Course Outline Form: Metropolitan Community College
Course Outline Form: Metropolitan Community College
Course Outline Form: Metropolitan Community College
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The first in a series of online interpreter training courses, this course provides a general introduction to the
profession of oral language interpreting. Topics include communication theory, language register, modes of
interpretation, and the multicultural workplace. Through interactive exercises, students gain an understanding
of the profession to support them in more specialized study of language interpreting. Bilingual skills are not
needed for this introductory course.
RATIONALE:
An understanding of the aforementioned topics provides participants with a foundation upon which to build
their skills as interpreters. Students gain a fundamental understanding of the field of oral language interpretation
that will equip them to continue
Course Objectives, Topical Unit Outlines, and Unit Objectives must be attached to this form.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students in this course will
1. Define key terminology.
2. Identify modes of interpretation and language register employed in common situations.
3. Analyze the impact of culture on communication.
4. Compare common roles of the interpreter.
5. Evaluate present bilingual and interpreting skills.
6. Design a personal plan for language improvement and advancement in interpreting skills.
Unit One (Modules 1,2 and 3): What is Interpreting?; Students will
Define oral language interpretation
Explain the communicative process
Identify factors that influence the communicative process
Use different language registers to describe the same topic
Unit Two (Modules 4,5 and 6): The Multicultural Workplace; Students will
Define culture and its components
Discuss the stages of intercultural competence
Identify the stages of culture shock
Analyze cultural components at play in workplace situations
Unit Three (Modules 7 and 8): Roles of the Interpreter; Students will
Identify philosophy of interpretation demonstrated in example scripts
Compare and contrast various roles of interpreter
Unit Five (Module 11): Personal Plan for Advancement; Students will
List common techniques used to improve bilingual and interpretation skills
Design a plan of improvement that reflects present level of bilingual and interpretation skills and
describes strategies that will be used to improve
2. Identify modes of interpretation and language 2. Students will reflect on assigned readings about
register employed in common situations. modes of interpretation and language register and
participate in online discussions of the topic.
3. Analyze impact of culture on communication 3. Students will reflect on assigned readings about
culture and script responses to situations of cultural
conflict in the workplace.
4. Compare common roles of the interpreter. 4. Students will reflect on assigned readings about
interpreter roles and participate in online discussions
of the topic.
5. Evaluate present bilingual and interpreting skills. 5. Students will complete self-evaluations of
L1 and L2 language proficiency*
Skills in each mode of interpretation
*If students do not speak any other language,
assignment will be modified to assess A language only.
6. Design a personal plan for language improvement 6. Students will turn in a final project that includes:
and advancement in interpreting skills. Description of motivations for studying
interpreting
Results of self-evaluations
Short and long term personal goals as related to
interpreting
A series of steps to follow to accomplish goals
A timeline for steps