Interpreting and translation in the language classroom - friends or foes?

For a long time, translation and any activity that involved using a language other than the language being taught were seen as a hindrance in the language classroom. Translation and interpreting are often considered specialist activities that are taught in advanced language courses or as part of specialist education. Together with increased plurilingual and pluricultural awareness, the inclusion of mediation as one of the four modes in which the CEFR model organises communication was a step forward in acknowledging the social use of language, whether intralinguistically or crosslinguistically, and the role of translation and interpreting in communication. The pedagogical potential of translation and interpreting for language learning, though, is still underexplored. This interactive workshop will explore different approaches to using translation and interpreting in the language classroom and will provide a forum to discuss the pedagogical value of interpreting and translation for language learning and teaching.

Eloísa Monteoliva García is currently Director of Professional Language Training at the University of York (UK), where she directs the Institution-Wide Language Provision and leads on the introduction of Translation and Interpreting Studies at the Language and Linguistic Science Department. Eloísa has previously worked at Heriot-Watt University (2019-2023) and John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City (2017-2019), and is a guest lecturer at the MA in Conference Interpreting at the University of Granada (Spain) since 2021. Eloísa has worked a sworn translator and interpreter accredited by the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs since 2008, after she graduated in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Granada; holds a master’s in Research Applied to Translation and Interpreting (2009); an MA in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language (2011); and a PhD in Police Interpreting (2017). In addition to teaching interpreting, translation and Spanish, she delivers training to police forces on how to work with interpreters. Eloisa received the CIUTI PhD Award 2020 for her PhD thesis and has received several teaching awards in recognition of the excellence of her teaching.

The event is free to attend and open to everyone.

Registration link: google form (deadline Tuesday 12 December 2023)