View Content #26586

By Julie Sykes, CASLS Director

The use of machine translation, most prominently Google Translate, in the world language classroom has received a great deal of attention. Some fervently support the need to prohibit the use of digital translators, citing instances of writing where learners enter a text in one box and turn in whatever the machine spits out on the other.  However, others have explored the ways in which translation, and more specifically, digital translation can be used in the world language classroom. These include, for example, corpus-based translation activities (Zanettin, 2010), issues related to improving beginning writing courses (Garcia and Pena, 2011) and language courses more generally (Kelly and Bruen, 2015), and exploration of translation in languages for academic purposes (Groves and Mundt, 2015).

As we continue to explore the role of one’s first language in InterCom, this week’s topic focuses on building the skills learners need to effectively utilize machine translators in multilingual contexts, which can be likened to similar experiences in helping learners navigate their interactions with bilingual dictionaries. Critical to the use of digital translators is an understanding of when, and when not, to use digital translation as a communication tool. Moreover, this role can also include language analyses and access to information not previously possible (e.g., semantic analysis of a lexical item as related to other elements of the machine learning engine or the use of translation as related to a corpus of language). Here we explore three ways digital translators can be put to good use for building one’s multilingual repertoire.

1. Consider the different types of translation people do. This can include formal translation of literary texts, the creation of community resources, and/or the understanding of online content (e.g., what happens with the autotranslate feature in Facebook). Have learners analyze the choices a translator might make and ways in which language structures were modified to communicate meaning and not word-for-word translation. This can be especially helpful for learners who are struggling not to look of each word one-by-one.
2. Utilize the multimodal features of Google Translate beyond text translation (i.e., on the fly image or video translation and/or voice transcription). This might be an individual task such as decoding meaning through image translation, recording what worked and what didn’t. More on how this feature works can be found in in this video. Alternatively, a community-based activity could ask learners to find someone in the community and have a conversation in a language they do not know just using Google Translate and then take notes on their experience. Either activity will highlight both the limitations and the advantages of digital translation in properly communicating meaning.
3. Find bad examples and correct them while also finding good examples to showcase. Analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of using a digital translator can strengthen students abilities to use the tool as a resource without creating a crutch. Instead, consider the role a digital translator might play in a multilingual life outside of the classroom can enable learners’ abilities to make informed, meaningful choices.

References

Garcia, I. & Pena, M. (2011). Machine translation-assisted language learning: writing for beginners, Computer Assisted Language Learning, 24:5, 471-487, DOI: 10.1080/09588221.2011.582687

Groves, M., & Mundt, K. (2015). Friend or foe? Google Translate in language for academic purposes. English for Specific Purposes, 37, 112-121.

Kelly, N., & Bruen, J. (2015). Translation as a pedagogical tool in the foreign language classroom: A qualitative study of attitudes and behaviours. Language Teaching Research, 19(2), 150-168.

Zanettin, F. (2009). Corpus-based translation activities for language learners. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 3(2), 209-224.