Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2025

Course Code: LANG5888C

Course Title: Interpret through communication media

School: 535T Social Care and Health

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5427 - Diploma of Interpreting (Spoken Language)

Course Contact: Ya-Ping Kuo

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 3771

Course Contact Email: ya-ping.kuo@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 45

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to use technology to support interpreting in visual or physical isolation. The unit includes familiarity with the technology available for interpreting situations and the potential impact of the technology on the interpreting assignment and its outcomes. It includes the management skills required to adjust delivery to take account of the advantages and disadvantages of the technology.

This unit applies to those working as interpreters in all consecutive and simultaneous modes in dialogue settings conducted through a range of communication media and may have applications for interpreting for people in remote, interstate and international locations. The physical barrier of technology confirms this as a complex setting.

This unit will be delivered in a cluster as follows:

Terminology and Communication cluster:   • LANG5888C Interpret through communication media • LANG5884C Use routine health terminology in two languages • LANG5886C Use routine education terminology in two languages • LANG5902C Use routine legal terminology in two languages


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

PSPTIS133 Interpret through communication media

Element:

1. Prepare environment and participants.

Performance Criteria:

1.1. Confirm the process and purpose of the assignment and ensure communication medium is suitable for the requirements.

1.2. Prepare resources appropriate to communication medium and make necessary adjustments to work environment.

1.3. Set up communication tools and equipment and test for correct functioning.

1.4. Troubleshoot issues with functionality.

1.5. Seek information about the people and context and identify and address issues that may affect the process or outcome

Element:

2. Adapt delivery to equipment.

Performance Criteria:

2.1. Confirm process of interpreting by remote link.

2.2. Adjust volume and position of equipment for audibility or visibility and adjust delivery accordingly.

2.3. Identify and use terms of address appropriate to the medium.

2.4. Identify physical challenges posed by the communication medium and make recommendations to address them.

2.5. Act assertively to address technological problems.

Element:

3. Manage discourse.

Performance Criteria:

3.1. Use overt strategies to manage communication flow in a culturally appropriate manner.

3.2. For spoken language pairs, take notes to support retention and recall and seek clarification or repetition when necessary.

3.3. Use a range of strategies to adjust and adapt to rapidly changing emotions, circumstances, and technical challenges.

3.4. Use overt strategies to manage communication breakdown.

3.5. Monitor workplace health and safety issues arising from using communication equipment and take preventive action.

Element:

4. Evaluate delivery.

Performance Criteria:

4.1. Evaluate suitability of technology chosen and own adaptation of delivery to the technology.

4.2. Determine potential impact of the technology on the interpreting assignment and identify need for debriefing or counselling.

4.3. Discuss issues and solutions and explore process improvement strategies.

Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

As a cluster of four units, learning activities may include discussion of common education, health, legal, interpreting and translating topics, identifying key terminology for assignments, and conduct simulated preparation by building bilingual terminology and interpreting using communication media. Students will be required to work with peers to share ideas, discuss assignment preparation and review and complete the terminology list together. Learning activities also include English comprehension practices, English into English / LOTE reproduction exercises, dialogue interpreting exercises using communication media.


Teaching Schedule

Please visit Canvas - Syllabus for weekly teaching schedule.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Assessment will be ongoing during the semester, and you will receive feedback on your progress. You will undertake a variety of assessment tasks and activities to assess your level of competence against key elements and performance criteria.

Assessment tasks may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • written assignments
  • role-plays
  • simulated interpreting demonstrations


Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1 – Education Portfolio 

This is the first of six assessment tasks you need to complete successfully to be deemed competent in this unit cluster. This knowledge assessment will allow you to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to develop and understanding of and use routine education terminology in two languages.

Assessment Task 2 – Video and F2F Interpreting

This is the second of six assessment tasks you need to complete successfully to be deemed competent in this unit cluster. This practical assessment enables you to demonstrate your ability to: use communication media; apply proficient oral communication skills to reproduce factual and linguistic information in different settings, including education, health and legal settings; receive and understand oral instructions, comments and advice using education, health and legal vocabulary and expressions in two languages; manage the discourse (settings and contexts) that may arise and meet occupational health and safety responsibilities relevant to the work setting.

Assessment Task 3 – Health Portfolio

This is the third of six assessment tasks you need to complete successfully to be deemed competent in this unit cluster. This assessment is designed to help you develop and demonstrate an overarching understanding of the health and allied health systems here in Australia, the key personnel and professionals working in these settings, the typical environments and also medications and basic anatomy. 

Assessment Task 4 – Legal Portfolio

This is the fourth of six assessment tasks you need to complete successfully to be deemed competent in this unit cluster. This knowledge assessment will allow you to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to develop and understanding of and use routine legal terminology in two languages.

Assessment Task 5 – Telephone Interpreting

This practical assessment enables you to demonstrate your ability to:

use communication media; apply proficient oral communication skills to reproduce factual and linguistic information in routine health or allied health setting; receive and understand oral instructions, comments and advice using health vocabulary and expressions in two languages; manage the discourse (settings and contexts) that may arise and meet occupational health and safety responsibilities relevant to the work setting.

Assessment Task 6 – Reflective Report

This written assessment is the last of the six assessments you need to complete satisfactorily to be deemed competent for the units in this cluster.  This assessment will allow you to demonstrate your capacity to reflect on your skills and knowledge related to your interpreting demonstrations during Assessment Task 2: Video dialogue and Assessment Task 5 Telephone dialogue.


Assessment Matrix

Each assessment clearly outlines the competencies being addressed in the task in relation to performance criteria. The sum of assessment tasks will cover all units and their elements over a range of occasions. You will be given opportunities to demonstrate competency in a variety of ways throughout the program. You are encouraged to discuss any problems or concerns with your teacher or program coordinator.

Other Information

Assessment Appeals, Reasonable Adjustment and Extensions Students can appeal assessment decisions using these forms: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/rights-and-responsibilities/appeals (https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/rights-and-responsibilities/appeals)

Students may be able to access reasonable adjustment such as an extension of time or a smaller group if appropriate. Students should contact the assessor at least one week prior to the assessment if they wish to be considered for reasonable adjustment.

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/adjustments-to-assessment

www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension (https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/adjustments-to-assessment)

(http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension

Course Overview: Access Course Overview