Student Agency in Translator Training: Setting a Framework for Good Practices

Maria González Davies

doi:10.18778/1731-7533.19.2.02

Authors

Maria González Davies FPCEE-Blanquerna, University Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1731-7533.19.2.02

Keywords:

collaborative learning, self-concept, situated learning, student agency, translator training

Abstract

Both teacher and student agency have been discussed and researched for quite some time in different learning contexts. Here, I will present a general framework for pedagogical practices that enhance translator education by promoting student agency defined as the process through which learners become capable of strategic actions which form the basis for autonomy and confidence in their own proficiency and effectiveness. I will suggest how student agency and collaborative and situated learning can interact to provide students with professional and relational skills that set the basis for the development of autonomous strategic learning. This combined approach involves the acceptance and use of planned and spontaneous learning opportunities embedded in contextualised activities, tasks, and projects. Some practical examples will illustrate the main points.

References

Arnold, Jane (1999) Affect in Language Learning, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Google Scholar

Arnold, Jane (2011) “Attention to Affect in Language Learning “, Anglistik: International Journal of English Studies22: 11-22.
Google Scholar

Bandura, Albert (1986) Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall.
Google Scholar

Bristor, Martha W. and Dorothy L. West (1996/97) “An Ecological Approach to Empower the Learner”, Human Ecology Review 3, no. 2, SHE-VIII Proceedings - 2: Human Ecology: Livelihood & Liveability: 212-217.
Google Scholar

Colina, Sonia (2003) Translation Teaching: From Research to the Classroom, Boston, McGraw Hill.
Google Scholar

Damasio, Antonio (1994) Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason and the Human Brain, New York, Avon Books.
Google Scholar

Delisle, Jean (1980) L’analyse du discours comme méthode de traduction, Ottawa, Presses de l’Université d’Ottawa.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/flin.1979.13.1-2.55

Delors, Jacques (ed) (1996) Learning: The Treasure Within, Paris, UNESCO.
Google Scholar

González-Davies, Maria (1998) “Student Assessment by Medical Specialists: An Experiment in Relating the Undergraduate to the Professional World in the Teaching of Medical Translation in Spain” in Fischbach, Henry (ed) Translation and Medicine, ATA (American Translator’s Association, Scholarly Monographic Series), Amsterdam, John Benjamins: 93-102.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/ata.x.11gon

González-Davies, Maria (2004) Multiple Voices in the Translation Classroom. Activities, Tasks and Projects,Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.54

González-Davies, Maria (2017) “A Collaborative Pedagogy of Translation” in Venuti Lawrence (ed) Teaching Translation. Programs, courses, pedagogies, Abingdon and New York: 71-79.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315623139-9

González-Davies, Maria. (2018) "The Use of Translation in an Integrated Plurilingual Approach to Language Learning: Teacher Strategies and Good Practices”, Journal of Spanish Language Teaching, 4, no. 2: 124-135.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23247797.2017.1407168

González-Davies, Maria (2020) “Using translation to develop plurilingual competence in high complexity schools” in Laviosa, Sara and Christine Ji (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Translation and Social Practices, New York, Oxford University Press: 434-451.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190067205.013.19

González-Davies, Maria and Vanessa Enríquez Raído (eds.) (2017) Situated learning in translator and interpreter training: Bridging research and good practice, London and New York, Routledge.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203732304

Göpferich, Susanne, Arnt Lykke Jakobsen and Inger M. Mees (eds.) (2009) Behind the Mind: Methods, Models and Results in Translation Process Research, Copenhagen, Samfundslitteratur.
Google Scholar

Haro-Soler, María del Mar (2019) “Autoconfianza versus autoeficacia del traductor: propuesta terminológica y estado de la cuestión”, Cadernos de Tradução, Florianápolis 39, no. 2: 204-226.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2019v39n2p204

Haro-Soler, Maria del Mar and Don Kiraly (2019) “Exploring self-efficacy beliefs in symbiotic collaboration with students: an action research project”, The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 13, no. 3: 255-270.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399X.2019.1656405

Hartmann, Esa and Christina Hélot (2020) “Pedagogical affordances of translation in bilingual education”, The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Education, Abingdon and New York, Routledge: 95-109.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367854850-7

Hönig, Hans (1991) “`Holmes’ Mapping Theory´ and the landscape of mental translation processes” in Leuven-Zwart, Kitty M. van and Ton Naaijkens, Translation Studies: The State of the Art, Amsterdam, Rodopi: 77-90.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004488106_010

Hubscher-Davdson, Séverine (2018) Translation and Emotion: A Psychological Perspective, Abingdon and New York, Routledge.
Google Scholar

Hurtado Albir, Amparo (ed) (1999) Enseñar a traducir. Metodología en la formación de traductores e intérpretes, Madrid, Edelsa.
Google Scholar

Hurtado Albir, Amparo (2019) “La investigación en didáctica de la traducción. Evolución, enfoques y perspectivas” in Tolosa Igualada, Miguel and Álvaro Echeverri (eds.) Porque algo tiene que cambiar. La formacion de traductores e interpretes: Presente & futuro / Because something should change: Present & Future Training of Translators and Interpreters, MonTI 11: 47-76.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.6035/MonTI.2019.11.2

Immordino-Yang, M.H. and Antonio Damasio (2007) “We Feel, Therefore We Learn: The Relevance of Affective and Social Neuroscience to Education”, Mind, Brain and Education 1(o. 1: 3-10.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-228X.2007.00004.x

Jakobson, Roman (1959/2000) “On Linguistic Aspects of Translation” in R. A. Bower (ed), On Translation, New York, Oxford University Press: 232–239.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674731615.c18

Kelly, Dorothy (2002) "Un modelo de competencia traductora: bases para el diseño curricular" [A translation competence model: bases for curricular design], Puentes. Hacia nuevas investigaciones en la mediación intercultural, 1: 9-20.
Google Scholar

Kelly, Dorothy (2005) A Handbook for Translator Trainers: A Guide to Reflective Practice, Manchester: St. Jerome.
Google Scholar

Kiraly, Don (1990) Toward a Systematic Approach to Translation Skills Instruction, PhD diss., University of Illinois, USA.
Google Scholar

Kiraly, Don (2000) A Social Constructivist Approach to Translator Education, Manchester, St Jerome.
Google Scholar

Klimkowski, Konrad (2020) “Educational theory: from Dewey to Vygotsky” in Laviosa, Sara and Maria González-Davies (eds) The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Education, Abingdon and New York, Routledge: 29-46.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367854850-3

Kramsch, Claire and Zhang, L. (2018) The Multilingual Instructor, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Google Scholar

Kussmaul, Paul (1995) Training the Translator, Amsterdam and Philadelphia, John Benjamins.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.10

MacIntyre, Peter. D. (1995) “How does anxiety affect second language learning? A reply to Sparks and Ganschow”, The Modern Language Journal 79, no. 1: 361-367.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1995.tb05418.x

Massey, Gary, Don Kiraly and Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow (eds.) (2019) The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 13, no. 3, Special issue: Training the Trainers.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399X.2019.1647821

Nunan, David (1989) Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Google Scholar

Oxford, Rebecca (2011) Teaching and Researching Language Learning Strategies, Edinburgh, Pearson Education Limited.
Google Scholar

PACTE (2009) (In alphabetical order: Beeby, A.; Fernández, M.; Fox, O.; Hurtado Albir, A.; Kozlova, I.; Kuznik, A.; Neunzig, W.; Rodríguez-Inés, P.; Romero, L.; Wimmer, S. Principal researcher: Hurtado Albir, A.) “Results of the Validation of the PACTE Translation Competence Model: Acceptability and Decision Making”, Across Languages and Cultures 10 no. 2: 207-230.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/Acr.10.2009.2.3

Pietrzak Paulina (2019) “Self-study Strategies in Project-based Specialised Translator Training”, Across Languages and Cultures. A Multidisciplinary Journal for Translation and Interpreting Studies 20, no. 1: 97-116.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/084.2019.20.1.5

Pym, Anthony (2003) “Redefining Translation Competence in an Electronic Age. In Defence of a Minimalist Approach”, Meta 48, no. 4: 481-497.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/008533ar

Richards, Jack and Theodore Rodgers (1986/2014) Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, London and New York, Routledge.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009024532

Snyder, Sean (2013) “The simple, the complicated and the complex: Educational reform through the lens of complexity theory”, OECD Education Working Papers, 96, OECD Publishing.
Google Scholar

UNESCO (2015) Rethinking Education. Towards a global common good? Paris, UNESCO.
Google Scholar

Venuti Lawrence (ed) (2017) Teaching Translation. Programs, courses, pedagogies, Abingdon and New York.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315623139

Vygotsky, Lev. S. (1960/1981) “The genesis of higher mental functions” in J. V Wertsch (ed), The concept of activity in Soviet psychology, Armonk, NY, Sharpe: 144-188.
Google Scholar

Vygotsky, Lev S. (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes, trans. Michael Cole, Cambridge, Harvard UP.
Google Scholar

Wilss, Wolfram (1976) “Perspectives and Limitations of a Didactic Framework for the Teaching of Translation.” in Brislin, Richard W. (ed) Translation: Applications and Research, New York, Gardner: 117-137.
Google Scholar

Yerkes, Robert M. and John D. Dodson (1908) “The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-formation”, Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18: 459-482.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.920180503