Course Title: Manage discourses in general settings

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2018

Course Code: LANG5858C

Course Title: Manage discourses in general settings

School: 365T Global, Urban and Social Studies

Campus: City Campus

Program: S0133 - Introduction to Interpreting and Translation

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

Teacher - Ms Ida Giaccio Email -  ida.giaccio@rmit.edu.au

  

Nominal Hours: 20

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 skills required to manage the physical setting and pace of discourses in general settings. It requires knowledge of the nature and structure of general interpersonal and institutional dynamics and the ability to recognise personal and professional limitations and seek assistance from appropriate persons.

This unit applies to those working as interpreters in a range of general settings for a variety of purposes. General settings are those in which the context is broad and routine, the content or complexity of the situation can usually be predicted and planned for, and there are opportunities for error correction. There are typically few, or only two, participants, to whom the interpreter has physical and visual access. The physical elements of the setting permit the interpreter opportunities to manage the discourse to ensure that utterances are suitable for retention and recall. Miscommunication or consequences of errors in communicative intent that may occur in this setting are readily managed through consultation and preparation.

The unit will be delivered in a cluster as follows:

  • LANG5848C Build glossaries for translating and interpreting assignments
  • LANG5855C Prepare to translate and interpret
  • LANG5858C Manage discourses in general settings
  • LANG5854C Apply codes and standards to ethical practice


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

PSPTIS042 Manage discourses in general settings

Element:

1. Set up discourse

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Establish assignment requirements with clients.

1.2 Identify factors that may compromise interpreter effectiveness.

1.3 Arrange work environment to assist performance and ensure interpreter safety, comfort and effectiveness.

Element:

2. Agree process

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Confirm relationships between and with participants according to established interpreting protocols.

2.2 Explain the role of the interpreter and identify areas requiring further clarification.

Element:

3. Manage flow of communication

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Assess participant attributes and use appropriate communication style.

3.2 Advise speakers on length, pace and mode of delivery in a professional and courteous manner.

3.3 Address problems affecting communication flow.

Element:

4. Monitor and maintain message transfer

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Monitor and identify miscommunications

4.2 Seek and provide clarification where required.

4.3 Identify personal and professional limitations in managing discourses and take necessary steps to remediate these.

4.4  Seek assistance from appropriate persons in challenging situations to manage discourse breakdown and restore communication.

Element:

5. Evaluate discourse management

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Seek and analyse feedback on discourse and evaluate effectiveness of performance.

5.2  Take advice on issues and solutions and explore and develop strategies to improve practice.


Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

This unit is part of cluster with

  • LANG5848C Build glossaries for translating and interpreting assignments
  • LANG5855C Prepare to translate and interpret
  • LANG5854C Apply codes and standards to ethical practice
     

The course elements will be delivered in a clustered format. Learning activities for this unit includes: online quiz, lectures, practical demonstrations, class discussions, presentation, and report writing.


 


Teaching Schedule

Date

Week 1

7/Apr

Week 2

14/Apr

Week 3 21/Apr

Week 4 28/Apr

Week 5 5/May

Week 6 12/May

Week 7 19/May

Week 8 26/May

Time

10:00-15:00

Venue

80.9.6

 

Content

 

-Introduction/orientation

-What is community

interpreting

-What is community

translation

-Professionals v/s

bilinguals

-Interpreting and

Translation Skills

-Working in the

Australian context

LANG5855C

Prepare to

translate and

interpret

LANG5858C

Manage

discourses in

general settings

LANG5848C

Build glossaries for

translating and

interpreting

assignments

LANG5854C

Apply codes and

standards to

ethical practice

LANG5854C

Apply codes and

standards to ethical

practice

Legal interpreting

- Class revision

- Assessment

review

- Interpreting

practice

 

Assessment

Tasks

(due date)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Assessment Task 1

Online quiz (21/Apr)

Assessment Task 1

Online quiz (28/Apr)

Assessment Task 1

Build health

glossaries for T&I

(5/May)

Assessment Task 1

Online quiz (12/May)

Assessment Task 2

Apply ethical

principles (19/May)

Project: Report – A day in court

(26/May)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Assessment Task 2

Simulated

Interpreting

Assignment (28/Apr)

Assessment Task 2

Manage

discourses under

different

scenarios. (in-class

assessment)

Assessment Task 2

Build legal glossaries

for T&I (12/May)


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Study guide, dialogue practice book and other learning materials will be provided in week 1.


References


Other Resources

RMIT uses the online learning platform Canvas. Canvas is your learning management system and the central hub to source course content, assessment information, webinars and discussion boards. The Canvas gives access to important announcements, staff contacts details, the teaching schedule, assessment timelines and a variety of important teaching and learning materials. Access to Canvas can be found at myRMIT www.rmit.edu.au/myRMIT

GUSS Skills Central (http://Gussskillscentral.edu.au/) is a site developed specifically for students in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT. It provides links to a range of resources for supporting student work on assessments and negotiating university studies more generally.


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 include, but not limited to, the following:

- Practical demonstrations

- Role plays

- Observation checklists

- Peer review

- Real or simulated interpreting assignments


Assessment Tasks

Assessment  task 1 – Online quiz

Assessment 1 will be a quiz consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions due in week 4. It will cover contents covered in week 3.

 

  Assessment task 2 – In class discourse management assessment  

Assessment 2 is designed to cover some of the discourse management issues in interpreting practice. You are required to answer and discuss a list of discourse management questions in class in week 3. The main focus is to see how well you are in preserving the communicative intent of the message and transfer the meaning using a range of techniques in different given scenarios. 

Project 

Visit one of the on-site interpreting venues, record your observation and complete the report.

Please locate a court hearing (or a combination of a few) in your local area and attend the session(s) (note most court hearings are public, you only need to quietly enter the courtroom and sit in the 'public gallery', i.e. the seating area at the back of the courtroom). You are to complete a journal entry(template attached below) to record your observation and reflection. Here is how you do it:

1. Research the Victorian Court System. You can start on this webpage which explains the different courts in Victoria https://www.courts.vic.gov.au/court-system/victorian-courts-and-tribunals

2. Look at the courts' daily hearing lists at https://www.courts.vic.gov.au/court-system/daily-lists-and-sittings

For the Magistrates' court lists, you can pick a court nearest to you, have a look at the sorts of cases, and simply attend court on the day to see the case in action.

3. If you pick the cases that you know the accused has a surname from your language community, it is more likely you might see an interpreter in your language at work. Of course this is not 100%. But you can try your luck. If you see interpreters in other language at work, it is also a very good chance to observe their performance.

4. Bring the journal template (above) with you so you know what to pay attention to and can complete the journal entry and upload it by the due date.

5. We want you to at least spend half a day in the courtroom. You are not restricted to observe just one single case (if it is adjourned, then there is nothing more to be observed!) You can observe a collection of different onces going from courtroom to courtroom. 

 

You will be assessed ‘CA’ Competent or NYC (Not Competent Yet) for this assessment


Assessment Matrix

 

 

LANG5858C (PSPTIS042) Manage discourses in general settings

Elements 

 Assessment Task 1

 Assessment Task 2

Project

Set up discourse

 X

 X

 X

Agree process

 X

 X

 --

Manage flow of communication

 X

 X

 X

Monitor and maintain message transfer

 X

 X

 --

Evaluate discourse management

 X

 X

 --

Other Information

GRADING INFORMATION

This course uses a competency-based assessment and will be graded as follows:
CA (Competency Achieved)
NYC (Not Yet Competent)
DNS (Did Not Submit)

All competency-based assessment tasks for this course must be completed at the required level (see the elements and key performance criteria for each unit) in order to achieve a CA (Competency Achieved) award.If a student has not completed ALL the assessment tasks or they have completed but some or all are not at the required level, they will be assessed as NYC (Not Yet Competent).

If a student does not submit assessment tasks at all, a DNS result will be entered.
Learning Resources
RMIT Library
The University Library provides extensive services, facilities and study space as well as comprehensive collections of books, periodicals and other course related materials, such as DVD’s, magazines, slides, films etc. Computer laboratories with access to a wide range of desktop publishing software are also available. The library also has an expanding virtual collection of electronic resources and networks, including product data, e-books, electronic journals and newspapers, web based tutorials, online reference and document delivery services etc., all of which are accessible on campus, and off campus 24 hours per day. More information on library resources and services can be found at: http://www.rmit.edu.au/library
The Learning Lab is a collection of web-based resources including tip sheets and interactive tutorials on study skills, writing, English language development and maths. Access RMIT’s Learning Lab online via this link: http://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/

Assessment Tasks : Applying for an Extension
Extension of time for assessment tasks may be granted where circumstances beyond your control prevent submission by the published due date. An application for extension of time must be lodged with your tutor or the course coordinator as early as possible, and no later than one working day before the due date for submission.
You can apply for extension using the University’s Extension Application Form – http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf – or by emailing your course coordinator or tutor directly.
An extension of up to seven calendar days may be granted if good reason can be demonstrated. Include supporting evidence (such as medical certificates) with your application.
Extensions beyond seven calendar days cannot be granted by course coordinators, tutors or the School. To apply for an extension of time greater than seven calendar days you must lodge an application for Special Consideration.


Applying for Special Consideration
If you are seeking an extension of more than seven calendar days (from the original due date) you must lodge an Application for Special Consideration form, preferably prior to, but no later than two working days after the official due date. Late applications will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. For information about Special Consideration and how to apply, see: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration
Penalties for Late Submission
If you have not been granted an extension or special consideration, late submission will be penalised as follows:
1. Assessment tasks submitted after the due date of submission shall receive a penalty of five per cent of the grades available for that assessment per day for each day late.
2. No assessment task shall be accepted more than three weeks after the due date without special consideration.
Assessment Appeals
If you believe your assessment result or final result is wrong please contact the course coordinator and provide the reason why you think your result is incorrect. Valid reasons for seeking a review of results include:
a) You believe an error has occurred in the calculation of the grade; or,
b) You believe the assessment did not comply with criteria published in the Course Guide; or,
c) You believe the assessment did not comply with University Policies on Assessment (i.e. an error in process has occurred).
Full details of the procedure (including appeals procedure) can be located at this RMIT site: http://www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academic#assessment

Other Relevant Information

Academic Integrity
Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship through respecting the work of others whilst having the freedom to build new insights, new knowledge and ideas. RMIT University upholds the values of academic integrity as fundamental to the scholarship undertaken by all members of its community. Whenever you refer to another person’s research or ideas (either by directly quoting or paraphrasing them) you must acknowledge your source.
If you are even in doubt about how to properly cite a reference, consult your lecturer or the academic integrity website: http://www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity The RMIT library provides tools to assist with your referencing http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/info-trek/referencing
Plagiarism and Collusion
Plagiarism and collusion constitute extremely serious academic misconduct, and are forms of cheating. You are reminded that cheating, whether by fabrication, falsification of data, or plagiarism, is an offence subject to University disciplinary procedures. Plagiarism is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. It is a form of cheating and is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data, and oral presentations. Plagiarism occurs when the origin of the material used is not appropriately cited. Plagiarism is not acceptable.
Examples of plagiarism include:
Copying sentences or paragraphs word-for-word from one or more sources, whether published or unpublished, which could include but is not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers, course notes, etc. without proper citation;

  • Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, ideas or themes without proper citation;
  • Piecing together text from one or more sources and adding only linking sentences;
  • Copying or submitting whole or parts of computer files without acknowledging their source;
  • Copying designs or works of art and submitting them as your original work;
  • Copying a whole or any part of another student’s work; and
  • Submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.
  • Enabling Plagiarism: the act of assisting or allowing another person to plagiarise or to copy your own work is also an offence.

For further information, please see the RMIT Plagiarism Policy – http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=sg4yfqzod48g1 – and the RMIT Student Discipline Statute and Regulations - http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=11jgnnjgg70y

Plagiarism Software
The originality verification software Turnitin may be used in this course. For details, see: http://www.turnitin.com
Complaints Procedure:
RMIT University is committed to providing a harmonious study and work environment for all students and staff. The University recognises your right to raise concerns about academic, administrative or support services without recrimination and has policies and procedures to assist in the resolution of complaints.
Most issues are resolved at the local level and you are encouraged to take steps to resolve your issue locally. The student complaint procedure details steps to take if your problem is not resolved or you believe the response you received is unreasonable.
Student Complaints Policy: http://www.rmit.edu.au/policies/studentcomplaintspolicy
Student complaints Procedure: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=i1lexipvjt22
Student Complaints Form: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/v4ujvmyojugxz.pdf 

 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview