Bilateral Interpretation and Its Teaching Methods to Foreign Students

Abstract

Teaching a foreign language is a challenge. In such a case, teaching translation is more than a challenge, primarily if students are taught the bilateral interpretation (Russian and English language combinations), and each of the mentioned above languages is a foreign one for them (our students are from China, Turkey, Japan, Algeria, Egypt, South Korea, and other countries). What are the invariant unbiased difficulties for foreigners determined by the grammatical system of the language combination? Should teachers consider phonetics and peculiar phonetic properties, or is it just enough to familiarize students with them? What are the optimal teaching methods and exercises? What is more important in translation, equivalence, or accuracy? Are the methods of consecutive interpretation’s teaching applicable in bilateral interpretation teaching? To answer these problematic questions, we dedicated our article to the specific features of teaching international students. The study is based on our practical experience of teaching international students. We also present our most productive teaching methods, exercises, and the use of available digital technologies of the 21st century.