The format of the symposium

The symposium has two parts. On May 28 and May 29 in the morning, researchers will present their findings in the area of aptitude for interpreting and its measurement, aptitude for interpreting skill acquisition, and status and efficacy of admissions testing for interpreting programmes. The presentations are open to a wide audience of persons with interest in the topics, including researchers, trainers, school administrators, policy makers, interpreting programme sponsors and faculty members, and international organisation representatives with interest in interpreter training.

On May 29 in the afternoon, a roundtable discussion on methodology of aptitude research will be organised for researchers who are currently active or interested in becoming active in investigating the topic of student aptitude. This roundtable should provide a forum for an exchange of ideas on approaches to measuring aptitude in interpreting skill acquisition. The roundtable will facilitate discussion of specific methodologies, sample selection, and overall research design while providing an opportunity for convergence on issues such as validity, predictors, dependent variables, and efficient and effective ways of implementing research results in training practice.

28th May 2008

• 9.00-9.30 | Registration
• 9.30-10.00 | Welcome

• Frieda Steurs, Head of Department, Department of Applied Language Studies, Lessius University College, Belgium
• Len Roberson, Department Chair, Department of Exceptional Student and Deaf Education, University of North Florida, USA

• 10.00-11.00 | Keynote address | Aptitude testing over the years
  Mariachiara Russo, University of Bologna, Italy
• 11.00-11.20 | Coffee break
• 11.20-12.00 | Emotional stability as a predictor for interpreter competence: A consideration in determining aptitude for interpreting
  Karen Bontempo and Jemina Napier, Macquarie University, Australia
• 12.05-12.45 | Aptitude for interpreting: Predicting competence in a reliable way
  Heidi Salaets and Šárka Timarová, Lessius University College, Belgium
• 12.45-14.00 | Lunch
• 14.00-14.40 | Aptitude for conference interpreting: One test or two?
  Šárka Timarová, Lessius University College, Belgium, and Jana Rejšková, Charles University, Czech Republic
• 14.45-15.25 | Sign language interpreter language and interpreting aptitude
  Christopher Stone, University College London, United Kingdom
• 15.25-15.45 | Coffee break
• 15.45-16.25 | Domain-general cognitive abilities and interpreter skill prediction
  Brooke Macnamara, Adam Moore and Andrew Conway, Princeton University, USA
• 16.30-17.10 | Cognitive and motivational contributors to aptitude: A study of spoken and signed language interpreting students
  Sherry Shaw, University of North Florida, USA
• 19.00 | Conference dinner

29th May 2008

• 9.30-10.10 | Linking attitude to aptitude
  Alexandra Rosiers, June Eyckmans, Erasmus University College Brussels and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Daniël Bauwens, Erasmus University College Brussels, Belgium
• 10.15-10.55 | Phraseological competence as a predictor of interpreting skills
  Simon Van Rietvelde, June Eyckmans, Erasmus University College Brussels and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Daniël Bauwens, Erasmus University College Brussels, Belgium
• 10.55-11.15 | Coffee break
• 11.15-11.55 | Testing aptitude for interpreting: The SynCloze test
  Franz Pöchhacker, University of Vienna, Austria
• 11.55-12.30 | Roundup
• 12.30-14.00 | Lunch
• 14.00-17.00 | Methodological roundtable
  Chair: Sherry Shaw