In this module, we have considered translation as a communicative activity and as a means of enhancing language learning. Therefore the activity of translating should occur after the presentation of language material, once students are familiar with the vocabulary and the structures. The activity of translation will add variety to the process of consolidating those structures, as well as developing other skills.

As we saw earlier, in order to produce an acceptable text, translators need to:

• understand the requirements of the brief;
• read and fully understand the source text;
• identify problem areas;
• search for the right sources of reference;
• select appropriate choices;
• produce a draft;
• proofread and edit the translation;
• produce a final version;
• be able to justify their decisions.

In order to engage fully in the process of learning to translate and in order to produce satisfactory texts of their own, students too will need to be involved in each of these activities.

As a result of the grammar-translation method, traditional translation classrooms usually involved the teacher asking students to 'translate' a text at home and then bring it back for corrections, which were usually made against an 'ideal' translation provided by the teacher. However, translation does not have to be a solitary experience. In real life, translations can happen as a result of team work. As we saw earlier, translators need to talk to customers, to experts in the field, to search through sources, and so on. This variety of activities can easily be transferred to the language classroom. Furthermore, recent research on translation pedagogy - Hurtado (1999), Kiraly (1995), Weatherby (1998) - highlights the advantages of a task-based approach (see Module 4).

Thus, the translation class can be broken down into sub-skills or sub-objectives, and the translation can be produced in stages (and marked accordingly). As the acquisition of translation competence gradually develops, it is important that the skills learned are transferred from one session to the next. Here are some suggestions:

• Group work: students can read the brief, analyse L1 and L2 texts, identify the main differences between the two texts and then discuss the principal (linguistic, cultural) difficulties. Students can also focus on particular problem areas and highlight the main differences. They might then produce a draft of the ST. This type of comparison could also lead to discussions about topics such as food and eating habits in different countries, while at advanced levels, questions relating to the textual qualities of both texts such as clarity or register type could also be addressed.
  
  
• Classroom discussion: students can compare and discuss different versions, problematic structures (identified by students or the teacher); overhead transparencies can be used to put up the different versions.
  
  
• Individual work can happen after the basic groundwork has been done in the classroom, with students producing their own translation at home. This exercise could also incorporate a peer assessment task, in which students assess each other's work according to issues discussed in class and following a set of guidelines established beforehand.

In contrast with more traditional formats, students here have a more active and creative role. The focus of the activity is on both the student and on the translating process. Teachers therefore become 'task managers', pointing out problem areas, inconsistencies, and, above all, raising awareness of specific (linguistic and cultural) issues.