Premium
The Pedagogue as Translator in the Classroom
Author(s) -
Dobson Stephen
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of philosophy of education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.501
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-9752
pISSN - 0309-8249
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9752.2012.00852.x
Subject(s) - translation studies , argument (complex analysis) , criticism , subject (documents) , sociology , linguistics , pedagogy , field (mathematics) , meaning (existential) , bridging (networking) , teaching method , mathematics education , psychology , epistemology , computer science , philosophy , literature , art , computer network , biochemistry , chemistry , mathematics , library science , pure mathematics
Translation theory has faced criticism from professional translators for adopting an ivory tower stance to the ‘real world’ challenges of translation. This article argues that a case can be made for considering the challenges of translation as it takes place in the school classroom. In support of such an argument the pedagogue as translator is seen to occupy a pivotal position, such that the insights from translation theory, understanding translation as an inter‐linguistic act, can be combined and bridged with the burgeoning field of translation pedagogy, focusing on how the practice of (inter‐linguistic) translation might be taught and learned in the school classroom. Extending the sphere of influence of translation, it is argued that the pedagogue as translator is concerned with teaching pupils in the classroom how to engage in making meaning in their respective subjects. This requires acts of translation from and with something heard or seen with respect to the subject concerned, in order to make into personal knowledge. After an initial presentation of a particular understanding of translation theory inspired by W alter B enjamin's famous essay on ‘ T he T ask of the T ranslator ’, examples of bridging are presented in the teaching of translation skills in two classroom subjects: teaching E nglish as a foreign language and teaching natural science.