Introduction to Interpreting Summer School

Course details

  • Date: Friday 7 - Sunday 9 July 2023
  • Location: Online

Academic Coordinator

Fanny Chouc 

Course description

This course has been designed for complete beginners to interpreting who are interested in learning about interpreting as a professional activity and as a discipline, and in applying their knowledge of English and another language from Arabic, French, German, Greek, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish to developing interpreting skills.  

Over the course of the week, participants will: 

  • Familiarise themselves with the history, evolution, and modes of interpreting used in different settings, and with the features of on-site and online interpreting. 
  • Develop memory, active listening, and synthesis skills for consecutive and liaison (bilateral) interpreting. 
  • Learn how to synthesise a speech, reformulate ideas, and improve their public speaking skills through guided practice. 
  • Discuss quality criteria in consecutive, liaison and simultaneous interpreting, and learn strategies to give and receive feedback. 
  • Familiarise themselves with assignment preparation and different types of self and group practice. 
  • Learn notetaking for consecutive interpreting and apply it through guided practice. 
  • Practice consecutive interpreting into English with short speeches and in liaison interpreting (two-way) scenarios. 
  • Learn about the specific features of simultaneous interpreting as a mode, booth manners (on-site and online), Remote Simultaneous Interpreting platforms and remote interpreting practice 
  • Practice early simultaneous interpreting through pre-simultaneous activities and beginner level speeches. 

Students will develop consecutive, liaison and early simultaneous interpreting skills through online live sessions in the morning and in the afternoon, as well as through daily offline self-practice activities on a dedicated platform. Live sessions will be interactive and led by experienced interpreter trainers who will guide students, provide feedback, cover topics related to professional practice and the interpreting market, and facilitate discussions and collaboration among participants. 

Course languages and participant profiles

This course is aimed at participants with no or very basic knowledge of interpreting who are fluent in English and one other language from Arabic, French, German, Greek, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish. Practice will include English-English exercises for skill development and Ar/Fr/Ge/Gr/It/Ch/Sp into English practice. This includes graduates from languages degrees, translators, students enrolled in languages degrees, or other participants interested in interpreting who meet the language and language learning background requirements.   

Proficiency in English and one other language from Arabic, French, German, Greek, Italian, Mandarin Chinese or Spanish is required. As part of the application process, candidates will have to demonstrate their English level by uploading a short video recording in which they tell us a little bit about themselves and their motivation to take the course in English, and about their language learning background in one of the other languages listed above. 

*This course is not suitable for experienced interpreters or recent interpreting graduates. Experienced interpreters or recent graduates who master consecutive and simultaneous interpreting looking to work on their English retour should consider applying for our English Retour Interpreting Summer School

*A minimum of 2 participants per language combination will be required. If you speak English and a language other than the ones listed above, we will consider adding your language combination if there were at least 2 participants with that language combination

If you have any questions about entry requirements, course content or delivery, or you are unsure whether this course is for you, please contact us at lincs.cpd@hw.ac.uk 

Cancellation policy:  

The course fee will be fully refunded if you cannot travel due to Covid or Covid related restrictions.  

Course Programme 

Day 1  
09:00 - 11:00 Welcome and Introduction to Interpreting: History, settings, modes, skillset, and current practices (live session) 
11:00 - 11:30 Break
11:30 - 13:00  Consecutive Interpreting Skills: Active listening, memory, and analysis (live session) 
13:00 - 14:00  Lunch Break 
14:00 - 15:00 Speech analysis activity (offline)
15:00 - 16:00  Consecutive Interpreting Skills: Analysis and reformulation (live session) 
16:00 - 17:00

Language Enhancement Practice in English (offline) 
Day 2  
9.00 – 11.00 Consecutive Interpreting Skills: Presentation and public speaking (live session) 
11.00 – 11.30  Break
11.30 – 13.00  Consecutive Interpreting Skills: Note-taking 1 (live session) 
13.00 – 14.00  Lunch Break 
14:00 - 15:00 Presentation and public speaking activity (offline) 
15.00 – 16:30  Consecutive interpreting: Note taking practice (live session) 
Day 3  
9.00 – 11.00 Introduction to Simultaneous Interpreting (live session) 
11.00 – 11.30  Break
11.30 – 13.00  Early simultaneous exercises (live session) 
13.00 – 14.00  Lunch Break 
14:30 – 16:00  Mock conference (consecutive and simultaneous) 
16:00 – 16:30 Wrap-up, conclusions and resources for further practice