Teaching Translation in A Tertiary English Major Program-Insights from Professional Translator Training

Abstract

Translation has made a comeback with its positive impact on students’ language performance. Nevertheless, the results of the use of translation are still limited compared to other types of language exercises, which should be related to structural and behaviorist approaches to translation. Translation courses are usually part of the Tertiary English Major Curriculum, which aims to improve students’ knowledge and skills in English and translation skills. Against the backdrop of limited translation teaching in Vietnam, this report introduces a functional approach to translation in translation teaching and introduces insights from professional translator training to develop students’ language and translation competences. The report discusses practical implications in the teaching of language and translation including the adoption of a communicative view of language and translation, text analysis, text selection, translation briefs, process based and project-based approaches as well as translation evaluation. The adopted approaches will inform translation teaching in the Vietnamese language teaching and other similar contexts.