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A Skeleton in the Closet
Teaching Translation in Egyptian National Universitiesby Moustafa Gabr, FIL |
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In order to find answers to these questions, I conducted a case study in partial fulfillment of the requirements of my MA degree. The case study investigated the process of translation-program design and implementation at the undergraduate level in the English departments of Egyptian national universities, represented by the Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University (founded in July 1950), which is the second largest national university in Egypt in terms of number of colleges, facilities, faculty members, and students. My survey made use of questionnaire and interview techniques. Once its validity and reliability were established, the questionnaire was applied to a random sample of 100 out of a total number of 400 fourth-year students. Fourth-year students were targeted for several reasons: They are more educated and hence can give more thoughtful feedback; they have attended more translation classes and as a result can assess the situation more objectively and comprehensively; they are about to graduate and definitely have their sights set on the market; they can compare what they have been taught as undergraduates with what is actually required of them by the market. A 47-item questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 100 students, and 85 completed questionnaires were returned. Ten respondents were eliminated resulting in a final total of 75 completed questionnaires. The distribution and collection of these questionnaires took place at the end of the first term of the scholastic year 1999/2000 to increase the probability that the students had already attended a considerable part of the course and could objectively and comprehensively assess its content and implementation.
Structured interviews were held with three teachers involved in teaching translation in the Department. One of the interviewees was the teacher of the fourth-year translation class, from which the student sample was selected. The aim was to explore in depth the roles played in designing/implementing the course by translation teachers in the Department. To achieve this aim, two kinds of questions were used: (1) structured questions that elicited data needed for constructing the original components of the problem to be explored by the study; and (2) open-ended questions that were intended to gather additional data suggested by the informants. The principal objective of this study was to investigate the attitude of the undergraduate students towards three basic elements in the translation programs. The secondary objective was to explore the students' understanding of the theoretical aspects of translation and their personal efforts to develop their translation skills. These objectives were achieved by exploring along six axes as follows:
These axes constitute the assessment components by which this survey tries to identify and then provide final answers to the questions: "To what extent is the process of translation curriculum design and implementation successful?" and "To what extent is the program successful in meeting its objectives?" Initial investigation revealed that the scene of translation teaching in Egypt is very peculiar. There are 13 state-run universities in Egypt. Translation, among other modules, is taught as a compulsory subject in the four-year undergraduate course of study in each English department in the faculties shown in the following table:
Translation is thus taught at the undergraduate level in 35 faculties. As for teaching translation at the graduate level, it is available only in a few faculties, mainly in Cairo and Alexandria (the second largest city in Egypt). Notably, graduate translation degree programs at the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Alsun in Ain Shams University have recently been discontinued. The peculiarity of the situation is increased by the fact that the total number of undergraduate students in four-year courses in each English department in each of these faculties ranges from 900 to 1700, i.e. an average of 225 to 470 students in each year. Traditionally, the students in each year are divided into small groups ("Sections") so that they can be accommodated in the available classrooms and in order to facilitate the learning process. Thus, the translation teacher must see, in a weekly two- or three-hour session, an average of 75 to 235 students. Moreover, in many departments, teaching translation from English into Arabic is provided in one term and from Arabic into English in the other. Furthermore, two months of the eight-month scholastic year are used up by mid-term exams, vacations, and end-of-year examinations. This leaves the teacher only six months a year. By simple calculation, the students in these departments, under ideal circumstances, attend 24 translation sessions every scholastic year. There is traditionally a 30-minute break between sessions. Therefore, the students, if their teacher does not come late to the class or make him/herself absent for one reason or another, attend an approximate total of 36 to 60 hours of translation teaching and training annually. These problems are compounded by the inadequacy of classroom facilities and other factors. The current situation of translation teaching at the undergraduate level in Egyptian national universities is characterized by a number of alarming features:
Until very recently, translator training in Egyptian national universities received little attention. Students were trained informally, with no defined objectives or proper training methodologies. Nevertheless, there have been efforts by a very few, as I would call them, revolutionist teachers to set standards for program design and implementation and didactic methods and techniques for teaching how to actually translate. Translation is not the favourite subject for senior staff members in some English departments. Hence, most of the classes are assigned to junior staff members, giving the task the appearance of being uninteresting and not prestigious. In addition, the translation class is looked at as a means for improving foreign language competence. Most students regard it as a kind of grammar drill. Still, the course, in reality, does not include any language teaching/training drills. Some of the sample students committed shamefully serious grammatical errors in the comments they wrote, although they were about to graduate with Bachelor of Arts degrees. Even worse, the majority of the students regard translation as a minor subject compared with poetry, the novel, or drama. Since the class does not have textbooks, or even handouts, they assume that there is nothing to study, and all they have to do is learn vocabulary by heart and just attend and write down whatever translations the instructor may dictate. Worst of all, many of them apply the rule of 'parroting.' In other words, they learn by heart whatever translations the instructor may propose. And before the end-of-term exam, they just urge the instructor to include in the exam 'as a favour, or rather a gesture of cooperation on the part of the teacher' one of the texts for which the teacher dictated a 'model translation'. A few attempts, however, are being made by some of the revolutionist teachers to correct this erroneous approach and to create translation modules on sound, systematic bases.
I - Findings of Questionnaire Analysis The responses of the sample students were first categorized under five headings: those who strongly disagree, those who disagree, those who expressed no attitude, those who agree, and those who strongly agree. The number of responses for each item along each axis under each of these five categories and the respective percentages were calculated. The total number of responses under each category and the total percentage were calculated as well. Then, these response options were reduced under three main categories only: those who maintained negative attitude, those who expressed lack of attitude, and those who maintained positive attitude. The number of responses for each item in each axis under each of these three categories and its percentage were also calculated. The total number of responses under each category and its total percentage were calculated as well. The differences between the total numbers under these categories were then calculated. The differences were notably high. This means that these differences were significant and required no further statistical processing. It is noteworthy that the greater the quantitative value of responses, the stronger the attitude, whether positive or negative, and the lesser the quantitative value of responses, the weaker the attitude.
This research point addressed the students' understanding of the definition of translation and the process of translating. Following is a summary of most significant findings in this connection:
This point of research covered the findings related to the efforts exerted by the respondents to improve their skills in translation. The findings along this axis lead to the conclusion that the majority of respondents exert serious efforts to improve their skills and broaden their knowledge about translation. Still, these efforts are wasted, which can be clearly seen from the findings of axis 1: the respondents have incorrect assumptions about translation in theory and practice. Therefore, any efforts associated with these incorrect assumptions will go in the wrong direction. This will definitely maximize the feeling of dissatisfaction on the part of the students, because, despite their earnest efforts, they cannot improve their performances.
The alarming finding shown in the table is that the total number of responses, 50 (66.60%), expressing dissatisfaction with the content of the course is more than double the number, 21 (28%), of those who express satisfaction with it. This finding can be statistically illustrated as follows:
The alarming finding shown in the table is that the total number of responses, 55 (73.33%), expressing dissatisfaction with the teaching method used in the course is more than four times the number, 13 (17.3%), of those who express satisfaction with it. This finding can be statistically illustrated as follows:
The significant finding shown in the table is that the total number of responses, 40 (53.33%), expressing dissatisfaction with the teacher's efficiency is more than double the number, 18 (24%), of those who express satisfaction with it. This finding can be statistically illustrated as follows:
The alarming finding shown in the table is that the total number of responses, 47 (62.66%), expressing dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of the translation program offered to undergraduate students in the Department is more than triple the number, 15 (20%), of those who express satisfaction with it. This can be statistically illustrated as follows:
Summary This research tool explored the overall attitude of the respondents towards the course content, the teaching methods, the efficiency of the translation teacher, and the overall translation program offered for undergraduate students in the Department of English Language and Literature. The findings along this axis can be summarized as follows:
II - Findings of Interview Analysis The interview questions were designed in such a way as to explore the academic and professional backgrounds of the interviewees, their perception of the steps necessary for developing an appropriate translation curriculum, and their understanding of the roles to be played by an efficient translation teacher. Conclusions drawn from the interviews
III - Overall Conclusion and Recommendations Although teaching translation at the undergraduate level in Egyptian national universities may date back to the 1950s, no serious research has been conducted to evaluate the criteria set for designing and implementing the translation programs being taught there, and whether it is appropriate. This study explored the steps followed in designing translation programs for undergraduate students in the Departments of English Language in Egyptian national universities. This exploration was carried out by investigating the attitudes of undergraduate students towards the course content, the teaching methods, and the efficiency of translation teachers in the classes they attended. This investigation was further supported by examining the criteria adopted by translation teachers in designing training objectives and selecting instructional material, their teaching methods, as well as their perception of the roles translation teachers should play to enhance learning and skill acquisition.
The study showed that the students are not satisfied with the adequacy of the content of the translation classes that they attended. It also showed that translation teachers do not follow a systematic approach in developing their instructional objectives and selecting class material. In consideration of the needs of both the market and the students, it can be concluded that there is agreement among researchers, translation teachers and translator trainers on core subjects that must be covered in the material prepared for translator-training programs. These requirements include bilingual and bicultural competencies, subject competency, translation strategies, teamwork, communication and research skills, exposure to real-life situations, knowledge of the history of translation, and finally, familiarity with personal computers and basic electronic tools. In order to re-cast these requirements into instructional modules, they first must be translated into broad curriculum goals that can be achieved through specific instructional objectives. These instructional objectives, in turn, can be achieved through discrete selection of appropriate class material and effective teaching methods. The study showed that the students are not satisfied with the teaching methods adopted in the translation classes they attended. The lecture was the dominant, if not the only, method used by the teacher. It also revealed that classroom facilities and teaching aids that could enable the teacher to diversify teaching techniques are almost non-existent. Research in teaching pedagogy shows, however, that a combination of the lecture method, which is a passive mode of instruction, and other active modes such as discussion, role-playing, audiovisuals, etc., can facilitate the transfer of knowledge and acquisition of skills. Nevertheless, the selection of appropriate teaching methods depends on other resources, such as classroom facilities, available equipment, availability of time, and above all the skill of the teacher in using these resources. The study showed that the students are not satisfied with the performance of their translation teachers. It also revealed that those who teach translation have never received any sort of training in teaching translation; that most translation teachers have never been engaged in translation research activities; and that most translation teachers lack professional background in translating. Research on translation teaching pedagogy shows that there is a need for teachers who can teach students what they will really need to join the translation profession after graduation. This requires introducing students to the right concepts of translation, rules for translating, and the needs of the changing market. Translation teachers, either academics or professionals, should therefore receive training in teaching translation, and this training should include modules on theoretical aspects of translation, translating general and specialized texts, issues in biligualism and biculturalism, professional environment and market trends, translation tools available for translators, and research in translation studies. Translation teachers also need to receive training on pedagogical issues related to teaching translation, training of translators, and classroom management. They also need to attend modules on developing evaluation tools, either for assessing student performance or judging the quality of the program. Lastly, translation teachers should be acquainted with the latest developments in information technology and electronic tools for translators. Without satisfying these requirements, translation teachers will not be able to do their job effectively. Reference: Gabr, M. 2000. Reassessing Translation Programs in Egyptian National Universities: Towards a Model Translation Program. Master's thesis, Washington International University, Pennsylvania, USA. |
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hile teaching translation at various private institutes, I noticed that most of the trainees were either undergraduate students or graduates of English departments of various Egyptian national universities. Those trainees always expressed dissatisfaction with the translation classes they attended in their respective faculties. Moreover, when reviewing, and at times supervising, the work of some translators, I noticed that the translations of many of them were hardly understandable. In other words, many of them were not competent as translators, and lacked the basic skills required by a professional translator. Many of them were either graduates of English departments in national universities in Egypt, or graduates in other disciplines with graduate translation diplomas from some of these departments. This alarming observation raised the following questions: 
