who speaks foreign
languages, has postgraduate and master’s degrees, courses (…) and doesn’t
earn more than €1,000. They spend over a third of their salary on rent, because
they like the city. They don’t save a cent, don’t own a house or a car, have no
children, live from hand to mouth … Sometimes it’s fun, but it’s getting tiring
(…).(http://www.barcelonareporter.com/index.php?/news/comments/one_thousa
nd_euros_a_month_being_a_mileurista_in_barcelona/2410050401am)
3. The mileurista is young, between 25 and 34, with a degree, well-educated, at
least bilingual, has postgraduate or masters degrees complemented by
professional diplomas. In the labour market three or four years, hopefully half
of them paying social security contributions […]. The trouble is that you don’t
make more than a thousand euros, without perks, and you had better not
complain. You can’t save, you don’t have a home, or a car, or any children. You
live for the day. Sometimes it's fun, but it’s getting tiring.
(http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/1619071-thousand-euros-dreamsalary)
Discussion of the already-translated segments:
1. Versions 1 and 3 opt for a use of “you” in the second sentence and beyond,
while version 2 chooses to use “they”. How does this affect the readability and
functionality of these target texts?
2. All three versions borrow “mileurista” without attempting to produce an English
version nor attempting to explicate this term. What English renderings could
there be? Do you think the term is easily understood by the average reader in
Europe? Would readers in places farther away have trouble understanding this
term?
Translating “Yo soy mileurista”
1. Translate the whole text on another piece of paper. Rewrite it in such a way that
it sounds as closely as possible to a text written in English.
2. Please attempt to get to the precise underlying meaning of every cultural
reference.
3. You are allowed to use segments from the already translated texts if you think
they are the best possible rendering and you could not improve on them.
4. You are allowed to add short portions of text where the quotations seem to need
clearer connection to the main body of the text.
5. You are allowed to adapt short segments for the sake of clarity, readability and
functionality of the target text.
6. Think carefully about how to show that the sentence in English was in English
in the source text.
One-sided Translation of Business Correspondence into English
Business leaders are often proficient in reading the English correspondence they
receive, but much less so when writing outgoing English communications. Into-English
translators, therefore, may be given a letter to translate which is a response to a letter
received, but they may not be given a copy of the letter received.
Read the following letter, a response to a query which you have not seen, and do the
tasks below.
Estimada Sra. Blackwood:
Me gustaría decir en primer lugar que nos encanta trabajar con vosotros,
es algo que llevamos haciendo desde hace bastantes años y nos gustaría seguir
haciéndolo. Aunque nuestra empresa ha sufrido varias transformaciones a lo
largo de los últimos años, nuestra preferencia era siempre bajar los precios antes
de perder el cliente, una política comercial que conllevaba un gran desajuste
entre gastos y beneficios. Sin embargo ahora, para asegurar la continuidad de la
empresa, la política a seguir ha cambiado. Seguimos trabajando con tanto ahínco
como antes, pero manteniendo siempre un mínimo de beneficio en el trabajo para
que no se incrementen las perdidas y respetando nuestro compromiso con la
calidad del articulo y la exclusividad de su diseño. Los últimos ajustes de precios
se hicieron a finales de 2008 y principios 2009 y son los mismos precios que
mantenemos hoy durante estos tiempos de crisis que nos acucian.
En definitiva, nos gustaría hacer más ajustes, pero para nuestra propia
supervivencia no podemos bajar más los precios. Lo único que podemos hacer en
este momento es recordarles que el transporte está incluido si el pedido es
superior a 3000 € y que se aplicará un descuento de 4% si su pedido es superior a
12.000 € (y ambas cosas son compatibles). Además, seguimos aceptando el pago
a 90 días fecha factura cuando la mayoría de empresas lo han reducido a 30.
Espero que se ajuste un poco más a sus expectativas aunque reconozco que no
será del todo. Reitero nuestra intención de continuar suministrando los productos
exclusivos y de calidad que vuestra clientela demanda, pero mayores ajustes de
precio que los que os he comentado arriba supondrían una amenaza para nuestra
viabilidad futura.
Un saludo cordial,
Roberto Gómez Molinero
Jefe de Márketing
Grafitex S.A.
What aspects of this letter might you have trouble translating if you have no access to
the original query letter in English? Underline the parts in which seeing the original
inquiry text in English will make your target text more accurate.
Task 1: Make a rough draft of the target text, highlighting the parts you would like to
check with the original inquiry text in English.
Here is the complete text of the original inquiry.
Dear Mr. Gómez Molinero,
As you are certainly aware, because of the current economic situation we are
compelled to improve the quality of our products and reduce our prices on a
regular basis in order to be increasingly competitive in an ever more demanding
market.
As a result, we are driven to look for new alternatives to our current suppliers,
which is the reason for the present inquiry. We have recently approved a new
supplier from among your competitors, and this supplier offers considerably
lower prices.
But before taking a final decision to change to this new supplier, we would
like to request that your company study its prices for the following references and
let us know if you can match those offered by your competitor.
- 1357 ABC 0,0456€
- 2468 XYZ 0,0321€
We hope that this will be beneficial to both your company and ours.
Sincerely,
Mary Blackwood
Purchasing Manager
Compact Systems
Task 2: Revise your target text, focussing particularly on the highlighted parts.
Task 3: You can use the style of the original English query to help you strike the right
tactful and diplomatic style in your target text. Revise your target text in terms of style.
Discussion
How did access to the original letter help you to improve the quality of the translation in
the revised target text (accuracy and style)?
What exact changes did you make during the revision process?