Training MTI Candidates: A Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Approach

Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) has been approved to be an academicdegree to train highly-competent and professional translators to meet the urgentdemand of the language services industry, and more than208universities andinstitutions of higher education have been authorized to enroll MTI candidates;therefore, it is crucial to upgrade and innovate educational philosophy and teachingmodes. In this context, the paper, based on the research of translation pedagogy and inthe frame of reference to self-directed learning (SDL) guided by social constructivism,proposes the staged SDL (SSDL) teaching and learning model to train MTI students toprovide a holistic teaching and learning experience for both teachers and students. Theproposed training model attempts to achieve the shift of teaching objective from theacquisition of “translation competence” to “translator competence” and to thedevelopment of “translator literacy” and ultimately to train professional translators andlifelong self-directed learners and realize the objective of MTI education: to train highlevel, practical and professionalized translators and interpreters.