Audiovisual Translation in LSP – A Case for Using Captioning in Teaching Languages for Specific Purposes

Abstract

Audiovisual translation, or producing subtitles for video materials, had long been out of reach of language teachers due to sophisticated and expensive software. However, with the advent of social networking and video sharing sites, it has become possible to create subtitles for videos in a much easier fashion without any expense. Subtitled materials open up interesting instructional opportunities in the classroom, giving teachers three channels of information delivery for flexible use. The present paper deals with the phenomenon of subtitling videos for the ESP classroom. The author starts with a literature review, then presents implementation models and classroom procedures. Finally, technical solutions are outlined.