International Journal of Language and Linguistics Vol. 6, No. 2, June 2019 doi:10.30845/ijll.v6n2p6 42 In Search of a Sustainable Training Model for Educational Interpreting – Stellenbosch University: A Case Study Prof Harold M Lesch Associate Professor Dept of Afrikaans and Dutch Private Bag X1 MATIELAND, 7602 South Africa Abstract Interpreting in the tertiary classroom is of a mixed type and mode. Even though it is described as educational interpreting, it is ‘primarily conference-type simultaneous-mode interpreting, but at times becomes liaison-type simultaneous-mode interpreting in interactive portions of the class’ (De Kock & Blaauw 2008:88). The various roles that are expected of the interpreter by the lecturer, student and the commissioner, as the initiator of the service, is demanding for the newcomer to the field. One should consequently guard against poorly recruited and trained educational interpreters and, ultimately, an inadequate service within the tertiary context, as it is highly critical (also towards the interpreting service). The nature of the context means that there is little room for trial and error, if any,in the face of highly critical academics or professionals-to-be. An adequate interpreting service should be installed, if not the interpreting service as a whole can be in jeopardise. I am of the opinion that in order to enhance the interpreting service, sufficient emphasis should be placed on adequate training of the interpreters, balancing interpreting methodology, and practice. An academically sound training model grounded in research-based training (see Pöchhacker 2010: 2-4) for better equipped educational interpreters should be the foundation, i.e. training that is underpinned by justified academic principles and that exceeds the master- apprentice training model. This article is the first step in exploring this direction. Keywords: interpreting, educational interpreting, training, experiential learning 1. Introduction A multilingual language policy within higher education brings forth its own challenges for effective teaching and learning. Consequently; this may have an impact on the education environment and brings forth its own challenges to the learning experience. I am of the opinion that it is vital that students on tertiary level should be able to further their academic studies to realise their full potential. It is generally accepted by educationalists that mother tongue education is still the most effective avenue to reach this objective. One technique to assist in addressing this challenge is the use of educational interpreters in the tertiary classroom. Educational interpreting 1 has the potential to enhance both individual as well as institutional multilingualism. The underlying principle is that knowledge and learning should be accessed via more than one language. This is in accordance with Abedi et al. (2004:6) who refers to assessments, i.e. when testing knowledge, and state that difficult resources that include in my opinion potential linguistic challenges should be removed that are irrelevant to the intent of the measurement. In essence, language barriers during teaching and learning should also be removed. The language policy of Stellenbosch University (SU) views educational interpreting as an avenue to assist the institutional language policy. To enhance the latter, interpreting training services are at the university‟s disposal to assist with the implementation of the institutional policy of multilingualism.A potential problemin my opinion is that the existing training has certain shortcomings that may impact negatively on service delivery. These include, among others, the length of the training the educational interpreters undergo that will be taken-up as professionals to deliver the service and the limited interaction between interpreting methodology and practice. 1 A distinction is drawn between sign language educational interpreting and oral language educational interpreting. The latter is the focus of this article and is defined “as simultaneous interpreting that is rendered by a professional interpreter who is present within the educational situation” (Verhoef and Du Plessis 2008:13). According to Kotzé (2014:129), there is enough evidence “to accept educational interpreting as a type of interpreting which is determined and governed by the social interaction within which it takes place, thereby solidifying educational interpreting as a type of community interpreting.