Readiness of Future Interpreters to Provide Professional Activity

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to create a conceptual model of professional
development of a translator, as well as to conduct an empirical study to determine
the level of readiness of a future specialist to perform a professional activity.
Methods of the research. The following theoretical methods of the research
were used to solve the tasks formulated in the article: a categorical method,
structural and functional methods, the methods of the analysis, systematization,
modeling, generalization. Also in the research we used experimental method,
such as ascertaining experiment.
The results of the research. The conceptual model of the professional
development of a future translator was constructed in our research. It was
stated that that model would necessarily include professional readiness for
performing the activity. Willingness is characterized by the different nature of
the interconnections of its structural components (a cognitive component –
knowledge of a foreign language, a linguistic one – linguistic competence,
the component of implementation – communication skills). Considering the
readiness of a student as a component of person’s intercultural communication
as a set of individually significant psychological factors of a specialist, we (taking
into account the diagnostic goals) have identified the characteristics of different
levels of the development of each of the factors of readiness, which we mean
as a criterion basis for studying the phenomenon of students’ readiness for
organizing the process of successful intercultural communication. The first (a
cognitive) component is considered in the context of this study as varying levels
of foreign language acquisition. In fact, in our opinion, a cognitive component
of readiness contains the linguistic competence of the person, as well as his/
her communicative skills and the peculiarities of using them in the process of
translation activity.
It was emphasized that a specialist’s readiness for professional activity
contained three components: a) motivational readiness; b) meaningful
readiness; c) operational readiness. Considering that the professional activity
of the translator is characterized by axiological orientation, it was stated that
the translator’s readiness for professional activity would also contain the fourth
component, we call it «valuable readiness».

Conclusions. The need for creative activity of students of all faculties of
foreign philology had mostly been high, and professional qualities which
determine the formation of components of readiness for translation are at the
stage of intensive forming, such as: the awareness of the need to bring the matter
to a logical conclusion, mastering the basic means of translating, orientation in
interpersonal relationships. Also, the high level of translation activity of students
in each group is fixed at the level of no more than 25%, which indicates that
students are not enough professional.
Thus, the professional development of a person is a holistic, dynamic process
well organized in time, characterized primarily by the formation of professional
intentions, then – by the acquisition of knowledge and mastery of skills and
abilities, and so to a full realization of oneself in creative pedagogical activity.
The main contradiction of professional formation is, as a rule, the contradiction
between well-developed personality traits and the objective requirements of
leading activity, the significance of which is that it largely determines the further
development of the individual as a subject of professional activity. Realizing
himself / herself in the process of leading activity, the person gradually changes,
which leads to the restructuring of the motives of his / her own professional
activity, the formation of new personal characteristics, qualities and traits.