Addressing the Challenges of Simultaneous Interpreting for Undergraduate Students: A Structured Training Approach

The paper examines the challenges and difficulties undergraduate students face in simultaneous interpreting and how these can be effectively addressed through training. The study aims to explore students’ perceptions of the obstacles encountered during simultaneous interpreting and develop a structured training program informed by their feedback. The methodology employed in this study involved a structured questionnaire designed to assess the perceptions of student interpreters regarding the challenges they face in simultaneous interpreting. Data analysis included calculating means and standard deviation for each item, revealing that participants recognized the complexity of simultaneous interpreting. The study suggested a training program based on trainees’ feedback to improve their knowledge and procedural competence to overcome these challenges and difficulties in practicing simultaneous interpreting professionally. After identifying the specific obstacles student interpreters perceive, the study suggested training programs through corrective exercises and tasks based on these findings to improve trainees’ competence and performance in simultaneous interpreting. The structured training program should be followed to enhance trainees’ linguistic and cognitive competence, cultural proficiency, and interpreting skills. The results highlight that while students acknowledge the existence of significant challenges, they collectively reject the notion that these challenges can be easily overcome. The results imply that a structured training program is needed for the trainees to overcome the obstacles they face in simultaneous interpreting. The training program includes the structural and cultural differences between English and Arabic. The significance of the study lies in its practical contribution to interpreter education by addressing real-world difficulties identified by trainees and offering corrective exercises and targeted tasks. This approach ensures that training aligns with students’ needs and equips them with the procedural competence necessary for professional simultaneous interpreting