Did I say that?
Are we done teaching through an interpreter?
Have you spoken or taught with an interrupter (otherwise known as an interpreter)? It is an interesting experience that you hope was edifying to the hearers (and not boring those in the audience who understood English). I once had a meeting where I had three interpreters for the various languages of hearers. By the time it got back to me… “Now where was I?”
How much analytical comprehension is lost by ‘dumbing down’ our teaching so the translator can attempt to communicate? What confidence do you have that the interpreter understood your teaching and therefore communicated the truths accurately to the students/hearers?
Allow me to share from my experience. I was once asked to teach a doctrines class in Egypt (their first mistake was that they asked me to teach doctrine). So, I approached it from a practical standpoint (and other teachers there were looking at what I had on the whiteboard, wondering what I was teaching). About halfway through the class, my interpreter figured out what I was doing and helped me finish (hopefully well). What the students learned I am not sure, the test I gave was completed in their language and dealt with by others. (By the way, I was not invited back.)
On the other side of the same experience, one of the students decided to write his paper in English. It was submitted to me for grading and I gave it an 85 due to content (ignoring the very obvious second language issues). This grade was unacceptable for one of the school’s finest and what the faculty did with the paper grade and class grade no one told me – did I say that I was not invited back?
The last time I taught in Myanmar will likely be the last time I teach in Myanmar. Because of the former British Empire, higher education in Myanmar is taught in English. Great! Us Americans can teach in English without an interpreter! That is until you realize that most (even 4th year students) only understand a limited amount of what is taught. This became incredibly evident when the final exam asked a question about the teaching on a particular verse in I Timothy. Only one student out of the forty students answered the question based on the class. All others gave answers that misrepresented the text and perhaps represented what they had heard somewhere else. With no time to correct the class, I made notes on all exam papers (except one) and left a note for the college administrator – Don’t ask me to teach again!
OK, it could be that I am just a lousy teacher. However, how many of me are there; out there teaching classes, giving grades, graduating students to take their learning from us to their world. Scary isn’t it!
I once taught a class in India. One of my students begged me for a scholarship to further his education in another Seminary. Though it was against my policy, I finally said that I would if his academic record showed him to be an exceptional student. The record was opened and he was just an average student according to his grades, 60’s and 70’s (I think I gave him a low 70 for my class, passing according to his country’s grading standard). But…wait a minute…here in his record were three 100’s. What are these classes? The Dean of Students looked and said, “Oh…American lecturers”.
Is there an alternative? Yes, especially in our world today! The English language is taught in most countries because parents and students believe learning English is a means of getting ahead. Why not bring together experienced American teachers and selected nationals (teachers, laypeople) who understand English WELL. Let our people train the national believers in the best of our learning. Then let them go to their people and teach in the vernacular.
I still remember teaching in India and my interpreter listened to my short sentence and then proceeded to interpret for several minutes. I looked at him and asked, “Did I say all that?” “No,” he replied, “I was just explaining what you said.” Tell me, who should have been teaching the class? If I had anything of value to offer, I should have shared it with him and watched him teach the class. Recently, whenever I was given an opportunity to preach, I found my interpreter and went through the outline before the preaching. Still, I wonder if I should not just give him my notes and sit back and listen to him preach.
As Bible translators work diligently with local people to select the best words to translate the Scripture accurately, let our teachers work with local people to ensure that the most accurate teaching is then being presented, understood, and applied by students who will then go out and change the world.
