Journal archive

Abstract: Cooperation between China and Russia presupposes the development of such branch of linguistics as translation studies. The article describes the academic discipline “Seminar in Translation Studies” which is an innovative model of teaching a foreign language and mastery of translation. The author highlights disadvantages of the traditional teaching model: the leading role of the teacher and dependent position of students; gap between theory and practice; absence of out-of-class activities. In order to reform and improve the traditional model of teaching translation the authors worked out a new academic discipline “Seminar in Translation Studies” which is characterized by non-traditional approach to teaching: the student can participate in practical translation, they may cooperate with the members of the group, discuss perspective ways of translation problems solutions in order to obtain better results. The teacher is an organizer and coordinator of the students’ activity; he must create and keep the positive and harmonious atmosphere of cooperation in the group, he is also a coach who possesses professional knowledge and carries out constructive leadership. The role of the students has also changed – instead of being passive listeners they became active participants: the students take part in selecting material for translation, in defining the strategy of translation and formulating the terminological apparatus in order to take direct part in translation; i.e. now the students are involved in all stages of the complex process of qualified translation. This method of teaching bridges the gap between theory and practice of translation and combines independent students’ work with work in the group. The students can use the language they mastered for translation solving problems. And discussions may develop the spirit of leadership.