This study investigates the impact of sight interpreting (SI) training on the development of consecutive interpreting (CI) competence in undergraduate Korean-to-English interpreting classes. Sight interpreting, defined as the oral rendition of writ...
This study investigates the impact of sight interpreting (SI) training on the development of consecutive interpreting (CI) competence in undergraduate Korean-to-English interpreting classes. Sight interpreting, defined as the oral rendition of written texts, is recognized as a distinct mode of interpreting that shares certain similarities with consecutive interpreting while also exhibiting notable differences. Frequently incorporated into interpreting classes, SI has seen limited investigation in two areas: 1) its pedagogical effectiveness in developing and assessing sub-skills, such as keyword identification, meaning unit segmentation, and information prioritization, and 2) the impact of SI training on CI competence, analyzed through fidelity, target language proficiency, and delivery. To address this research gap, this study employs a Linear Mixed-Effects Model (LMM) to analyze the effects of SI training on CI performance.
To complement and contextualize the statistical analysis, qualitative data—including the researcher’s class notes, students’ reflective journals, and weekly brief surveys—were utilized. These qualitative insights highlighted how learners perceived and experienced the impact of SI training, uncovering details that might not be apparent in the statistical results, reinforcing the findings revealed by the statistical analysis.
Two groups of students in Korean-English CI courses participated: the experimental group received SI training as part of the course, while the control group followed traditional CI training without SI. Their performances in mid-term and final exams were assessed by six evaluators, and statistical analysis was conducted using an LMM in RStudio. Results indicated that SI training had a significant positive effect on CI competence. The experimental group outperformed the control group in the final exam, with a mean score difference of 1.556 points (p = 0.003), suggesting a cumulative training effect. While mid-term results showed marginal significance (p= 0.059) and demonstrated a positive trend, the final exam confirmed the long-term benefits of SI training for CI enhancement. The findings suggest that repeated SI practice helps students better process source text meaning, structure output in the target language, and enhance delivery, ultimately improving overall interpreting performance.
Significant correlations between SI sub-skills and CI performance were observed across the pre-test, mid-term, and final exams, underscoring their consistent interrelation. Further analysis revealed that identifying key words showed the strongest correlation, leading to a 3.27-point increase in CI performance for every 1-point gain in the key word identification score. Additionally, fidelity—evaluating the completeness and accuracy of message delivery—had the highest correlation (+0.772), demonstrating that SI training significantly enhances source text comprehension and accurate information delivery.
The experimental group showed significant longitudinal improvement in sight interpreting sub-skills, including key word identification, meaning unit segmentation, and information prioritization, indicating that the benefits of SI training became more pronounced over time. This finding aligns with previous research emphasizing the importance of sustained practice to achieve meaningful gains in interpreting competence.
These results have practical implications for interpreter education, suggesting that SI can serve as a complementary training tool in CI courses, especially for undergraduate students. The training helps develop foundational skills, such as text comprehension, analysis, and information processing, while reducing cognitive load. By engaging students in progressive and systematic practice, SI training enables learners to gradually build these fundamental skills, providing a structured pathway for skill acquisition. Moreover, SI training benefits students across all proficiency levels, helping to close gaps among learners and fostering equitable and inclusive learning outcomes in interpreter education.
The study acknowledges limitations, including the relatively small sample size, the focus on a specific language pair, and the challenges in controlling external variables. Future research should involve more diverse learner groups, additional language pairs, and extended training periods to validate the findings’ generalizability and to further investigate the long-term effects of SI training on interpreting proficiency.