Design and development parameters for a rapid automatic screening test for prospective simultaneous interpreters

Abstract

It would be convenient if a candidate interested in a career in simultaneous interpreting could take a test that would accurately indicate whether or not that person has the aptitude and skills required to start a course in simultaneous interpreting with a reasonable chance of success. This paper suggests that a reliable and efficient testing procedure valid for this use, taking less than an hour to administer and score, could be delivered on demand at a reasonable cost. The paper first proposes such a testing procedure, building on existing techniques in spoken language testing, then outlines the development steps and material needed to build, calibrate, and validate such a testing system. The development of this testing procedure would result in a completely automatic instrument for selecting candidates for admission to interpretation training programs. Other potential uses for the procedure would include both monitoring student progress during training and screening candidates for certification exams, although details of the item selection and scoring might differ across the three uses.