LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTERS: Ellen Wingo

Through years of experience, many veteran interpreters have developed their own note-taking methods to support their memory in consecutive interpretation, but even the best systems can be refined. This workshop is designed for experienced interpreters who want to fine-tune their approach without starting from scratch. Whether a participant’s current system works well but could use streamlining, or they’re looking for a fresh perspective on their current methods, this session provides an opportunity for participants to up their consecutive interpretation game.

Attendees will briefly review the core elements of an effective note-taking system, followed by exercises to assess their note-taking strengths and weaknesses. Through self-analysis and feedback from both peers and the instructor, participants will identify where they can get the greatest return on their investment of time and effort in improving their note-taking, while preserving the elements that already work well. By the end of the session, each participant will have practical strategies for refining their note-taking systems—whether that means adding structure, introducing new symbols, or linking different parts of a speech together.

This language-neutral workshop encourages active participation. Participants should bring their favorite note-taking tools—whether a tablet or a notebook and pen—and come with an open mind, prepared for hands-on exercises designed to fine-tune their note-taking systems and take their consecutive interpreting skills to the next level.

Objectives: After a brief review of the key elements of effective note-taking, workshop attendees will pin-point areas for note-taking improvement, and learn how to enhance their note-taking approach. They will set specific goals for practical exercises and discover how maximize the effectiveness of their note-taking in consecutive interpretation.

LEVEL: All Levels
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTER: Lili Selden and Niery Bardakjian

Whereas conference interpreters tend to work in the simultaneous mode and are expected to paraphrase within reason, court interpreters work mostly in the consecutive mode and aspire to render every “unit of meaning” as fully and accurately as possible. However, both conference and court interpreters benefit, like musicians and athletes do, from routine “full body” or “cross-training” workouts to keep their performance skills in tip-top shape. This 180-minute, language-neutral, hands-on workshop is co-presented by an Armenian<>English conference interpreter and a Japanese<>English court interpreter who have been online study partners for several months. The presenters discuss the separate but overlapping cognitive challenges posed by the requirements of court and conference interpreting, respectively. They also share with attendees the warmup and training strategies they have adopted and explored in the past few months of studying together. Attendees will practice a range of memory building, shadowing, word substitution, vocal experimentation, and other effective practice techniques for working with a study partner (or alone). Ultimately, this session will equip novice and experienced interpreters with an array of tools to enhance their skills on a regular basis to ensure they will continue to incorporate routine workouts into their busy agendas. Attendees should bring a recording device (e.g., a smartphone), notepad, and pen or pencil to the workshop.

Objectives: Attendees will have their memories refreshed, both about the demands placed on their brains and bodies when interpreting in different contexts in the simultaneous mode, and the ways in which their performance skills benefit from daily workouts. Attendees will practice a range of effective warmups and drills to take home for continued refining of their technical skills.

LEVEL: Beginners
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTER: Janis Palma, Ph.D.

Interpreters have developed extraordinary skills to be able to convey meaning instantaneously from one language to another, yet some fear they lack the necessary structural knowledge to translate written documents. Oftentimes that information is latent in our long-term memory and can be rebooted through systematic exercises designed to strengthen those weak areas in our language knowledge stockpile. This 3-hour workshop will guide and encourage interpreters to leverage the expertise they already have through a sequence of exercises in incremental steps as they move towards the competency level required for professional translations. After the workshop, they will be able to continue their practice with self-paced exercises incorporating varying degrees of difficulty and a wide range of subject matters.

Objectives:  At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to recognize which of their interpreting skills are transferrable to translation work, understand translation theory’s common ground with interpreting, design new strategies to bring their knowledge of languages into the world of written translations.

LEVEL: All Levels
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTER: Javier Castillo, Jr.

In this language-neutral, hands-on 3-hour workshop, we will go into depth into the tools used in FTT, how to set up equipment, and practice transcribing and translating audio files that will be used as evidence.

Objectives: Attendees will learn about the skills, tools and guidelines for providing forensic transcription/translation and get a chance to practice with various audio files.

LEVEL: Beginner/Intermediate
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTER: Agustin de la Mora

You’ll explore the foundational principles of notetaking as established by renowned interpreter Jean-François Rozan. These principles, including clarity, brevity, and consistency, will help you develop a system that works for your interpreting style. You’ll also learn how to balance writing down key ideas and avoiding verbatim translation, enabling more fluid and natural renditions. Learn how leveraging visual imagery can enhance memory retention and recall. The seminar will explore the science behind the picture superiority effect, which suggests that concepts paired with images or symbols are easier to remember. You’ll discover how incorporating sketches, diagrams, and symbols into your notes can help reinforce the spoken message, leading to greater accuracy in interpretation. Discover how mind-mapping techniques can help structure and organize your notes more effectively. We will guide you through creating visual representations of ideas, making connections between concepts, and prioritizing key information. By using mind maps, you’ll improve your ability to retain complex information and easily retrieve it during interpretation. Throughout the seminar, you will engage in interactive exercises, working with real-life scenarios and practicing various note-taking strategies. Whether you’re new to interpreting or an experienced professional, this seminar will equip you with powerful techniques to enhance your consecutive interpretation performance.

Objectives: This hands-on session will give interpreters the tools to retain and convey information accurately, even in high-pressure situations.
Key Takeaways:
1. Rozan’s 7 Principles for Notetaking:
2. The Picture Superiority Effect:
3. Mind Mapping for Interpreters

LEVEL: All Levels
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTER: Javier Castillo, Jr.

Being true to a witnesses’ style is absolutely crucial for courtroom testimony. A witnesses’ emotions, stress and intonation communicates far more than just their words. In this interactive workshop, attendees will practice interpreting testimony that covers a wide range of emotions and will learn tips and techniques that will improve their renditions.

Objectives: Attendees will learn way to improve their renditions in court by preparing and thinking like an actor. Attendees will work on rendering testimony that matches different witnesses style, tone and emotion, without upstaging them.

LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTER: Johanna Parker

For interpreters, keeping pace with fast speakers can feel like a daunting challenge —whether it’s a prosecutor rushing through an opening statement, a nervous witness blurting out answers at lightning speed, or a conference panelist racing to finish their thought. This workshop addresses one of the most common hurdles in simultaneous interpretation: interpreting for speakers with rapid delivery.

In this session, participants will explore the cognitive demands of fast-paced interpretation, learning how to identify and navigate these challenges effectively. They will delve into speech analysis techniques, enabling interpreters to recognize different types of fast discourse and differentiate between essential and non-essential information, thus managing cognitive load more efficiently. By honing the ability to make split-second decisions, interpreters can ensure their rendition remains clear and accurate even when the speaker is moving at a rapid pace.

Attendees will also gain hands-on experience with practical strategies for managing fast speech, including how to adjust phrasing, manage stress, and maintain focus under pressure. These tools, while particularly useful for fast speakers, are also applicable to a range of interpreting scenarios, ensuring that interpreters can consistently deliver polished, high-quality interpretations—no matter the speaker’s pace.

Through examples and focused practice exercises, participants will leave with a toolkit of strategies to tackle challenging speakers with confidence and precision. By the end of this workshop, interpreters will be better equipped to handle high-speed interpretation while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and professionalism.

Objectives: In this workshop, participants will explore the cognitive demands of interpreting for fast-paced speakers, learning how to identify and manage the challenges of rapid speech. They will practice speech analysis techniques to distinguish between essential and non-essential information, helping to reduce cognitive load and maintain clarity. Participants will also gain practical strategies for managing stress, adjusting phrasing, and staying focused under pressure. These tools will help interpreters make split-second decisions, ensuring accuracy and professionalism, even when speakers are moving quickly. While the focus is on fast speech, the strategies covered will be applicable to a range of interpreting scenarios. By the end of the session, interpreters will leave with a toolkit of techniques to confidently handle high-speed interpretation.

LEVEL: All Levels
LANGUAGE: Language Neutral
PRESENTER: David Gilbert, Ph.D.

This workshop aims to improve the ability of attendees to conduct research on topics related to translating and interpreting and to write with confidence and persuasiveness. Attendees will be encouraged to rethink the way they conduct research and to improve their ability to write for publication. Research methods will be discussed along with analytical approaches to vetting sources, capturing research findings, and crafting arguments. SSTI members will share their personal experiences from researching and publishing in the field of translating and interpreting in addition to offering hands-on practice with research and writing strategies. The practical aspect of the workshop will provide attendees with an opportunity to explore research methods and apply their writing skills with guidance from experienced researchers. Attendees will be shown how to capture and maintain the intended readership’s attention and how to craft evidence-based arguments.

Attendees will learn strategies to further develop important research and writing skills relevant to judiciary interpreting and translating. The workshop will equip attendees with tools that will enable them to conduct research in the field of translating and interpreting, and to write with purpose. To that end, attendees will learn how to apply research strategies, and how to identify and target their intended audiences.  Attendees will also learn how to apply effective writing conventions using appropriate writing styles, and when to cite references using the correct format. Importantly, attendees will be shown strategies to critically analyze their own writing. The key learning outcome is for attendees to improve their ability to write with clarity and influence on matters pertaining to judiciary interpreting and translating.