Course Title: Manage interactions in complex settings

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2025

Course Code: LANG5893C

Course Title: Manage interactions in complex settings

School: 535T Social Care and Health

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6183 - Advanced 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: 35

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 manage interactions in complex interpreting settings. It includes knowledge of the nature and structure of complex interpersonal, institutional and meeting dynamics and the ability to apply effective solutions to challenges that arise during the interaction. It includes planning and confirming the interactional process, managing the communication flow, and reviewing and evaluating the interactional management process.

This unit applies to those working as interpreters in a range of complex settings for a variety of purposes, including those working as interpreters in consecutive and simultaneous (in the case of signed language to spoken and vice versa) modes, either alone or collaboratively as part of a team.

Complex settings are those that may involve specialised subjects requiring a high level of subject knowledge, or intense assignment-specific preparation. The elements of the setting, or the number of parties involved, may limit the interpreter from managing the interaction. In the complex dialogue setting, the interpreter may be required to switch modes in a challenging environment, where there is a range of participant interests and personal welfare and safety issues that need to be considered.

Interpreting in this setting typically requires high levels of accuracy and accountability and assignments involving formality, or participants with high status and accountability. The content of communication may not easily be predicted or planned for, and there are limited opportunities for error correction. The consequences of errors in communicative intent can have significant implications.

This unit is delivered in a cluster as follows:

Dialogue and Sight Translation Cluster (Spoken language)

PSPTIS131 Interpret in complex dialogue settings 
PSPTIS134 Manage interactions in complex settings 
PSPTIS135 Sight translate  
PSPTIS136 Use complex subject area terminology in two languages   

 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

PSPTIS134 Manage interactions in complex settings

Element:

1. Plan and agree on process.

Performance Criteria:

1.1  Establish assignment context and requirements with client to plan to achieve desired outcomes.

1.2  Identify factors that may compromise interpreter effectiveness, and make adjustments where possible.

1.3  Confirm relationships between and with participants and participant expectations of interaction.

1.4  Negotiate mutual agreement on roles, purpose and process of interaction appropriate to situation and participants.

Element:

2. Manage flow of communication.

Performance Criteria:

2.1  Analyse interaction setting and attributes and communication preferences of participants.

2.2  Select appropriate communication styles effective in complex settings, including appropriate interpreting mode.

2.3  Adapt strategies to the requirements of equipment and technology where appropriate.

2.4  Identify and address problems in message transfer and factors affecting communication flow promptly and according to established techniques.

2.5  Identify and address communication challenges arising from cross-cultural differences and participant relationships and attributes.

2.6  Seek assistance where required to manage breakdown in interaction and restore communication.

Element:

3. Evaluate interaction management.

Performance Criteria:

3.1  Seek and analyse feedback on interactional management and evaluate effectiveness of performance.

3.2  Determine personal impact of assignment and identify need for debriefing or counselling.

3.3  Take advice on issues and solutions and consider and implement strategies to improve process and outcomes of future assignments.

Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

This unit is delivered as part of the Dialogue cluster comprising of:

LANG5892C Interpret in complex dialogue settings

LANG5893C Manage interactions in complex settings

LANG5889C Sight translate 

Lang5894C Use complex subject area terminology in two languages

Learning activities may include comprehension and transfer exercises, memory retention exercises, role play exercises, dialogue interpreting exercises and sight translating using appropriate terminology in English and LOTE, interactional management practice in common domains where Certified Provisional interpreters may expect to work in such as education, health, legal, immigration, business, welfare services, and in different settings such as face-to-face or over telephone.


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 be asked a variety of assessment tasks and activities to assess your level of competence against key performance criteria.

These assessment tasks/activities may include, but are not limited to:

- Practical demonstrations

- Observation checklists

- Simulated interpreting assignments

- Written assessments


Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1 - Dialogue and Sight Translation Knowledge Task

This is a knowledge assessment which will allow you to demonstrate your:

  • General knowledge of sight translation and comprehension of written text language and its structure,
  • Understanding and use of subject-specific terminology which supports interpreting in complex settings, and
  • Cultural knowledge and understanding of theories that have influenced current interpreting practice.

 

Assessment Task 2 - Dialogue Interpreting and Sight Translation Demonstrations

This is a practical assessment which will allow you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge to successfully:

  • interpret from a source language to a target language in complex dialogue settings,
  • understand and use terminology from specific subject areas in English and a LOTE, and
  • produce sight translations from a written source text in its entirety and with a high degree of accuracy.

 

Assessment Task 3 - Post-demonstration Reflection Report

This written assessment is a reflection report which will allows you to demonstrate your capacity to reflect on your skills and knowledge related to your interpreting and sight translation during Assessment Task 2: Dialogue Interpreting and Sight Translation Demonstrations.


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