Teaching translation into the
second language via the Wiki
tool of the Blackboard
Kazuki Morimoto
University of Leeds
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
1
Objectives
 To
discuss possible benefits of L1→L2
translation exercises
 To
showcase our new translation
exercises using Blackboard Wiki, and
explain its merits over the conventional
methods
 To
examine students’ experience of the
Wiki translation exercises based on a
questionnaire
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
2
Translation = L2→L1 ?

In the field of translation studies, translation into the
second language has been ignored or discouraged:
“(…) Translation should therefore proceed from foreign language
to one’s mother tongue and never vice-versa, since hidden essence
of the target language is not attainable by any foreign speaker.”
(William von Humboldt cited in Pokorn 2005 (Undelined by presenter))
“(…) A foreigner appears to go on making collocational mistakes
however long he lives his adopted country (…) For the above
reasons, translator rightly translate into their own language, and
fortiori, foreign teachers and students are normally unsuitable in a
translation course. “
(Newmark 1981:180 cited in Pokorn 2005 (Underlined by presenter))
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
3
Why L1→L2 Translation?
1. Socio-cultural necessity (Campbell 1998)


Immigrants in Australia
Forestry in Finland
2. Training of professional skills
3. Pedagogical merits




Acquisition of various writing styles (Campbell 1998)
Pay more attention to linguistic forms than for L2
compositions (Uzawa 1996)
Produce language of better quality than in L2
compositions (Kobayashi and Rinnert 1992, Uzawa 1996)
Collective feedback
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
4
Conventional methods – How to teach
T: Distribute a source text (ST)
S: Translate it into Japanese on his/her own, using
dictionaries, internet etc.
S: Present his/her translation(s) on the board or by
OHP
T: Collective/Individual feedback
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
5
Conventional methods - Problems

No collaboration/comparison among
students while translating texts at home
 Takes
too much time to re-write his/her
translation(s) on the board/transparency
Less time available for teacher’s feedback
and students’ discussions
 Some shy students don’t want to present
his/her translation(s)

01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
6
Use of Blackboard Wiki
What are Wikis?
Wikis are websites that allow you to create and edit pages
in your web browser.
(…)
Students can cooperatively write, critique and publish their
work online, create shared knowledgebases for their
module/organisation, upload multimedia, link to external
websites, all without touching a website authoring program.
In Blackboard, you can turn a wiki into a challenging
groupwork activtiy and use built in tools to assess student
participation.
(http://www.leeds.ac.uk/vle/staff/guides/wikis.htm)
01/09/2010
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Blackboard: Login
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Blackboard: Creating Wikis
Assignment →
Select → Wiki
01/09/2010
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Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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Blackboard Wiki: Uploading STs
Source text
(English)
01/09/2010
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Blackboard Wiki: Sending translations
Other students’
translations
(Japanese)
Students can
upload their own
translations from
here.
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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Blackboard Wiki: Can be anonymous
Date,Time and Writer (Full name, Given name or User name)
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New method – Use of Blackboard Wiki
T: Distribute a source text (ST)
Also, upload it to the Blackboard Wiki
S: Translate it into Japanese on his/her own using
dictionaries, internet etc.
Compare his/her own translation(s) with others’ and
sending them to the Blackboard Wiki
T: Present students’ translations by projector,
hardcopy or Power Point
S: Discussion on their translations
T: Collective/Individual feedback
01/09/2010
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Sample PowerPoint Slide
Student A’s
translation
Teacher’s
feedback for the
better
translation
01/09/2010
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Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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Student Survey
5
4
3
2
1
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neither
Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Please give a number to each question according to
the table above.
01/09/2010
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Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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Student Survey Results
1.
Did you like the English-Japanese translation
exercises?
Level 2 (3rd year students)
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
8.5
10.5
5
1
0
4.06
25
Level 3 (4th year students)
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
0
3
7
8
4
2.41
22
01/09/2010
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Student Survey Results
2.
Did the translation exercise encourage you to use
more advanced grammar and/or vocabulary than you
normally use in writing a composition?
Level 2
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
4
8
5
8
0
3.32
25
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
2
3.5
8.5
6
2
2.89
22
Level 3
01/09/2010
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Student Survey Results
3.
Did you always contribute to the Wiki translation on
the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment: Uni. of Leeds’ version of
Blackboard)?
Level 2
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
5
9
5
5
0
3.58
24
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
8
3
3
6
2
3.41
22
Level 3
01/09/2010
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Student Survey Results
4.
Was it easy to use the Wiki translation on the VLE?
Level 2
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
12
7
2
2
1
4.13
24
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
8
12
2
0
0
4.27
22
Level 3
01/09/2010
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Student Survey Results
5.
Did you often compare your translations with
others’ while writing?
Level 2
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
4
4
3
7
6
2.71
24
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
4
12
1
4
1
3.64
22
Level 3
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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Student Survey Results
6.
Was the class time spent effectively?
Level 2
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
3
9
10
2
0
3.54
24
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
1
1
6
10
4
2.32
22
Level 3
01/09/2010
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Student Survey Results
7.
Did you always learn something by comparing with
your classmates’ translations?
Level 2
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
7
9
7
1
0
3.92
24
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
0
6.5
7.5
6
1
2.93
21
Level 3
01/09/2010
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Student Survey Results
8.
Did you receive enough feedback on your
translations?
Level 2
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
8
8
8
0
0
4.00
24
5
4
3
2
1
Mean
N
1
2
4
6
9
2.09
22
Level 3
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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Student Survey Results
9.
Please write any aspects you like about the
translation exercises.
(Level 2)

The teacher provided good advice about how to create naturalsounding translation.

It is a good way to introduce new grammar into work.

It encouraged me to use vocabulary that I didn’t already know.

E-J translation is unnatural, and helps understanding of Japanese in
general.

The translation were a challenge, but pushed you to try hard.

Translating into Japanese is good for our practical Japanese skills.

It’s nice to get writing exercises without having to get confused about
how to express your own opinions, etc.
01/09/2010
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Student Survey Results
(Level 3)

Good way to prepare for the summer exam.

The (teacher’s) example translation was helpful.

Good for vocabulary and grammar practice, and picking up some new
vocabulary.

Being able to compare translation with other students’.

It is an important part to studying the language and useful tool in the
future.

It makes the language learning more practical.

Translating sentences into Japanese helps me to learn some useful
phrases that are commonly used in writing composition.
01/09/2010
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Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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Student Survey Results
10.
Please write any aspects you do not like about the
translation exercises.
(Level 2)



Sometimes English in the translation wasn’t very good.
Feedback could be very vague sometimes. Learning why certain
grammar points have certain nuances would be helpful.
Some students were constantly lazy about participating.
(Level 3)




Lack of individual feedback
Topics used wee either uninteresting, too difficult or businessoriented.
You could easily copy other’s if you wanted.
Although comparisons with my fellow classmates were good, I felt that
most of us were writing similar answers (i.e. usually based on what our
dictionary told us.)
01/09/2010
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Conclusion

The Blackboard Wiki can provide an effective learning
opportunity for translation exercises, depending on the
source texts and the students’ interest and motivation.

Students should be encouraged to compare their
translations with others’ in order to enhance their
learning experiences.

Effective feedback methods need to be considered.

The possibility of students’ collaborative translations,
as well as L2→L1 translations, could be explored in the
future.
01/09/2010
Languages for the 21st Century: Training,
Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
27
References
Campbell, S. (1998) Translation into the Second Language. New York: Addison
Wesley Longman.
Kobayashi, H. and Rinnert, C. (1992) Effects of first language on second
language writing: Translation versus direct composition. Language Learning,
42(2), 183-215.
Pokorn, N.K. (2005) Challenging the Traditional Axioms: Translation into a nonmother tongue. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Uzawa, K. (1996) Second language learner’s process of L1 writing, L2 writing,
and translation from L1 into L2. Journal of Second Language Writing, 5(3),
271-294.
01/09/2010
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Impact and Influence, University of Sheffield
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