Translation, interpreting, and localization management internships foster the success of future language mediators. This session will bring together trainers and career advisers from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, Kent State Institute for Applied Linguistics, and University of Illinois Center for Translation Studies, as well as industry leaders and translation students to explore pedagogical objectives, ethical practices, and student and industry expectations. Topics will include mentorship principles, performance review, work assignments and responsibilities, professional demeanor, creating an internship plan, compensation, and liability. One goal of the session will be to familiarize attendees with the principles outlined in ATA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.

Many higher educational institutions offer degree and certificate programs to professional translators. The quality of this education is a very important issue in our multicultural society as the demand for professional translators and interpreters continues to grow. The speaker will discuss the advantages of the strategic partnership between the higher educational institution and the proven, successful translation company in delivering translation and interpreting programs. This partnership enhances access to innovative and effective educational programs, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds and disabled students.

Many interpreters operate across highly diverse and complex settings, yet lack access to sufficient training in the core modal skills of consecutive, simultaneous, and sight translation. Likewise, trainers skilled in teaching interpreter skills in short-course settings represent a significant unmet need in our profession. This session will provide viable pedagogical methods for interpreters and trainers to both learn and teach interpreting skills in limited timeframes. Sound like a fool’s errand? The trick is to create a framework for success when practicing interpreting skills so participants walk away with a concrete road map for replicating and deepening that success through reflective practice.

How do you transfer (successfully) a traditional classroom-based interpreter training to a completely asynchronous online format? This is the question that stumped the speaker and his colleagues back in 2011, when they were tasked with the development of an online program to train interpreters in remote areas of Canada. The project entailed transferring the curriculum for their classroom-based training to an asynchronous format that could be hosted on an eLearning management system. The speaker will share some strategies in the process of going from onsite to online learning.

In the translation classroom, heritage language learners confront challenges that are different from those faced by their second-language-learning and native-speaking counterparts. Some of these challenges become visible through heritage language learners’ expressed feelings of self-efficacy regarding their own translation abilities. In this session, we will initiate a discussion among educators and invite feedback based on the findings of a qualitative study that addressed the impact that two semesters of translation instruction had on the self-efficacy of heritage language learners. The implications of these findings for educators in a mixed translation classroom will also be discussed.

(Saturday, 10:00am-11:00am; All Levels; Presented in: English)
How much has changed since Getting it right, ATA’s client education brochure, was first published in 2001? The technologies you used then are no longer the same. What you have discovered about your market niche no longer applies to the next one. Workflows now often include more than just translators. In addition, the tricks that work for your content area do not apply to all fields. How can you teach things you don’t really know first-hand? By making students discover their own truths for themselves! The speaker will detail the main historical changes that have taken place in the industry and demonstrate in-class activities that can produce fresh, local knowledge.

While codes of ethics sometimes appear dry and boring as written, applying them to real-life scenarios can be interesting and juicy. This session will examine how ATA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practice applies to real-life situations. It will also address some of the grey areas of professional conduct in translation and interpreting. This session fulfills the ethics requirement for maintaining ATA certification.

ATA’s Mentoring Program welcomes aspiring (also past and present) mentors and mentees for an overview of the program and a discussion of topics related to working with project managers and better understanding the project manager to improve your working relationship.

This session will be of interest to attendees seeking a better understanding of ATA’s Certification Program and exam. The speakers will discuss new developments regarding exam delivery methods, eligibility requirements, and the structure of the exam. They will answer questions about certification policies and procedures and give tips on how to prepare for the exam.

Greater visibility, networking, and involvement in decision-making are just a few of the many benefits of volunteering in a professional association. Have you thought about becoming involved in ATA, but aren’t sure what’s required and where to start? Would you like to find out more about the different interest groups within our Association? This session will provide an overview of volunteer opportunities in divisions, chapters, and committees. Learn more about the requirements and time commitments associated with volunteering as a grader, leadership council member, mentor, or committee leader.