Reflective Practice in the Design of Training Activities for Language Service Providers

Li Li

doi:10.63385/jlss.v2i1.101118

Abstract

Many educators in higher education have emphasized the important role of translation theory in the undergraduate training of language service providers, principally translators; however, the methods of teaching translation theory to undergraduates who are aiming to become language service providers remain largely unexplored. This article reports on one trainer’s use of reflective practice in the design of activities to teach translation theory at undergraduate level at Macao Polytechnic University. Functional theories of translation conceptualize the translation process as a purpose-driven interaction that involves interactions amongst a series of roles and players (e.g., the initiator, the commissioner, the source text (ST) producer, the target text (TT) producer, the TT user and the TT receiver). Accounts of these interactions can seem abstract and dry to undergraduates who lack actual professional experience. Drawing on a self-reflective account of the author’s own experiences of translating between Chinese and English, this paper describes ways of teaching the nature of some of the interactions between the language service provider and other players involved in translational activities. Reflective practice prompts instructors to reflect systematically on their own experiences and use that as the basis of materials that illustrate theoretical concepts. The paper illustrates the use of systematic self-reflection in the design of ‘real-life’ activities that engage undergraduates and so motivate them to address theoretical concepts with renewed enthusiasm.

Journal of Language Service Studies

Reflective Practice in the Design of Training Activities for Language Service Providers

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