Application
This unit applies to interpreting in a range of general settings for a variety of purposes, where the interpreter has physical and visual access to participants and can take action to direct participants and manage communication flow.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Plan discourse. | 1.1. Establish assignment requirements with clients to identify planning and resource needs. 1.2. Arrange work environment to assist performance and ensure safe, comfortable and effective discourse settings. 1.3. Identify factors that maycompromise interpreter effectiveness, and make adjustments where possible. |
2. Reach agreement with participants on process. | 2.1. Confirm relationships between and with participants according to established protocols and practices. 2.2. Negotiate mutual agreement on roles, purpose and process of discourse suitable for the situation and participants and identify areas requiring further research. 2.3. Apply interpreting protocols in a professional manner and seek and provide clarification where required. |
3. Manage flow of communication. | 3.1. Assess participant attributes and use appropriate communication style.. 3.2. Identify and address factors affecting communication flow. 3.3. Advise speakers on length, pace and form of delivery in a professional and courteous manner. |
4. Monitor progress of discourse. | 4.1. Identify and address problems in message transfer promptly to effectively transfer messages. 4.2. Monitor and facilitate interactions to ensure effective and equitable turn taking. 4.3. Identify communication challenges arising from cross-cultural and participant attributes, and use appropriate strategies to address them. 4.4. Identify personal and professional limitations in managing discourses and take necessary steps to accommodate these limitations. 4.5. Seek assistance from appropriate persons in challenging situations to manage discourse breakdown and restore communication. 4.6. Ensure conduct complies with professional standards and code of ethics. |
5. Evaluate discourse management. | 5.1. Seek and analyse feedback on discourse management from appropriate persons and evaluate effectiveness of performance to reflect code of ethics. 5.2. Take advice on issues and solutions and explore strategies to improve practice. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: identify and plan for assignment requirements commence discourses according to established protocols manage communication flow in a sensitive and effective manner discourse management skills to: accommodate communication styles and preferences in discourse management analyse discourse settings and communication preferences, and adapt style accordingly initiative and enterprise skills to adapt to new and varied assignment situations interpersonal skills to: interact with people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of communication needs confirm assignment requirements and difficulties with clients and colleagues seek assistance from clients, specialist advisers and peers interact with a range of participants with confidence and cultural sensitivity language skills to achieve competent performance given setting of discourses literacy skills to prepare required background material and resources organisational skills to identify and prepare work environment problem-solving skills to: assess barriers to effective communication and negotiate solutions change conditions to enhance message transfer and interpreter comfort and safety maintain effective communication flow in challenging situations self-management skills to: apply code of conduct and legislative requirements to work processes deflect pressure from other parties to perform duties other than interpreting evaluate performance according to client expectations behave professionally in all situations, including in emergencies and with time pressures identify personal and professional limitations in managing discourse seek debriefing and support where required technology skills to use a range of technical and electronic equipment, where necessary |
Required knowledge |
communication techniques that facilitate communication flow and discourse management culture-specific knowledge to: arrange work environment confirm relationships between and with parties identify factors affecting communication flow strategies and techniques for working with people with special communication needs language structure, dialects and idioms in source and target languages discourse management issues, strategies and techniques relevant codes of ethics legal requirements, professional procedures and guidelines, ethical practices and business standards relating to assignment, including: confidentiality requirements privacy legislation limitations of work role, responsibility and professional abilities nature and structure of interpersonal, institutional and meeting dynamics OHS and risk management practices and procedures relevant to nature of assignment professional support networks, including peer help groups and mentors source and target languages to achieve competent performance given setting of discourses |
Evidence Required
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 candidate's ability to manage the physical setting and pace of discourses in general settings. This includes: identifying and analysing assignment requirements and resources and the need for additional information planning in order to anticipate factors that may impact interpreting in general discourse settings. Supporting parties to understand and reaching agreement with parties on the interpreting process. Directing participants in a respectful and professional manner to maximise communication flow. Identifying communication challenges from cross-cultural and participant attributes and using appropriate strategies to address them. Identifying personal and professional limitations and challenging situations and seeking assistance to address them. complying with professional standards and codes. reflecting on practice and using opportunities to improve practice |
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 managing discourses in general settings. Resources for assessment include: a range of clients and environments where preparation for assignments requires familiarity with assignment to plan and identify resource needs discourses which require general and routine concepts, including community and cultural protocols and familiar procedures settings which allow a range of capacity to influence meeting processes and communication flow discourses which include parties with a range of experience with interpreting and its protocols and conventions. observations and questioning of candidates interpreting in settings which require a range of techniques to address issues affecting communication flow. Evidence for assessment should be gathered to demonstrate a range of experiences in managing discourses in general settings. Evidence could include examples of negotiations with client and participant expectations, using the resources of professional associations or employers, and should also include evidence of decision making where there are high levels of risk in ethical, business and professional issues influencing decisions. |
Range Statement
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. | |
Requirements may include: | discourse participants and languages spoken discourse location or environment familiarity with the content, subjects and expectations familiarity with topic and context work conditions, such as: continuous hours to be worked need for tandem or team or collaborative interpreting required breaks timing of discourse |
Planning may include for: | purpose context and subject expectations and intended or desired outcomes culturally appropriate behaviour and presentation target language delivery risk management considerations safety requirements for interpreter |
Arranging work environment may include: | clear lines of sight adequate lighting and ventilation acceptable visual and noise levels comfort and safety participant positioning appropriate to: cultural and religious backgrounds recording of assignment party movements and dynamics setting visually impaired participants |
Resources may include: | background information forms or paperwork reference material, including dictionaries and glossaries tools and equipment supporting documentation to assist message transfer, such as diagrams, maps and photographs |
Factors that may compromise interpreter effectiveness may include: | impeded lines of sight inadequate lighting and ventilation physical barriers to discourse management persons other than participants present (e.g. family or observers) visual and ambient noise |
Adjustments may include: | addressing OHS concerns adjusting position and setting in regard to listener or speaker as changing circumstances require positioning self in a culturally appropriate manner maximising access to hands-free telephone remaining unobtrusive when not required to interpret. using professional judgement to decide when adjustment isn't possible, and to use alternative strategies, such as withdrawal from assignment |
Relationships between and with participants may include: | details of discourse, such as: first time meeting or one in a series of meetings government service provider with public client service provider with private client interests in relation to purpose of discourse personal details of participants, including religious and ethnic backgrounds family and kinship connection cultural protocols and conventions introductions primary and secondary participants professional agents and their roles the role and expectations of the interpreter |
Protocols to commence discourse may include: | effecting introductions briefing participants explaining purpose, process and recording requirements confirming confidentiality of information, if appropriate to discourse requesting participant details, such as names and titles |
Attributes may include: | attitudes to: communication needs of all parties ethnicity authority disclosure conflict speaking or signing style and expression, including 'Australianised' language other than English educational level intellectual and physical capabilities dialect language proficiency, including pronunciation and vocabulary |
Communication style may include: | language version or dialect register regular checking of understanding, particularly in Auslan and Indigenous dialogues |
Factors affecting communication flow may include: | ethnic, political and religious affiliations or kinship real or perceived direct or indirect conflicts of interest stressful or confrontational situations interpreter: personal presentation degree of familiarity with specific procedures performance stress personal beliefs, feelings and customs personal competence |
Strategies may include: | adjusting register impartial interpreting of indicators of misunderstanding explaining exchanges between interpreter and individual parties selecting appropriate moment and method to communicate challenges cross-cultural and interpersonal bridging |
Challenging situations may include: | attempts to manipulate or influence interpreter cross-cultural communication challenges, relating to: culture-specific attitudes and behaviour cultural conflicts, such as aboriginal country boundaries different communication styles and preferences challenging characteristics of participants, such as: age physical or mental disability emotional or psychological state of participants (e.g. traumatisation, anger, fear) lack of cooperation and resistance to process discourse setting, including: confined space physical barriers to sight or sound diverse expectations of participants local variations in pronunciation, expression and vocabulary type of discourse, such as: emotionally charged discourses in crises, accidents or emergencies conflict between participants |
Appropriate persons may include: | chair of meeting discourse participants interpreting team colleague mentoring interpreter booking agency |
Sectors
Not applicable.
Competency Field
Translating and Interpreting.
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
Not applicable.