ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1 Receive and analyse source message

1.1 Establish dialogue protocols with participants in a professional manner, to facilitate communication dynamics and outcomes, and provide clarification where required.

1.2 Attend actively to source utterance, and identify and address factors affecting communication flow.

1.3 Determine linguistic and non-linguistic elements and structure and complexities of discourse, and identify and address factors affecting meaning.

1.4 Identify and address issues of understanding or recall in a manner that does not compromise effective delivery.

2 Transfer message to target language

2.1 Transfer communicative intent of utterance into target language using techniques to ensure impartial delivery.

2.2 Identify and address issues in message transfer promptly and according to established techniques.

2.3 Maintain flow of communication and manage discourse in a professionally and culturally appropriate manner.

2.4 Identify circumstances requiring a switch in interpreting mode and manage mode switch.

2.5 Monitor interpreting process to identify when it is necessary to seek assistance or withdraw from assignment.

3 Evaluate interpreting performance

3.1 Evaluate performance in line with issues encountered, assignment requirements and code of ethics.

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

3.3 Implement strategies to improve future work practices.

Required skills

discourse management skills to:

manage presence of more than two discourse participants and turn-taking

apply and switch interpreting modes suitable to setting and discourse requirements

interpersonal skills to:

ensure behaviour and presentation are appropriate to dialogue setting and cultural conventions

interact with people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of communication needs

work with others who may not understand interpreting process

collaborate with professional teams and content and setting specialists

interpreting skills to achieve competent message transfer, including to:

conceptualise and express complex and specific information in target language, maintaining impartiality

include non-verbal cues in message transfer

interpret implied information and setting-specific terminology

manage sociolinguistic issues

reflect voluntary and involuntary pragmatic and prosodic features of an utterance

reproduce factual and linguistic content with a high degree of accuracy

solve problems of equivalence

transfer cultural cues embedded in a message

use technical, language and discourse management skills to ensure cohesive and faithful delivery of messages

language skills to achieve competent performance:

broad range of specialised and context-specific registers

complex implied meaning

colloquial language and regional differences

educated native speaker proficiency in first language

language structure, dialects and idioms in source and target languages

near native speaker proficiency in second language

special and context-specific terminology

literacy skills to:

prepare required background material and resources on subject and context

produce records of key information, for self and others when team or tandem interpreting

organisational skills to:

arrange work environment suitably

prepare and administer resources and documentation relating to assignment

problem-solving skills to:

address factors that may compromise effective performance

change conditions to enhance communication flow

research skills to source specialised information specific to assignment

self-management skills to:

apply code of practice and legislative requirements to work processes

mentally order information for message transfer

interpret in a professional and impartial manner

seek debriefing and support where required

technology skills to use office equipment and information and communications technology where necessary

Required knowledge

in depth knowledge of cultures and societies of both English and LOTE participant

specialised subject and context knowledge relevant to assignment

broad general subject and context knowledge, including of:

community, business and diplomatic domains

systems and institutions in Australia, different language communities, countries and relevant terminology

relevant codes of ethics

concepts of form based and meaning-based message transfer

communication techniques that facilitate interpreting process

cultural knowledge, including cross-cultural perspective of communication and behaviour to:

determine cultural concepts and cues embedded in language

transfer cultural concepts without compromising communicative intent of source utterances

use culturally appropriate message delivery

feedback and debriefing techniques

legal requirements, professional procedures and guidelines, ethical practices and business standards relating to interpreters, including:

confidentiality requirements

privacy legislation

requirements for evidence in justice system

limitations of work role, responsibility and professional abilities

modes of interpreting and techniques for managing mode switches

OHS and risk management principles and practices to ensure own physical safety and comfort

research methods to undertake intense assignment-specific preparation

near native or educated native fluency in source and target languages to achieve competent performance

advanced strategies to assist retention of information and recall of source messages

theories which have influenced current interpreting practice, in particular:

effort model

form based vs meaning based translation

principles of note taking

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

In addition to integrated demonstration of the elements and their related performance criteria, look for evidence that confirms the ability to interpret from a source language to a target language in complex dialogue settings, preserving the communicative intent of the source language, including:

applying interpreting and LOTE and English language skills required to achieve competent message transfer and performance

applying educated native speaker language proficiency in the first and near native speaker language proficiency in the second language.

using a range of strategies and techniques to effectively deliver and preserve the communicative intent and maintain impartiality

using interpersonal and communication skills to interpret in a professional manner appropriate to participants and under challenging conditions

using advanced memory retention strategies

managing the discourse to identify and address complicated group dynamics and barriers to effective communication outcomes

applying knowledge of the language, conventions, culture and protocols of a range of specialised subjects and contexts

identifying circumstances requiring a switch in interpreting mode and managing mode switch

reflecting strategies to improve work practices

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Evidence for assessment of this unit of competency will make use of scenarios, case studies, experiences and, where possible, examples of interactions with colleagues and clients which illustrate a range of skills and strategies for interpreting in complex dialogue settings.

Resources for assessment include:

opportunities to observe and question candidates interpreting in meetings which require a range of communication and presentation techniques

formal structured meetings with high client accountability (legal, commercial, diplomatic, government, professional services) for outcomes

meetings which require specialised and technical terminology and complex conceptual matters, including formal protocols and prescriptive procedures

settings which allow a range of capacity to influence meeting processes and communication flow

meetings which include parties with a range of experience with interpreting and its protocols and conventions.

examples of professional development strategies to improve practice

The context for assessment might include simulations of general dialogue settings, and ideally will include observations conducted in real interpreting settings. Evidence for assessment should be gathered to demonstrate a range of experiences interpreting in complex dialogue settings in a range of sectors in the community, business and diplomatic domains.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Protocols may include:

effecting introductions

briefing participants

explaining purpose and process, including:

pausing utterance when at own limits of recall

rotating interpreting when team interpreting, according to industry standards and situation

information management appropriate to dialogue

requesting participant details, such as names and titles

professional and operational protocols in specific systems such as:

health

government

diplomatic

welfare

immigration

education

justice

business

Attend actively may include:

applying specialised subject and context knowledge to anticipate purpose of discourse and strategy being used to develop ideas

deconstructing

complex syntax

lexically dense content

formal register

applying strategies to support retention and recall, including:

reviewing records and recollection of message

recording key information, such as:

key content words and concepts

key facts, including numbers, dates and times

personal details, such as names, titles and addresses

linguistic and conceptual relationships

technical terms

maintaining concentration and focus

maximising retention and recall

noting verbal and non-verbal cues

seeking repetition and clarification

noting speakers' facial expressions, gestures and body language.

Factors affecting communication flow may include:

physical adjustments required, such as:

adjusting position and seating in regard to listener or speaker

adjusting lighting and ventilation, and visual and ambient noise

immediate emotional, psychological, developmental, physical, or other states or attributes of participants

demands and protocols of assignment, including:

status and relationships of participants

formality of environment

complexity of cultural and interpersonal dynamics

fluidity of dialogue

predictability of discourse content

direct speech (first person), reported speech (third person)

Linguistic and non-linguistic elements may include:

colloquial and idiomatic language and regional differences

humour

ellipsis

register, including:

language of professionals in different fields

formal and informal

spoken and written

gender-specific and honorific language

terminology appropriate to given contexts

impersonal forms

specialised and context-specific vocabulary

voluntary and involuntary pragmatic features of speech, such as:

inflection and tone

nuance and intensity of feeling

stress and pitch

types of language

voluntary and involuntary prosodic features of speech, such as:

hesitation

pauses and silence

rhythm

discourse markers

body language

eye contact

facial expressions

gestures and posture

Structure and complexities of discourse may include:

structural elements:

cultural cues

discourse markers

language cues necessary for following conversation, interrupting or interjecting

interpersonal elements

turning points in an argument

turn taking

complexities

alternatives

contradictions

double meaning

hidden meaning

sociolinguistics

Addressing issues of understanding or recall may include:

confirming understanding

checking communicative links

managing cultural and interpersonal dynamics

referring to dictionaries or glossaries

retaining and recalling utterances of sufficient length to ensure delivery is accurate and cohesive

seeking clarification or repetition

Effective delivery may include:

delivery that is appropriate to participants, including:

language faithful to the source that is:

long and syntactically complex

uses complex expression, style and register

maintaining eye contact, except where not culturally appropriate

native or near-native pronunciation

rephrasing and paraphrasing

speaking slower than normal rate of speech

mode switch

reflecting dialogue and appropriate to setting

self-monitoring of performance, including self-correction

timely delivery

Communicative intent may include:

addressing regional differences

checking for understanding in Auslan and Indigenous languages

exercising cultural judgement in relation to reformulation

identifying and using a wide range of idiomatic expressions

identifying and using loan words or signs

incorporating implied meaning in message transfer

maintaining logical sequence of source utterance

paraphrasing to transfer concepts where there is no equivalence

reflecting speaker characteristics, including affect, demeanour and lucidity

reflecting syntactic complexity and lexical density

transferring cultural cues, such as laughter and euphemisms

transferring the communicative intent of idioms and idiomatic expressions

transferring the communicative intent of metaphors and similes

using complex standard of expression, style and register

using terminology appropriate to context, field and profession

verbalising non-verbal source language components

Techniques may include:

continuing to interpret while searching references

correcting own errors in a timely manner

delivering in direct, not reported speech

keeping all parties informed

paraphrasing

preserving self references

repeating complex instructions

seeking repetition rather than explanation

Issues in message transfer may include:

transfer errors such as omissions, additions or changes that occur as a result of:

complicated group dynamics

cross-cultural differences

jargon

lack of common context

misinterpreting, or not transferring sensitively

transfer problems:

elliptic, fragmentary or ambiguous source utterances

lack of equivalents

need for paraphrasing

unknown terms

Managing discourse may include:

using strategies to pause utterance at limits of recall

directing speakers on length, pace and form of spoken delivery

clarifying terminology and message components

explaining exchanges between interpreter and one party to the other parties

identifying optimum portions in speech for interpreter to start interpreting

managing interruptions by different speakers

managing presence of more than two participants in discourse and turn-taking

maintaining culturally appropriate behaviour

Issues may include:

assignment requirements

code of ethics

complicated group dynamics

maintaining impartiality

necessity to withdraw

personal presentation

personal competency

requirement for team or relay interpreting

Circumstances may include:

communication dynamics

time constraints

nature of discourse setting (e.g. court, health, education)

Managing mode switch may include:

maintaining appropriate position in relationship to participants

deciding what to interpret, such as full, summary or explanation of gist

identifying key points

using strategies to identify speakers

effective managing turn-taking and changing mode as needed

Personal impact may include:

performance stress

factors affecting interpreter impartiality

factors affecting interpreter personal safety or comfort, including:

cultural or societal dilemmas

adversarial dialogues

stressful interpreting situations