Evaluation Of Shanghai Advanced Credential Test For Interpreters

Over the past 13 years since the launch of Shanghai Advanced-level Credential Test for Interpreter (SACTI), this interpreting test system has selected a large number of qualified interpreters and promoted the development of interpreting teaching and testing. With the broadening of opening up to the outside world, the importance of interpreting as an principal means of cross-cultural exchange has been highlighted, which in turn propelled the ever increasing demand for qualified interpreters. Under the circumstance many problems have occurred, such as the lack of standardized control over the selection of interpreting materials, fluctuation in reference criteria and abstract definition of the object of the interpreting test. In order to solve the major problems and survive the challenges brought about by other major interpreting tests such as NAETI and CATTI, it is imperative to establish a scientific evaluation system of the current SACTI in a view to improve its design and administration. In the meantime, the washback effect of the test exerts considerable impact on the testees and interpreting training. Therefore, the research on an optimized interpreting mode for SACTI emerges an urgent and vital task.Language test is interwoven with language teaching and different views on the nature of language teaching lead to different language testing theories and methods. Nowadays, communicative language testing theory, which stresses the authenticity of context of situation and measurement of the testees in communicative contexts has taken a leading role in language tests. The author tries to clarify the necessity to improve SACTI with the guidance of communicative language testing theory from the perspectives of the nature of interpretation, the communication model of consecutive interpretation and interpretation mode and explores on an improved interpreting test mode in terms of testing object, content, test method, selection of testing materials and evaluation criteria.Based on communicative language testing theory, the author puts forward the following proposals that the object of interpreting test should be interpreting communicative ability; the current test items need to be adjusted to reduce the share of test on traditional language proficiency; make use of real speeches in the test; identify interpreting materials for different levels on the basis of speech types and language grade; provide more than one reference versions in the scoring and establish extra award mechanism for good interpretation. In order to verify the effect of these measures, the author designs a proposed sample of test paper of SACTI and conducts an experiment with it.Through the comparison of the results obtained from the proposed test paper and the real test items of SACTI, the author finds that the authenticity of the test items and the administration has been improved substantially but the discrimination remains unchanged. Several reasons may account for this: the experiment participants are not representative enough to display the constitution of real test takers; the participants are not familiar with the administration of the proposed test, just name a few.The limitations of the experiment represent the limitations in interpreting test research. In comparison with translation studies, the research in interpreting test lags far behind, which hinders a sound and scientific development of interpreting test. It is suggested that interpreting testing and experimental routines should be established to to improve the existing interpreting testing system on the basis of empirical experimental data...