Designing Audiovisual Materials for the Speech Repository of the Directorate General for Interpretation at The European Commission

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an educational innovation project² involving the creation of video clips for the speech repository of the Directorate General for Interpretation and Conferences of the European Commission. The purpose of this repository is to provide universities, interpretation schools and professional interpreters with a collection of video speeches, graded by difficulty.

Interpreter training requires the use of technology in order to facilitate the learning process. This process must be based on the development of interpreting subskills and the implementation of a professional approach. Graded audiovisual material is, therefore, crucial to bring professional experience closer to students. The use of video and audio clips and transcripts in interpreter training enables learning progression; it is just as important to make these resources available via the internet so that trainees can practice autonomous learning to acquire interpreting subskills. The use of video clips in the interpreting lab presents definitive advantages provided certain criteria are met such as graded materials,learning progression and a professional approach. The educational innovation project described here aims at making a contribution to extend the online learning and teaching possibilities of conference interpreting.