Self-assessment: Student Interpreters’ Perceptions and Implementation

This study explores student interpreters’ understanding and implementation of selfassessment in their interpreting skill development. It also discusses the difficulties student interpreters experience in self-assessing their individual learning outside the classroom. Self-assessment is a critical learning method for student interpreters as well as professional interpreters to become self-directed learners who can acquire and maintain the skills required for professional interpreters. While researchers and teachers of interpreting recognize the usefulness of the learning method, student interpreters stand to benefit the most. Using mixed methods, this study carried out an online survey and focus group interviews with student interpreters at an interpreting education program in Australia. The findings revealed that while student interpreters generally believe self-assessments are beneficial and important for skill improvement, they do not have sufficient knowledge of the self-assessment process to carry out the activity successfully. Some students also experience difficulties that seem to prevent them from actively using self-assessments in their learning. It appears that the difficulties arise not only from a lack of knowledge of self-assessment but also from a sense of shame. Based on the findings, further research on more practical pedagogical approaches to self-assessment is suggested.