by Carola Lehmacher
Interpreting is often compared to riding a bike: even if you stop biking for a while, you can always get back on and, after a bit of wobbling, you feel steady again. This “riding a bike” analogy may feel comforting but is extremely misleading.
For interpreters, knowing how to interpret is only the beginning. Staying ahead of the curve requires continuous work on strategies, coping techniques, terminology, and performance skills. In other words, competence is not acquired once—it must be maintained and refined.
One key difference between riding a bike and interpreting is confidence. We can get back on a bike without much thought, but we shouldn’t step into a courtroom or accept any assignment without preparation. And the only way to build that confidence is through practice. Practice needs to be deliberate and scheduled outside of paid assignments, at regular intervals that reflect each interpreter’s goals. For instance, someone preparing for a certification exam will practice differently from someone focusing on a specific skill or expanding their terminology of a specific field.
Practice without a plan is just busywork. So, before you hit “record,” ask yourself these questions:
What is my goal?
Decide in advance what you are practicing for. Are you trying to activate new vocabulary, work on a specific interpreting skill, or eliminate fillers like “ums” and “ahs” from your rendition?
What material will I use?
Choose material that aligns with your goal. If you are working on medical terminology, an article on politics is not the best choice.
How much time do I have?
Your available time will determine the length of the material you work with. Make sure to reserve time not only for interpreting, but also for listening to your recording and evaluating your performance.
How will I assess my performance?
Once you have a goal, evaluate only that goal. There is little value in listing every mistake if it is unrelated to what you are working on. Note broader patterns for the future but keep your focus narrow. If you are working on false starts, don’t punish yourself for a few verb conjugations—save that for another session.
How am I tracking my progress?
We improve one step at a time. A practice log—whether a spreadsheet or a notebook—can help you see that progress. Record the date, your goal, the materials you worked with, and your observations. Stay with a goal until it becomes second nature before moving on to the next one.
Deliberate practice is not about doing more—it’s about doing it smarter. Mindless practice won’t make you better; it will simply reinforce bad habits. Deliberate practice, on the other hand, helps you identify those habits and replace them with more effective strategies. And the first step to that awareness is simple: listen to your recordings.
Happy practicing!
Carola’s BIO:
Carola Lehmacher is a multi-lingual freelance translator and interpreter with over fifteen years of experience working with government and industry at executive and operational levels. She holds two university degrees in Translation Studies and a master’s degree in Conference Interpreting. She is a Federally Certified Court Interpreter (FCCI) and a Master Licensed Court Interpreter in Georgia. Carola works as a conference interpreter for various local and international clients and is one of the voices of a major news network. Moreover, she is a licensed trainer of The Community Interpreter® International and dedicates many hours to volunteer as Chair of the AAITE Ethics and Standards Committee, as Advisory Member to the Georgia Commission on Court Interpreters, member of the Positions Paper Committee of NAJIT, and as President of AAIT, the Georgia chapter of ATA.