INTERNSHIP REPORT

http://ffl.hcmute.edu.vn
 FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

INTERNSHIP REPORT

Place of internship: RIO ENGLISH ACADEMY

Address: 12/C1, X1 Street, An Phu Ward, Thuan An District, Binh Duong Province,
Vietnam

Intern’s instructor: Nguyen Thi Yen Hoa

FFL’s supervisor: Tran Đinh Thanh Long

Student’s name: Le Thi Thao Student ID: 18131102

Specialization major: Technical Translation and Interpretation

Internship duration: from February 26th to May 15th, 2022

 Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................2
CHAPTER 2: INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION..........................................................................3
2.1 Description of the internship company.....................................................................3
2.1.1 General information.............................................................................................3
2.1.2 Mission and vision...............................................................................................4
2.2 Description of the internship position......................................................................4
2.2.1 Office work............................................................................................................4
2.2.2 Teaching work......................................................................................................5
2.2.3 Translation duty...................................................................................................6
CHAPTER 3: REFLECTION ON THE INTERNSHIP.............................................................7
3.1 Practical translating skills..........................................................................................7
3.2 Accumulated experience............................................................................................8
3.3 Challenges encountered during the practicum........................................................8
CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................10
4.1 Conclusion................................................................................................................ 10
4.2 Recommendations....................................................................................................10
4.2.1 To the organization............................................................................................11
4.2.2 To the university.................................................................................................11
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In the course of this report, I would like to express my gratitude to people who
helped me to complete this internship period.
First of all, I am grateful for the support of Mr. Tran Dinh Thanh Long, as my
supervisor instructing me on every procedure and explaining all inquiries during the
period. With numerous valuable comments and guidance, I have obtained a wealth
of experience and lessons to not only better my translating skills but also acquire
several necessary skills for my future career.
Secondly, many thanks also to Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen Hoa who gave me the chance
to conduct my internship period at RIO English Academy, which provides me with a
fantastic and dynamic working environment.
Finally, I would also like to convey my honest appreciation to my classmates – my
friends who are always willing to share knowledge and practical experience for
supporting and encouraging me in completing my tasks.
In short, my heartfelt thanks go to all people supporting me to conduct my
internship period in the best way possible.
My best regards,
Le Thi Thao

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 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
As part of the curriculum, seniors of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Ho Chi
Minh City University of Technology and Education are required to participate in a 10-
week internship. The practicum is considered an indispensable part of the academic
career for any student in case of applying theories to the actual working environment
and consequently, broadening their specialized knowledge and developing personal
skills. Real circumstances may be different from the classroom environment. Hence,
this would motivate them to step out of their comfort zone and to be more well-
equipped for their future career.

This internship report is the summary of what I have learned and practiced over 2
months from February 26th to May 15th, 2022 at RIO English Academy. The place is
in accordance with my specialization in Translating and Interpreting, as well as my
personal interest which is related to children's education.

During the 10-week course there, I have had the opportunity to learn what is an
insight of an internship, mainly focusing on the particular aspects of translating.
During the internship, I was responsible for translating and proofreading documents
related to teaching, or events taking place at Ho Chi Minh City University of
Technology and Education from English to Vietnamese, and vice versa. For me, the
practicum was a great chance to apply the knowledge of translation that I have
studied at university to practical work, as well as familiarize myself with the
professional workplace. After the period, I could sharpen my translation competence,
and acquire pragmatic skills. I believe this is the first crucial step into an actual
environment, helping me become more conscious of my career choice, and getting
me in a better shape for job-seeking upon graduation.

This report would include a brief overview of the company as well as an explanation
of how my internship was conducted and my responsibilities at the organization. I
would also share my observations and experiences working as an intern for RIO
English Academy. Moreover, the suggestions to the Faculty of Foreign Language
and the organization would be presented in this report.

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 CHAPTER 2: INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION
2.1 Description of the internship company
2.1.1 General information
Company name: RIO ENGLISH ACADEMY
Address: 12/C1, X1 Street, An Phu Ward, Thuan An District, Binh Dương Province
Tel: (+84)983549392
E-mail: yenhoa.rio@gmail.com
Picture 1. The logo of the company

The company was established in 2020, offering high-quality and student-centered

English courses for kids.

Rio English Academy is operating under the management of Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen
Hoa - the Managing Director, who has studied and worked in the field of education
and has a lot of experience in educating and imparting knowledge to children.

This company also has the support and consultation of MA. Tran Dinh Thanh Long
- co-founder cum Head of RIO English Academy, who is currently working as a
lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, mainly
teaching Translation Theory and Practice. He obtains valuable knowledge and
experience in the translation field, which significantly supported me while I was
working as an intern.

The company has an enthusiastic team of teachers and teaching assistants who
have taught and motivated many students to learn and practice English.
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 2.1.2 Mission and vision

RIO English Academy aims to lead students to achieve measurable English

competence and confidence in using English for communication by providing an
interactive and stimulating learning environment based on the use of
communicative techniques, creative instructional methods, technology-related
resources, and enthusiasm of the staff.

Moreover, the company focuses on kids who live on the outskirts of Binh Duong
province which nearly offers no approach to English-speaking environments.
Understanding this obstacle, RIO English Academy desires to create an effective
and dynamic environment for young students to enhance their English speaking
skills.
2.2 Description of the internship position

As a senior student of the Faculty of Foreign Languages with a specialization in

Translation and Interpretation, I was mainly entrusted with the tasks of editing,
proofreading, and reviewing documents and materials from English to Vietnamese
and vice versa. I have also worked as a teacher who takes the responsibility of
making lesson plans and delivering the content.

2.2.1 Office work

Description

Office skills also play an important role for many positions, helps to increase
productivity and efficiency of the working process. Taking this responsibility helped
me get into practice essential office skills including organizing and managing files,
using office software, and photocopying.

Implementation process

The first task assigned to me was a warm-up. I had to complete several duties that
required a certain degree of responsibility in which I got to organize and enter
students' information into the company's administrative software as well as arrange
the schedule for classes.

In addition, I was in charge of making tests for students. This required me to know
what exactly we want to test to make students' and instructors' experience of
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exams more useful.

2.2.2 Teaching work

Description

It is often said that teaching duty is not a simple job but it is the biggest chance for
me to interact and communicate with my students during the process of working as
an intern. That is to say, this duty has brought me a precious experience in the field
of teaching, especially kids’ education.

Implementation process

As a teacher, this duty includes many tasks such as taking attendance and
controlling the classroom, coming up with ideas and preparing for lessons in an
exotic and interesting manner, arranging essential teaching facilities before the
class, delivering the content of lessons effectively to students.

Apart from the tasks I performed related to office skills, I had to complete the
responsibilities of taking attendance and controlling the classroom. This is not
difficult and complex but requires flexibility and skills in communication with kids.
When working, I have to understand the feelings and train of thought of children to
be able to behave properly with them. I tried my best to engage students in learning
and keep them focused on tasks or activities during the lesson, as well as
supporting the social and emotional development of students.

Furthermore, before starting every class, I was liable for making lesson plans which
are considered an indispensable part of a successful lecture. The requirement of
combining both essential knowledge and creative activities took me a lot of time to
complete the duty. I had to search for many sources related to kids' education and
teaching techniques in order to cultivate my work as well as make the lessons
diverse and more fun every day.

After the lesson, I was in charge of writing reports and noticing issues as necessary
to the intern’s instructor. In some cases, I had to be a student’s friend who is able
to manage challenging behaviors as well as solve emotional problems.

2.2.3 Translation duty

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Description

The translation is a drastically important part of my internship, but it is also one of

the most challenging jobs. Since during the process of working, I encountered
several difficult situations and problems. It is not overwhelming and it gives me a
chance to learn the ropes of what professional translators do every day.

Implementation process

My final task, or one of my major tasks, was to edit draft English translations of
some news. These translations were about the events being held at Ho Chi Minh
City University of Technology and Education such as Eco Party, the 30th Vietnam
Informatics Olympiad, the celebration of the 91st founding anniversary of Ho Chi
Minh Communist Youth Union, the grand finale of the innovative architecture
competition “IAUTE 2022”, the preparation for welcoming students back to school
and so on. From my own observation and knowledge, the draft translations were
not well done and not totally exact, which forced me in a thorough rework. I realized
that the original document in Vietnamese was especially verbose and unclear so I
had to spend a considerable amount of time analyzing the content of the sentences
in order to make them more concise and comprehensive. Sometimes, we do not
need to translate some words as long as any information in the Vietnamese text is
not omitted. With the aim of completing these translations in the most correct
manner, I tried my best to find and correct all mistakes that I have noticed or even
conduct any improvements that I believed necessary. However, after receiving
feedback and consultancy from Mr. Tran Dinh Thanh Long, I recognized that I
edited some unnecessary sentences. If the translation is not wrong, we do not
need to implement any improvements. As a result, I not only practiced my
translation skills but also learned how to proofread in a delicate way.

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 CHAPTER 3: REFLECTION ON THE INTERNSHIP

The internship was a useful learning curve for students with minimal practical
experience. With the pressure of completing duties and the fortune of receiving
proper training, assignments and responsibilities, I have gained many valuable
experiences and lessons through the practicum at RIO English Academy.

3.1 Practical translating skills

The internship offered me a distinctive opportunity to develop professional skills

and I was able to apply my knowledge and translating techniques in real situations.

At school, I learned many techniques for translating general texts, news, contracts,
and technical materials. I had the chance to revise my specialized knowledge due
to the nature of the job, that is, translating, finding, and correcting mistakes.
According to what I have learned, the translator can utilize any approach with the
unique goal to make their work as similar to the source material as possible. In
terms of translating authentic Vietnamese sentences into English, we could ignore
some words in a sentence as long as the content is not changed or the coherence
between paragraphs was kept. For example, " Eco-Party 2022 kết thúc đã để lại
nhiều cảm xúc trong lòng các bạn sinh viên tham dự." - "Eco-Party 2022 has left
various emotions in students’ hearts.". In this case, we can omit the word " kết
thúc" and "tham dự" while still keeping the original meaning of the sentence and
making it more coherent in the target language.

The next valuable lesson I learned from my supervisor is the delicacy of

proofreading. Having the capacity to objectively assess any translation, whether it
belongs to one of my friends or, on a bigger scale, I wanted to correct the
translation according to my own viewpoint. Specifically, I wanted to change some
words, and structures that are believed to make the sentence shorter and clearer.
However, the advice of my supervisor helped me acknowledge that my work is not
the best work; because everyone has their own ego, weaknesses, and strengths.
Most importantly, the corrector has to show respect for the original translator by
appreciating their translation version.

What I have learned during my internship is not only skills and knowledge related to
my specialization but also the soft skills that are truly essential and useful for my
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future profession.

3.2 Accumulated experience

Apparently, the internship was a precious opportunity allowing me to contact with a

real-world circumstances where any trouble can happen, which helps me obtain a
lot of worth lessons.

Firstly, the internship enables me to understand the difference between academic

and real-world contexts. I have practiced and absorbed a lot of skills in my
coursework, but I still need to learn more in the workplace. In the academic setting,
we normally have everything planned and organized before we begin working on it.
However in the workplace, I need to be able to work independently. I also need to
be able to work under pressure and fulfill deadlines that are not always set by me.
It is often said that a combination of these two learning environments could create
the greatest performance for final-year students who are about to jump into the
actual working environment.

Next, this internship is a great way to get a feel of company cultures and learn
about the day-to-day tasks. I learned to be more patient, appreciate and accept all
the tasks given at the workplace as they will give us knowledge and experience
regardless of difficulties and deadlines. I am aware that what I learned was not
drastically profound, but it would certainly build a satisfactory foundation for me to
explore and expand myself in order to be a valuable individual to employers in the
future.

Finally, I have improved my time management skill. With the mixture of the school
curriculum and the internship, it was easy to neglect and miss the deadline. I had to
plan and exercise conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific
tasks, especially to keep the balance between my study and my duties at the
internship company. Furthermore, I needed to identify what I need to do initially,
and not squeeze all tasks until near the deadline.

3.3 Challenges encountered during the practicum

As a student who had never worked in a business before, it was inevitable that I
would encounter certain obstacles during my internship.

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The first thing that appears in my mind is the requirement of working with children.
This is a bit challenging for me to work with many children who are all adorable but
obstreperous. Many skills were necessary for me to acquire in order to become
acquainted with the working environment for children such as how to deal with their
problematic behaviors, and how to deliver the lesson clearly and concisely for them
to understand.

Secondly, I struggled with the responsibility of creating lesson plans. In the few first
days, everything went smoothly and successfully, however, I appeared to run out of
fascinating ideas for class activities. To keep the interest and enthusiasm of
children who are likely to lose concentration easily, I had to refresh the way of
conducting activities for each lesson. In this case, I had to spend a significant
amount of time observing and learning about many effective teaching approaches
online. Nevertheless, putting theory into practice was not always successful and
failure was inevitable. This forces me to do further study for making a more decent
performance.

Finally, the translation courses I attended at university were related to the technical
sector, but the documents that I was in charge of were in the field of education and
school events. This prompted me to research and select appropriate terms for the
writing styles of those sources. Nevertheless, I believed that it was a fantastic
chance for me to challenge myself as well as gain some experience in translation in
the future.

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 CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 Conclusion

The internship was a helpful chance for me to interact with a professional working
environment in general and translating jobs in particular. I was provided a deep
understanding of how the real translating job is conducted.

After 10 weeks of working as an intern at RIO ENGLISH ACADEMY, I was

facilitated to apply theoretical knowledge at university into practice through many
activities and tasks that I was given to do at the company. I have truly improved
many translation skills and absorbed beneficial knowledge that supports the current
understanding and shortage of what I have learned at university.

Thanks to the advice and comments of the supervisor and instructor at the
company, I am able to find out my strengths and weaknesses relating to
translation, which helped me identify what knowledge, skills, and techniques I need
to better in the future. Moreover, I got many different ideas from different versions
of translation and interacted with other interns, which contributes to my creativity
and vocabulary resources. One of important results is the improvement of my soft
skills such as communication, time-management and organizational skills.

Before starting my internship, I expected to gain some translation skills and

valuable knowledge to enhance and support my specilization. However, beyond my
expect, the internship was so fun and meaningful for my academic path. Apart from
studying at school, having a chance to work at a professional workplace over 2
months was a great period to experience an exotic land and get rid of the boredom
of study. As a result, I would be encouraged to continue enhancing myself to be a
better translator.

I appreciate everything that was given to me throughout the internship as each

problem and experience served as a reward for me to be more self-equipped and
self-informed for my future career. Once again, thank you for all assistance
provided to help me complete the internship as best as possible.

4.2 Recommendations

Sincerely, thanks to the enthusiastic assistance of professora as well as the

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internship organization which offers favorable conditions for me to complete my
internship successfully. However, as an English-majored student in the FFL of
UTE, I would like to give some suggestions that I believe would facilitate the
practicum.

4.2.1 To the organization

After the internship, I have a few recommendations as follows. To teach the

children, the company should equip more visual aids that are effective in attracting
their students’ attention. The visual aids also help children remember new terms in
a simple and straightforward manner. Therefore, I hope that it will be provided with
more visual equipment to boost the teaching performance better.

Secondly, I would also advise the organization to continue offering internship

arrangements to as many students as possible as some students have been
unable to get this crucial experience.

4.2.2 To the university

With the aim of enhancing the performance of the organization for the future
internship, I would like to give some recommendations as follows.

First, it is essential to conduct regular supervision and monitoring of students in

order to help them in obtaining internship opportunities that are appropriate for their
specific university programs. This ensures what interns are doing at the internship
company is relevant to their specialization, which helps them to gain actual values
and lessons over the internship. In addition, they can be built a foundation for their
further study and be able to recognize the difference between theory and reality.

Furthermore, the internship programs should be encouraged since it assists

students prepare for their future jobs and helps them prevent being surprised when
entering a real-world environment. Besides, it aids in the development of students'
awareness of work ethics, expectations, duties, and opportunities.

THE END

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