Managing Nerves and Increasing Performance in Interpreting Assignments

This project aims to find techniques that increase confidence and reduce nerves/performance anxiety of SLAS students while undertaking interpreting assignments for unit U23546. The selected students will have four individual tutorials with Learning Development tutor Laura Seddon (two before their mock exam in TB1 and two before their final exam in TB2). Students will be encouraged to reflect on why they get nervous, how their body reacts to nerves, their current coping strategies and will have the opportunity to practice different techniques to see if these increase their performance. The individual tutorial discussions will be recorded, students will be encouraged to keep practice diaries and they will have an exit interview with the unit coordinator (Carmen Pasamar) to give their feedback on the process. The results will be used to benefit the whole group in workshops given by Learning Development Tutors, development of Moodle materials and may contribute to further research on nerves and interpreting.