Language Learning Bridge: How Translation and Interpreting Training Impacts Bilingual Proficiency in Heritage and L2 Learners

Cristina Lozano Argüelles^*Aida Martinez-Gomez

• John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York City, United States

Translation and interpreting training offers a promising context for advancing bilingual proficiency, integrating skills development while bridging second language acquisition and translation studies. This study investigates the development of bilingual oral proficiency over a semester and examines how bilingual profile, learner type, and initial proficiency impact language development. Twentythree bilingual learners-primarily heritage Spanish speakers-completed the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interviews and background questionnaires before and after one semester of translation and interpreting coursework. Although neither English nor Spanish proficiency significantly improved in heritage or second language learners, students with lower initial proficiency made greater gains, highlighting that initial proficiency influences expected improvements over a semester. These findings underscore the complexity of bilingual development and suggest that translation and interpreting courses can be both a professional end and a means of language development. This approach holds promise for enhancing proficiency among diverse learners, especially those starting at intermediate levels. While the study was conducted at a Hispanic-Serving Institution, its implications extend to other higher education contexts serving bilingual or multilingual student populations.