A Report On Interpreting At The Social Emotional Learning Workshop

This report is based on the author’s interpreting experience at the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) workshop from July16,2013to July21,2013. It comprises four parts: task description, interpreting service and difficulties encountered, coping strategies and service feedback.In the report, the author gives a brief description of the task. The author introduces the SEL workshop, the direct users of the interpreting service and the preparation that the author has done after being informed of the task.The report also contains a detailed description of the author’s working scenarios and the difficulties the author has encountered during the interpreting practice, including long sentences, technical terms, cultural differences and case interpreting. The author has conducted consecutive interpretation and simultaneous interpretation under different scenarios.Following the description of the working scenarios and difficulties, the author introduces the coping strategies she has used. The author also discussed the underlying interpreting theory of her coping strategies:the Triangular Model of the Interpretive Theory.The report describes the feedback the author has received from her supervisor and the users of the interpreting service. It also includes the author’s reflections on her performance, pointing out both strengths and weaknesses of her entire interpreting experience.In conclusion, the author points out that practical experience is an indispensible and crucial part of interpreting learning. It is necessary for MTI programs to include practical interpreting practice as a part of the curricula. Also, the author points out the importance of professional/subject knowledge, which is the "background" of interpretation work. A good command of professional/subject knowledge would facilitate interpreters to satisfy the needs of their clients.