Course Syllabus

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Business Applications 051 Introduction to Bilingual Interpreting Syllabus & Course Overview

Section #54491

Mondays 6:30 to 8:30

A-224 located in the Cesar Chavez Building A near the corner of 17th and Bristol - on the second floor, go outside the double-glass doors on the balcony

Download Syllabus in PDF

Meet Your Instructor:  Lilian De La Torre-Reed, MBA 

Instructor Photo

Former journalist with over 20 years of experience in translations and interpreting. Please read my profile.

COMMUNICATION POLICY

Instructor: Lilian De La Torre-Reed

Read my Profile in LinkedIn

Email: DelaTorre_Reed_Lilian@sac.edu or inbox thru Canvas

Office Hours: By Appointment Only, Office 107-A Business Division.

Online Conferencing is scheduled by appointment. Various programs and tools can be used to conference with students taking an online class. Instructions and more information can be found in the Announcement Section.

Emails will be answered within 24 hours.

The following are the preferred methods of communication with the instructor, please follow them in this order.

  • Please email me by inbox in your Canvas Student App (for a faster reply, as I have readily access to the Canvas Teacher App in my smart phone);
  • if not possible, the second choice is via inbox in Canvas.
  • email is the third choice

Please watch my Welcome Video- Just click the play button to watch it in Canvas and not be redirected to YouTube.

Link 

Textbook Information:  Link to Don Bookstore

INTERPRETER'S COMPANION
AUTHOR: MIKKELSON
ISBN: 9781880594223
STATUS: REQUIRED
EDITION: 4

Cover Interpreters Book

ENGLISH TO SPANISH GLOSSARY OF EDUCATIONAL TERMINOLOGY
AUTHOR: VALENTAN
ISBN: 9781523837144
STATUS: REQUIRED

Cover of Glossary

COURSE DESCRIPTION

An introductory course in interpretation/translation in English/Spanish designed to introduce students to the different career fields that employ bilingual skills such as the business, legal, medical and educational professions. Written translation and oral interpretation skills will be utilized and developed in both English and Spanish. Fluency in Spanish and English is recommended.

 

COURSE GOALS/ OBJECTIVES

Assist the students in obtaining an understanding of the skills needed to become an interpreter/translator. The course objectives include:

  1. Student will learn to describe the role of the interpreter and how to apply the code of ethics in the US Courts systems, business, medical and educational setting.
  2. Develop interpreting and translating techniques required for various professional settings.
  3. Demonstrate proper use of basic business, legal, medical and educational terminologies in both written and oral forms.
  4. Demonstrate the ability to translate written documents from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English related to business, legal, medical and educational fields.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to conduct oral interpreting from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English related to business, legal, medical and educational fields.
  6.  Describe regional differences and idiomatic expressions in both languages.
  7. Identifying basic processes in translating and interpreting related to business, legal, medical and educational fields.
  8. Preparation of a report documenting the procedures in translation/interpreting of a business, legal, medical or educational field.
  9. Develop bilingual written and oral translation skills to be utilized in various career fields.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate the proper grammatical use of business, legal, medical and educational terminology in both English and Spanish translations/interpretations.

Thinking and Reasoning:  Learn how to translate and interpret basic forms and letters in the business, legal, medical and educational fields.

Civic Responsibility: Develop the responsibility by learning the conduct, civic duties and code of ethics for the general interpreter.

Careers: Will be able to identify interpreting/translation career path opportunities and the requirements to succeed in the career. 

Lecture Topics & Assignments

*Please note that all assignments’ instructions are clearly explained in each module in Canvas

 

Date

Course Topics/Discussions

Week 1

August 27

Introductions-Syllabus and Canvas Review

Please download Student Canvas App

Business Translations: Overview: Who am I translating for? Demographics, cultural and linguistic differences. Snapshot of translation and interpreting industry.  Code of Ethics for Interpreters. Modes of translations: sight translation, consecutive and simultaneous.

Translation Skills: Listening Techniques/ Short- Term Memory Development and Note Taking and Proofreading

Class exercise: Colloquial, Regional and Slang Contest

Discussion: What are your career goals?

Readings:

Interpreters Companion “About the Fourth Edition” section

Online Resources: Nielsen Report/Code of Ethics

Week 2

September 3

HOLIDAY: MONDAY SEPTEMBER 3 LABOR DAY OBSERVED

 

Watch Video Lectures Online

Business: English to Spanish/Spanish to English: Grammar and Cultural Differences in Marketing and Advertising for Business: Social Media, Business Blogs, E-commerce, Flyers, Ads, and Billboards.

Ungraded Quiz: Syllabus and Canvas Overview

Readings: Glossary of Business Terms

Online Resources: PDF World Bank Glossary- Link to Social Media English to Spanish Social Media Terms

Week 3

September 10

 

 

Business Written translations:  English to Spanish Translation/Interpreting in an Office/Business Environment

Assignments DUE every other Monday: Discussion Board/Homework #1

Assignment Review

Class exercise: Written Translation of Recording

Readings: Glossary of Business Terms

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 4

September 17

Business Written Translations: Spanish to English Translations/Interpreting in Government Settings

Class Exercise: Sight Translations: Spanish to English translation/Interpretation in an Office Setting

Readings: Glossary of Business Terms

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 5

September 24

Educational Translations/Interpreting: Consecutive vs. Simultaneous Interpreting: Translating during forum, conventions, workshops, school presentations, parent meetings

Elementary/Middle School

Assignments DUE every other Monday:

Business Discussion Board/Homework #2

Ungraded Survey: Language and Media Uses

Ungraded Pulse Taking Survey

Quiz 1: Code of Ethics, Modes of Translations, sentence structure and general business vocabulary

Readings: Glossary of Educational Terminology

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 6

October 1

 

Educational Translations/Interpreting

High School/College/University Terminology

Readings: Glossary of Educational Terminology

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 7

October 8

 

Educational Translations/Interpreting

Written translations:  School Forms/Sight and written translations

Assignments DUE every other Monday:

Class Exercise: consecutive and simultaneous interpreting

Readings: Glossary of Educational Terminology

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 8

October 15

 

 

Educational Translations/Interpreting

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translation

Readings: Glossary of Educational Terminology

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 9

October 22

 

 

Educational Translations/Interpreting

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translation/ Government Educational Agencies

Assignments DUE every other Monday:

Educational Discussion Board Due

Written Report Due

Readings: Glossary of Educational Terminology

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 10

October 29

 

Medical Translations/Interpreting

Quiz 2 Educational Terminology/Vocabulary

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translation/Interpreting in the Medical field

Readings Interpreter’s Companion pgs. 167-175

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 11

November 5

Medical Translations/Interpreting

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translation/Interpreting in the Medical field

Assignments DUE every other Monday:

Readings: Interpreter’s Companion pgs. 249-253

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 12

 November 12

HOLIDAY: MONDAY VETERANS DAY OBSERVED

Week 12

Watch Video Lectures Online

Medical Translations/Interpreting

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translation Medical Field  

Readings: Interpreter’s Companion pgs. 178-208

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 13

November 19

 

Legal Translations/Interpreting

Quiz 3: Medical Terminology/Vocabulary

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translation /Interpreting Legal Terms

Assignments DUE every other Monday:

Medical Discussion Board Due

Class exercise: English to Spanish arraignment

Readings: Interpreter’s Companion pgs. 1-22

Online Resources listed in Module

November 22-25

HOLIDAY: THANKSGIVING THRUSDAY-SUNDAY

 

Date

Course Topics/Discussions

Week 14

November 26

 

 

 

Legal Translations/Interpreting

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translations/ Interpreting Legal Terms

Readings: Interpreter’s Companion pgs. 23-46

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 15

December 3

 

 

 

Legal Translations/Interpreting

Review for Final Exam

Written translations:  English to Spanish Translations/Interpreting Legal Terms

Assignments DUE every other Monday:

Legal Discussion Board Due

Class exercise: English to Spanish legal terminology

Readings: Interpreter’s Companion pgs. 87-100

Online Resources listed in Module

Week 16

Finals Week

December 10

 

LAST CLASS: Final Exam: Two Written Translation of English to Spanish and of Spanish to English

BA 051 AND SANTA ANA COLLEGE POLICIES

IMPORTANT POLICIES:

Please read the following POLICIES carefully. If you have any questions, please make sure you post them in the General Course Questions discussion.

CELL PHONES

Please be courteous to others and turn cell phones OFF while in class, as this time is programmed for instruction. Do not text during class.

 

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

Attendance & participation is very important, as the online videos, Power Points and lecture notes are the primary source for assignments, class exercises and test questions. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from a course. However, because of enrollment demand a student may be dropped by the instructor from an online class when not logging in to the class and/or not participating in the first discussion and/or not submitting the first assignment A student may be dropped for non-participation if they have missed in excess of 10% of the total course activities including but not limited to class attendance, discussions, assessments, etc.

LATE WORK

Students will not be permitted to turn in late work unless I approve it.  Late work will not be accepted unless accompanied by a valid reason, such as extraordinary circumstances that are beyond the student's control. If late work is accepted, it will only be accepted once during the semester. 

ASSIGNMENTS

There will be seven (7) homework assignments required during the semester. These will require creative thinking on your part and the appropriate use of Spanish and/or English grammar, sentence structure, colloquial, regional and slang knowledge. Each assignment is worth 200 points and will be graded within 1 week of submission. Report Assignment: One of the homework assignments is to write a one-page report documenting the procedures in translation/interpreting of a business, legal, medical or educational event.

The assignments are due no later than the deadline posted on Canvas. Please contact me ahead of time if you have an excruciating circumstance that prevents you from submitting an assignment on time to discuss makeup activities as no Late Assignments will be allowed. If late work is accepted, it will only be accepted once during the semester. All assignments have a due date clearly stated. Please post any questions or doubts about assignments and deadlines in the General Course Question section located above NetTutor (for the Hybrid class) and Module 1. There are seven (7) class exercises worth 200 points each during the semester. There are five (5) discussions each worth 100 points during the semester.

GRADING SCALE

Your grades will be determined based on the scale below:

Percentages for Grades

90 TO 100 % = A       (3780 to 4,200)

80 TO 89.9% = B (3360 to 3779)

70 TO 79.9% = C (2940 to 3359)

60 TO 69.9% = D       (2520 to 2939)

BELOW 59.9% = F

AVAILABLE POINTS - GROUP WEIGHT

Assignments-Homework (7) 200 pts each=1400 20%

Class Exercises (7) 200 pts each=1400 20%

Discussions (5) 100 pts each= 500 10%

Quizzes (3) 200 pts each=600 15%

Final 400 points=400 35%

Total Available Points= 4200

QUIZ STRUCTURE

There are three quizzes for this course. Each quiz will consist of 20 True/False & Multiple-Choice Questions each worth 10 point for a total of 200 points. The quizzes will be done in class on Canvas. You will have 1 hour to complete the quiz once you start. You will find the Quizzes posted on the Quiz tab in Canvas.

FINAL EXAM

The Final exam will be worth 400 points and will consist of 2) written translations: One (1) English to Spanish and One (1) Spanish to English.

DROPPING A CLASS

The official starting date for this course is Wednesday, February 7, 2018. If you decide to drop the course, you should officially withdraw. Do not just stop submitting work, for that may result in an “F” grade. Any student who cannot continue a course has an obligation to officially withdraw through WebAdvisor.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

  1. Start Date Fall Semester 2018 August 27, 2018
  2. End Date: December 16, 2018
  3. Last Day to Add (add code required) September 9, 2018
  4. Last Drop Date with “W” November 18, 2018
  5. Last Drop Date without “W” September 9, 2018
  6. Last Date to get Refund September 9, 2018

PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC HONESTY

This course allows you to utilize resources available to you to complete the coursework, homework, and class exercises including online references, dictionaries and glossaries. Be sure to cite any online sources or material you use for your assignments (e.g. website, author, date). The work you submit should be your own and a student found cheating on any exam or assignment will receive no credit for that exam or assignment. A second instance of cheating will result in further disciplinary action. See Academic Honesty Policy in the Catalog

CANVAS

All course materials, including the syllabus, suggested resources, review handouts, and multiple-choice quizzes will be posted on Canvas.  All required information will be available on Canvas, so you must have internet access. Students are encouraged to download the Canvas Student App for your smart phone or mobile device. If you are having trouble accessing Canvas please go to the Canvas Troubleshoot page 

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABILITIES

Your success in this course is important to me. Santa Ana College and I are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your ability to do well in this course, I encourage you to speak with me as soon as possible. Also, please contact Disabled Student Programs & Services so that we can all collaborate on your classroom accommodations in a timely manner. DSPS is located in vl-203 and their phone number is 714-564-6264. The DSPS office requires documentation of your disability to receive reasonable accommodations. If you do not have documentation they will work with you to acquire it. I look forward to supporting you to meet your learning goals.

DSPS website

 SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY

It is the policy of the Rancho Santiago Community College District to provide an educational, employment and business environment free of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communications constituting sexual harassment, as defined and otherwise prohibited by State and Federal law.

The Rancho Santiago Community College District forbids any form of sexual harassment. Prompt disciplinary action will be taken against any student or employee engaging in sexual harassment. 

If you feel that you have been the victim of sexual harassment, please contact the Office of Human Resources (714) 480-4788.

NO TROLLS

Learning is the goal of this course; as such the classroom space is a safe and open space, conducive to learning. Respect for yourself, fellow classmates and me, the instructor, is required for lively and productive discussion. Dissenting opinions are not only tolerated, but they are encouraged. “Trollish” behavior in the online environment is not permitted and will be subject to disciplinary action. A troll is defined as someone who deliberately starts quarrels or posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic responses to elicit a negative emotional response from a target. We can disagree, but let's do so respectfully.

 

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due