Translation teacher training

This chapter traces principal directions taken in the theory, research and practice of translation teacher training. It examines the scattered published information on translation teacher training, which obviously takes place at the institutional level, though inter-institutional initiatives are relatively rare and the extent to which translation teachers receive dedicated training remains obscure. After presenting an overview of the plentiful research on translation student learning and of the abundant resources aimed at translation teachers, it considers the scarcity of modelling of and research on how teachers (should) teach, learn and develop. More research is clearly needed on what is taught where and how, on the basis of what epistemological and pedagogic principles, with what aims and to what effect. The rare models and research that do exist underline the centrality of institutional and local contexts in addressing teacher competences and teacher-training needs. This suggests that a viable, systematic approach to translation teacher training can be most effectively achieved at organizational level within a coherent organizational learning framework. A ready basis is offered by Kiraly’s scalable model of co-emergent learning, which is both co-extensive with experiential learning approaches to translator education and congruent with leading organizational learning models and theories. However, adequate institutional incentives (time, rewards, regulations, etc.) and structures must be in place in order to operationalize the model