Next year a new CTE pathway will be coming to our school. It is a SSP Translation and Interpretation Pathway run by a few of our Spanish teachers. SSP stands for Secondary Specialized Program and are programs that include a new developing curriculum that provides a comprehensive study of a specific subject. This pathway focuses on translations between Spanish and English.

Students will have the chance to learn how to become translators and interpreters for English into Spanish. This course will be offered to any Native Spanish Speakers or any students who have completed Spanish 3 and are interested in becoming an interpreter and translator. Students who want to take the course should make sure they have a pretty good understanding of the Spanish language beforehand. Ms. Clyne, a Spanish teacher here at Santa Barbara High School is the head of this pathway. She is directing course one and Ms. Marzicola and Ms. Mendoza are helping her write and plan course two. 

Course one will be focused on writing. During this course the students will develop their translation skills using written passages. As for course two it will be focused on interpretation. Students will learn how to translate English to Spanish as it’s spoken. This pathway will be extremely beneficial to anyone who chooses to take it. There are many Spanish-speaking parents in our school district and interpreters and translators are needed to translate forms, presentations, etc. Outside of our school district translators and interpreters are a crucial piece in many workplaces and communities. So even if students take the course and they don’t want to be a translator/interpreter, the knowledge they learn from this pathway will still help them in the future no matter what career path they choose to take. 

The course will include many opportunities to carefully discuss and reflect on tasks translators perform while analyzing fundamental differences in writing techniques and grammar structure in Spanish and English. Students will learn the concepts of translation theory. They will practice translation by analyzing and translating literature, healthcare, legal, business, advertisement, and educational documents. This will challenge students and help them grow their skills. Students will also grow their knowledge on issues relating to the translation profession including ethics, decision-making and professional standards. Ethics and correct representation of the spoken and written language will be emphasized during the course. This course will be a great opportunity for anyone interested in becoming a translator/interpreter in the future or just for anyone who wants experience in this field. 

The teachers involved with this pathway hope that there will be internships available within our community for students taking the course. This would be an amazing learning experience and very helpful while applying for college or getting a job. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States and translators are wanted and needed almost everywhere. Ms.Clyne, the lead for this pathway, describes her thoughts on what she is working to create, “This is a great opportunity to help native speakers and those who want to take their Spanish to the next level.” 

Students will be able to take this pathway starting next school year. So if you are interested then consider picking this course when you register for classes. It will be a special educational experience to broaden your knowledge of the Spanish Language and will open the door to many new opportunities.

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