Magna Voce workshops are designed for interpreters who want focused, practical training on specific skills and topics. All workshops are offered online, allowing interpreters from any location to participate and grow professionally.
Note-Taking Workshops
Consecutive interpretation depends on effective note-taking. Our note-taking workshops go beyond generic advice, teaching a systematic approach to symbol development, layout management, and retrieval under pressure.
In our Note-Taking 101 course, participants establish their personal symbol inventory and learn spatial organization techniques that support accurate rendition. Note-Taking 102 builds on this foundation with high-density exercises drawn from actual court proceedings, challenging interpreters to manage complex testimony with confidence.
We also offer specialized Note-Taking Labs, providing small-group practice sessions where participants receive individualized feedback on their note-taking technique and delivery.
Simultaneous Interpretation Practice
Simultaneous interpretation is one of the most demanding skills an interpreter can develop. Our practice sessions use graduated exercises that progressively build cognitive capacity, from shadowing and cloze exercises to full simultaneous interpretation of varied material.
Sessions are available in language-specific (English-Spanish) and all-language formats, accommodating interpreters working in different language pairs. Each session includes debriefing discussion where participants analyze their performance and identify areas for improvement.
Sight Translation Labs
Sight translation presents unique challenges that differ from both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Our labs provide structured practice with authentic documents including legal pleadings, medical records, contracts, and official correspondence in both English and Spanish.
Participants learn techniques for previewing documents efficiently, managing complex sentence structures, and maintaining register accuracy when translating on sight.
Legal and Medical Terminology
Specialized terminology is essential for professional interpreters. Our terminology workshops cover:
- DUI and traffic law terminology for court interpreters
- Family and juvenile law vocabulary and procedures
- Medical terminology for healthcare interpretation
- Law enforcement jargon and procedural language
- Immigration court proceedings and terminology
Ethics Continuing Education
Many interpreter certifications require continuing education credits (CEUs) in ethics. Magna Voce ethics workshops satisfy these requirements while providing substantive professional development that goes beyond checkbox compliance.
Our ethics offerings explore real scenarios and dilemmas that interpreters encounter in practice, encouraging participants to develop principled approaches to challenging situations.