How to Unlock the Potential of your Interpreting Students
The teaching of simultaneous interpreting is a discipline that has evolved significantly in recent decades in response to the growing demand for interpreters (international conferences, political events, business meetings, etc.). Therefore, when teaching simultaneous interpreting subjects in university degrees in Translation and Interpreting, teachers must be aware of the tools and technologies available to maximise the potential of their students.
Simultaneous interpreting requires high concentration, quick thinking and mastery of two or more languages. Therefore, students are faced with several challenges: listening attentively, processing information and expressing it in another language coherently and accurately, all in real time.
Teachers, on the other hand, play a key role in developing these skills in their students. They must provide a learning environment that motivates students and effective resources that allow them to practice and improve their interpreting skills.
The role of technology in interpretation training
Technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives, and interpretation training is no exception. For example:
1. Access to online resources
One of the most important benefits of technology in interpreter training is access to a wide range of online resources. Learners can access dictionaries, glossaries, conference recordings and reference materials in multiple languages more easily. This expands their ability to research and prepare for interpreting in specialised fields, such as medicine, law or technology.
2. Online learning platforms
Learning platforms have revolutionised education in general. Online courses and virtual classes allow students to access training from anywhere in the world, facilitating cultural and linguistic diversity in virtual classrooms. These platforms also offer real-time collaboration tools, which is essential for interpreting practice.
3. Tools for practice
There are some specialised tools that allow students to practice and receive feedback very quickly. In addition, systems such as LABTRA can offer real-time practice in simulated situations.
4. Machine translation and research support
Although machine translation does not replace human interpreters, it can be a useful tool in research and preparation. Interpreters can use machine translation tools to speed up the identification of specific terms and phrases in technical or legal documents.
LABTRA: Empowering Simultaneous Interpreting Education
LABTRA is a simultaneous interpreting teaching system developed by Soroll Electrònic that combines cutting-edge BOSCH technology with custom-designed software for teachers and students. This system offers a number of advantages that can help interpreting teachers maximise the potential of their students.
1. Realistic practice: LABTRA provides students with the opportunity to practice simultaneous interpreting in an environment as close as possible to a real-life situation. It uses BOSCH technology to simulate live conferences and events, allowing students to experience real-life simultaneous interpreting conditions and develop specific skills.
2. Instant feedback: One of the most interesting features of LABTRA is the ability to give feedback to students thanks to its evaluation module, for the completion of written assignments, exercises and exams. The system evaluates the students’ assessment in real time. This allows teachers to identify their students’ weaknesses and work on them effectively.
3. Personalisation of learning: LABTRA’s custom-designed software allows teachers to tailor content and exercises to the individual needs of each student with the LABTRA wave recorder. This is critical, as each student has different strengths and areas for improvement, and the system can be adjusted to address those differences.
4. Recording and tracking progress: Thanks to the LABTRA wave recorder, all student activities are recorded and learning materials can be created. Moreover, the LABTRA multitrack recorder allows the simultaneous recording of all students and makes it easier for teachers to control and monitor each student throughout the school year. This is essential to be able to adjust the methodology as needed and ensure that students are progressing correctly.
In this way, technology and interpreting work together to break down language and cultural barriers, making global communication more fluid and effective than ever before. Teaching simultaneous interpreting is a demanding challenge, but with the right tools, you can help your students make the most of their potential.