Enhancing the teaching methodology of Translation Degree Programmes
The Inaugural session of the Training in Translation Pedagogy Program (TTPP) conducted by the School of Translation and Interpretation, University of Ottawa, commenced on the 7th of May 2021. Fifteen (15) academics from Kelaniya, Jaffna, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern universities, representing the four partnering universities in Sri Lanka offering the BA Translation Program, successfully completed the 4 sessions of the 1st phase of the programme. Conducted online over a period of two months, the course ‘Didactics of Translator Training’ concentrated on aspects critical to organizing and delivering a course that will enable students to develop their translation or interpreting competency. The whole Pedagogy programme consists of 12 sessions in all.
The academics who participated in the course were very appreciative of the insight and learning gained from Professor Malcolm Williams (PhD, CT) who has dedicated over 45 years to teaching professional translation and interpretation at a university level. His course curriculum focused on the study of teaching and learning theories and techniques, the evaluation/testing of their application to professional translator training in university programs and included consideration of methods of assessing student performance and competence. The Adjunct Professor at the School of Translation and Interpretation, University of Ottawa, and Member of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Professor Malcolm also included practical sessions on developing translation course plans, teaching/learning activities (TLAs) and assessment tools. The exploration of effective classroom management tools also formed a critical aspect of his course agenda. The program, undertaken in collaboration with the University Grants Commission (UGC), is part of the Technical Assistance provided by NLEAP to the selected state universities to improve teaching methodology for translation degree programmes. The second phase of the TTPP will be conducted in the latter part of 2021.
