
(1+1&,17+(())(&7,9(1(662),17(535(77,21
35&7,&(7+528+528335(6(177,21
1HQ7KL4QKRQ
3KDP7KLHQ
Email:quynhhuong138@gmail.com,pthien@uneti.edu.vn
Received:05/08/2024
Revised:17/02/2025
Accepted:26/02/2025
DOI:10.59266/houjs.2025.536
EVWDFW Translation can be considered the fth special skill - an advanced skill
WRHWKHLWK R VLVKV LPSRLQDQG SDWLLQWKLV VLSDVD LDSDW LQ
teaching translation and interpretation majors. Up to now, not many studies have been
DLHG RW RQ HQKDQLQ LQWHSHWDWLRQ SDWLH WKRK PDLQ RS SHVHQWDWLRQV
Thisarticle,asaresultofresearchconductedduring8weeksinthe2
QG
term(2023-2024),
showslearners’improvementinvocabularyandexpression,togetherwithequivalenceand
using body language in interpretation practice. The method mainly relies on qualitative
methods,includingtheteacher’sclassroomobservation,note-taking,andlearners’surveys.
Thendingsareexpectedtoenrichteachingmethodologyforthosewhoareinchargeof
LQWHSHWDWLRQRVHVLQWDLQLQ(QLVKPDMRVDWQLHVLWLHV
.HRV
enhance,eectiveness,practice,interpretation,grouppresentation.
HoChiMinhNationalAcademyofPolitics
UniversityofEconomics-TechnologyforIndustries
,,QWURGFWLRQ
While atranslationcourserequires
ODUQUV R RFV PFK RQ UDLQJ DQ
writing skills, an interpretation course
demands to concentrate heavily on
listening and speaking skills. Regarding
interpretation, time pressure to express
KVSDNUVVSFKLQDRULJQODQJDJ
SUFLVODQLPPLDOLVKSULPDU
requirement. In fact, there are many in-
class activities, such as role-playing
(speaker, interpreter, assessor, audience),
individual working, pair working, and
group working, enabling students to
improve their interpretation skills. This
articlerevealsthendingsofresearchon
improvinginterpretationpracticeinclass
through group presentations for nal-
DU (QJOLVK PDRU VQV VSFLDOLLQJ
LQ UDQVODLRQ DQ LQUSUDLRQ D K
UniversityofEconomicsandTechnology
for Industries (UNETI). The research
heavily relies on qualitative methods, in
which teacher observation, note-taking,
andsurveyonlearners’opinions,aswell
as test results, are conducted during the
FRUV LQ K
Q
semester (2023-2024).
The eectiveness of group presentations

FDQ E VQ LQ VQV SURJUVV LQ
linguisticandinterpretingcriteria.
,,/LWHUDWUH5HYLH
2.1. Denition and characteristics
ofinterpretation
The Cambridge Dictionary denes
LQUSUDLRQDVFKDQLQKDWVRPHRQH
LV VDLQ LQWR DQRWKH ODQDH
(dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/
English/interpreting). Pochhacker
(2007)identiesLQWHSHWLQ LV RP R
translatinginwhichrstandnalrendition
LQDQRWKHDQDHRDQWWHDQHLQD
VRH DQDH”. Similarly, Christoels
and Groot (2005) state, LQWHSHWLQ LV
a complex task where the interpreter is
RWLQH LQRHG LQ RPSHKHQGLQ
bringing,andproducingstyleatthesame
WLPH In the denition, the scholars
indicatespecialfeaturesofinterpretation,
suchasspeakingmode(saying,utterance)
RKDKKDUDQLPSUVVUDK
VDPLPRUQDUODKVDPLPDVK
speaker). They also mention the process
and procedure, including understanding,
processing, and producing the style
VLPODQRVO ULQJ K VSDNUV
speech. Based on these characteristics,
a very close relationship exists between
speakingandinterpretation.Accordingto
Ur(2000),speakingisthemostessential
LQDFKLQJDQODUQLQJDODQJDJDPRQJ
thefourskills.Surely,interpretationmust
cover many factors, and speaking plays
themostimportantpart.
2.2. Denition and characteristics
ofpresentation
AccordingtotheOxfordDictionary,
presentation is dened as‘KH LLQ R
VRPHWKLQWRVRPHRQHHVSHLDDVSDW
RDRPDHHPRQDQLQKNLQR
DQRQVSHHKRWDLQKLKDQH
SRGW LGHD RSLHH R R LVVKRQ
and explained to an audience’. Thus,
SUVQDLRQ FDQ E QUVRR DV K
abilitytodeliverinformationcondently
and persuasively to engage and
inuencetheaudience.Inapresentation,
informationisconveyedfromspeakersto
audience and it is typicallyintroduction,
demonstrations, a speech or a lecture
withtheaimtoinform,inspire,persuade,
buildgoodwill,motivate,orpresentanew
ideaoraproduct/service.Atuniversities,
presentationiswidelyapplied,especially
in language classes. Barbara Gross
(1993), in RRV R HDKLQ VUVVV
KD SUVQDLRQ QDEOV ODUQUV R
VPRUDQPPRULORQJUKDQRKU
teaching tools. Moreover, applying in-
classpresentation,asconcludedbyApple
& Kikuchi (2007), creates opportunities
RUODUQUVRVKRULJQODQJDJLQ
themostnaturalway.
2.3.Criteriatoassessinterpretation
As discussed above, speaking
SODV DQ VVQLDO URO LQ UDQVUULQJ
K VSDNUV VSFK URP RQ ODQJDJ
to another. So, referring to the criteria
to evaluate interpretation cannot help
mentioningcriteriatoassessspeaking.In
Hieke’sopinion(1985),thefourcriteriaof
speakingevaluationincludetheabilityto
usevocabulary,theabilitytopronounce,
grammar accuracy, uency, and
RKHHQH.Indetail,hesuggeststhatthe
abilitytousevocabularyisresortedtothe
DSSURSULDRUVLKKFORVVPDQLQJ
to the speaker’s intention. At the same
time, pronunciation covers pronouncing
vowelsandconsonantscorrectly,aswell
as sentence stress and intonation. The
FULULRQRJUDPPDUDFFUDFLVDVVVV
via sentence structures and exibility of
usingbothsimpleandcomplexsentences.

Incontrast,uencyistheabilitytospeak
English easily at the average speed of
native speakers. Together, uency and
FRKUQ SUVVLRQ DU RKU LPSRUDQ
DFRUV LQ PRQVUDLQJ D VQV
speaking level. A good speaker needs
to have clear ideas and know how to
link those ideas together. To ensure
that, students need to clearlyunderstand
FRQQFLQJ RUV DQ NQR KR R V
them uently in the communication
process.Whenlearnersareabletoexpress
themselves coherently, their speaking
levelwillincreasesignicantly.
In the study on developing a scale
RU DVVVVLQJ QUJUDD VQV
consecutive interpreting conducted
on Korean students, Lee, S. B. (2015)
reviewed42criteriatoevaluateinterpreter
SURUPDQF QU KU FDJRULV
RQWHQW RP DQG GHLH DQ
shortlisted into 22 criteria, in which
seven criteria for content, seven for
form,andeightfordelivery.Inaddition,
a questionnaire survey was conducted
RQ  LQUSUU UDLQUV R LQL K
DSSURSULDQVV R LJKLQJ RU DFK
category. He concludes that the RQWHQW
category shouldbe assignedan eective
HLKW R  KLH WKH RWKH DWHRLHV
need not be weighted (i.e., weighting
value: 1). At UNETI, the criteria of
evaluating consecutive interpretation are
EDV RQ LQLVWL LJK  SRLQV
(pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar,
and sentence structure) and LQWHSHWLQ
LWHLD weighted 7 points (equivalence,
naturalness, speed and response, non-
verbalcommunication,andcompleteness).
,,,0HWRGV
7K SUVQ V UVRUV K
mixed method, in which qualitative
PKRV LQFO K DFKUV FODVVURRP
observation, note taking, feedback, and
the survey on learners’ opinion. The
quantitativetechniquescomefromgiving
PDUNV DQ VDLVLFV URP K VQ
survey. Before conducting the study,
the teacher evaluates via a pre-test in
consecutive interpretation and the post-
test at the end of the course. The same
V DV DSSOL RU VQV DV K SU
testandpost-test,whichwasthevideoof
CNN news on 07 Feb 2024, ‘&DLRQLD
agreeson$2Bsettlementforstudentshurt
byCovidshutdown’onyoutube.comCNN
10. The video includes talks and short
interviews, while the news onVTV1 on
KVDPDEDVFKRVQ
astheVietnamese-Englishone.7KLP
VSDQ EQ K SUV DQ SRVV
waseightweeks.
7K JURS SUVQDLRQ DVVLJQPQ
is given at the beginning of the course
‘AdvancedTranslationandInterpretation
inUse’sothattheycanpreparewell.Each
JURSFRQVLVVRVQVRUPRQ
theirownchoice.Thetopicsforpresentation
DU VLDEO LK KRV PRQVUD LQ
thecoursebookcurrentlyused,including
RSLFVLWH(GDWLRQHQGH
equality,Healthcare,Festival,Economy,
Environment, Hi-technology, Transport,
SRWV (PSRPHQW DQG &WHV 7K
RSLF FKRVQ E K DFKU LV DVVLJQ
RQO D N RU SUSDUDLRQ ERU K
SUVQDLRQ VR KD K SUSDUDLRQ
time is equal among groups. After the
presentation, each group had to collect
words/phrases related to the topic into a
glossaryandsharethemwithothergroups.
7K SUVQDLRQ PV E RQ
PowerPoint slides and delivered for
approximately 30 minutes. The aim
LV R SUDFLF (QJOLVK  9LQDPV
and Vietnamese - English consecutive
interpretation. The requirements include

choosing a speech (video preferentially)
ofthegiventopic(5-7-7-minutelength)
on the B2-C1 level and performing
interpretation. The speeches with video
VOFRUKSUVQDLRQDUJDUDQ
the naturalness of the originallanguage.
7KD PDQV K (QJOLVK9LQDPV
LQUSUDLRQPVEVSRNQE(QJOLVK
nativespeakersandtheotherVietnamese
-EnglishperformedbyVietnamesenative
ones.Eachgroupmembermustspeakoutin
thepresentation.Studentshavetointerpret
everysmallparagraphof3-4sentences/a
pause. At the end of the presentation, a
JDPRUTLRQKRSLFVPPDUVKRO
bedoneasanadvantageandaplusforthe
group.Theresearchlasted8weeks,from
earlyFebruarytolateMarch2024,infour
classesDHNNA14A1-A4HN,withatotal
of179studentsontheB2-C1level.
7K DFKUUVDUFKU QRV KU
observationsoneachgroupandmember.
Attheendofeachgroup,theteachergives
feedback, and the classmate’s comments
andmarksaregiven.Theteacher’snotes
follow the two criteria of evaluation at
UNETI: linguistic criteria(3 points) and
interpretationcriteria(7points),shownin
detailinTable1.
Table1.CriteriaforassessinganinterpretingtestatUNETI
&RPSHWHQFH HWDLOHGFULWHULRQ 6FRUH
DQJDJ
FRPSQF
Pronunciation,voice,andtone
Vocabulary,grammar,expressions
Interpreting
FRPSQF
Equivalence
PurelyVietnameseorEnglishstyle(naturalness)
Paceofdelivery 0.5
Interpretationstrategiesandbodylanguage
Completeness 0.5
7RDO 
(Source:FacultyofForeignLanguages,UNETI)
Inthisstudy,‘interpretationstrategies’
and ‘completeness’ are excluded because
allofthestudentshavefullledtheirtask,
and‘interpretationstrategies’areembedded
in ‘equivalence’. Also, a survey of nine
multiple-choice questions about uency,
speed,coherence,response,abilitytouselong
sentences, and non-verbal communication
wasconducted.Thequestionsaredesigned
onGoogleFormsanddeliveredattheendof
thecourse,afterthegrouppresentations,and
afterthepost-test.
,9)LQGLQJVDQGGLVFVVLRQ
4.1. Group observation, note-
taking,feedbackfromtheteacher
/DQDHLWHLD
The students showedtheir creativity
andintelligenceintheirpresentations,which
surprised the teacher. The speeches with
videomainlycomefromveryupdatedand
reliablesourceslikeCNNorBBCinEnglish
and VTV1 in Vietnamese. Especially,
K QDPLOLDU DQ FKDOOQJLQJ RSLFV R
agriculture, environment, health-care, or
gender equality,… students prepare very
well,notonlypresentingtheirinterpretation
skill, but also providing knowledge for
audience. For example, on the topic of
agriculture, students wisely choose the
top tenoutstandingeventsof 2023shown
on VTV1 end-of-year news, in which
9LQDPV DJULFOU LV VR EULJK LK
manyachievementsintheglobaleconomic
recessionaftertheCOVID-19pandemic.
7K VQV SURQQFLDLRQ DQ
intonationgenerallyprovequitegoodwith

correct word stress and sentence stress.
However, some members make errors
whenpronouncingdicultwords/phrases,
VFK DV patient, capacity, distribution,
equality, patriotism, tax incentive,
GHRHVWDWLRQ HQLRQPHQWD LHQG
categorization,racialdiscrimination,etc.,
orsomestudentsuseaatintonationand
monotonousvoice.Raisingupandfalling
downintonationwassometimesmisplaced.
Thevocabularyismainlyacademic,witha
neutraltoneandformalstyle.Therewere
stillsomeerrorsinverbusewhichisoften
confusing,suchasRDQGRPHHQG
and ‘borrow’, ‘make’ and ‘do’, ‘bring’
DQGWDH,orsomecommoncollocations
VSRNQ E9LQDPV SROLLFLDQV VFK DV
‘ansinhxãhivphúclixãhi’,(social
security and social welfare) ‘lm đ ăn’,
(income and expense balance), ‘cung đ
cầu’ ( suppliesmeetdemands),...In terms
ofverbtenses,learnerstendedtousepast
VLPSOLQVDRSUVQSUFRLQUSU
the word ‘đã PE LQ 9LQDPV
VQQFV KRJK K DFLRQ KDV ODV
to the present. Sometimes, they made
mistakeswiththeprepositions‘VLQHDQ
‘RPandusedboth‘DWKRKand‘but’,
both‘because’and‘VRLQDVQQFR
negativetransference.Themistakesinthe
OLQJLVLF DVSFU USRU ULJK DU
D SUVQDLRQ E K DFKU VR KD K
JURSLVODQKROORLQJJURSVFRO
avoidthem.Oneremarkablethingwasthat
thelatergroupslearnedfromtheprevious
ones’errorsandadjustedpromptly.
Interpretationcriteria:
In general, students usually
SURUP (QJOLVK  9LQDPV
interpretation more uently than
Vietnamese - English one. The learners
felt more condent and easier to utter
ORQJU VQQFV LQ 9LQDPV KDQ LQ
English.However,somespecializedterms
also generated challenges for students,
like ‘market segmentation,’ ‘global
recession,’ economic crisis,’ ‘sexual
harassment behavior,’ embarrassment,
HHQKRVHHPLVVLRQLQHDVLQDLQ
population,’ ‘being redundant,’ over-
RRDGIt took them timeto nd out
the equivalence in Vietnamese (phn
đoạn/phnkhúcthtrường,suythoiton
cầu, khng hoảng kinh tế, hnh vi quấy
rối tnh dục, khí thải nh kính, gi ha
dnsố nhanh, b mất vic, qu tải vic
lm...).Somestudentssawdicultyand
KVLDLRQ LQ LQUSULQJ (QJOLVK QRQV
formed from verbs into Vietnamese by
choosing the wrong word of category,
e.g.economicHRHsphụchồikinh
tế), the VWQH RU RPQV TDOL
cuc đấu tranh giành quyền bình đẳng
của phụ nữ), conservatively traditional
WKLQLQ lối suy nghĩ truyền thống bảo
thủ), the authorities’ problem-VRLQ
cchgiảiquyếtvấnđềcủacácnhàcầm
quyền)... Sometimes, the phenomenon
R OLQJLVLF UQDQFV DV KDU E
VQV KQ K LQUSU (QJOLVK
complexsentenceswithrelativepronouns
LQR9LQDPVKHVSHSRHQDWLRQV
KR WDH RQWR RHWKH RG WDGH
balance...)ortransferredpassivevoicein
EnglishintoactivevoiceinVietnamese(It
was believed that...). These expressions,
more or less, aected the naturalness of
theirinterpretation.
Mostofthestudentshadquitegood
preparation and good memory, so they
delivered the presentation at amoderate
pace;justafewofthemspokequitefast.
Usually, when interpreting gures and
propernames,thestudentstendedtoslow
RQKLUVSFKRUVKRUSDVVLQKLU
expression. In terms of interpretation
strategies, there was not much specialty
apartfromliteralandsemanticstrategies.
However, body language used by the
ODUQUVQREPQLRQKQK
earlygroupsfacedtheirsmartphones,not
lookingat the audience.Anotherremark
OD LQ KLU DFLDO SUVVLRQ DQ 