Project (008) Development of a Curriculum for Training Oral Translation Consultants

Summary 

Project Name: Development of a Curriculum for Training Oral Translation Consultants
Contact Person: Evelyn Gan, evelyn_gan@wycliffe.net; Matthew Bore, matthew_bore@wycliffe.net

Start Date: 1 July 2025
End Date: 30 June 2026

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Background Information 

Oral Bible Translation (OBT) continues to meet the needs of oral communities, ensuring the Bible is accessible and culturally relevant.  It impacts over 3,000 language groups without written forms. Organisations like Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) and The Word for the World (TWFTW) report that over 200 projects have started, accelerating Gospel reach where traditional translation was previously impossible. With the growing number of OBT projects and the current bottleneck of consultant checking, there is a greater need to train more consultants, especially for oral translations.

Development of a curriculum or syllabus to equip orality practitioners with skills and knowledge is therefore crucial in growing consultants for OBT.  

Determination of the Need 

With the rapid growth of Oral Bible Translation (OBT) projects worldwide—estimated to be in the hundreds and expanding annually—there is an urgent need to develop a structured curriculum to equip orality practitioners with the foundational skills required to become OBT consultants. Currently, nearly all consultants checking oral translations in Alliance organization projects come from a written translation background, despite over 3,000 languages being primarily oral and over 1,200 oral language communities still lack access to the Scriptures in a form they can understand.

Many experienced orality practitioners—including those involved in OBT, Oral Bible Storying, oneStory, and other oral Scripture engagement methods—lack a clear, structured training pathway to transition into consultant roles. Without enough trained consultants, oral translation teams face significant bottlenecks in the checking process, delaying the delivery of accurate, natural, and culturally appropriate Scripture to communities still waiting to hear the Word in their own languages.

In many organizations involved in OBT, consultant training is hands-on and focused on the specific methodology used within that organization. Our proposed training aims to provide a broader foundation that prepares consultants to work across multiple methodologies, promoting collaboration, flexibility, and best practices in a variety of OBT contexts.

This project seeks to fund the development of a high-quality, structured Oral Translation Consultant Training Curriculum, which will provide a clear pathway for orality practitioners to begin their journey toward becoming consultants.

The curriculum development will begin with a face-to-face meeting of experienced OBT consultants from July 28 – August 1, 2025, in South Africa where the team will define the key competencies required for oral translation consultants and outline the core training modules. A second follow-up meeting in Q1 2026 will allow for refining and structuring the curriculum. The pilot training workshop will be conducted in Q2 of 2026 to test the effectiveness of the curriculum and gather feedback for further improvements.

Strategy/Solution

To ensure the successful development of the Oral Translation Consultant Training Curriculum, we propose the following approach:

1. Face-to-Face Curriculum Development Meeting (July 28 – August 1, 2025). Johannesburg, South Africa
   • Gather a team of experienced OBT consultants to outline key competencies for oral translation consultants.
   • Define the core learning objectives and essential skills to be covered in the curriculum.
   • Identify gaps in existing consultant training approaches and determine best practices for orality-focused consultant training.
2. Refinement and Structuring of the Curriculum (Q1 2026), Johannesburg South Africa
   • Conduct a second working meeting to refine the curriculum structure and finalise content.
   • Develop training materials, including case studies, consultant-checking simulations, and assessments.
   • Align the curriculum with the best practices in OBT consultancy.
3. Pilot Training Workshop (Q2 2026)
   • Conduct a one-week pilot workshop to test the curriculum with orality practitioners who have experience in OBT, Oral Bible Storying, and oneStory.
   • Evaluate how well the training materials support the development of consultant skills.
   • Gather participant and facilitator feedback for curriculum improvement.
4. Post-Pilot Refinement and Finalization (Q4 2026 – Q1 2027)
   • Revise and finalise the curriculum based on the pilot workshop’s findings.
   • Develop a long-term implementation strategy for scaling up training efforts.

By funding the development of this curriculum, we will establish a sustainable training model that will serve OBT projects long-term.

Project Goals 

This project aims to:

• Develop a structured Oral Translation Consultant Training Curriculum.
• Establish a clear training pathway for orality practitioners to begin their development as consultants.
• Provide a replicable training framework that can be used in future workshops.
• Ensure that OBT projects have access to properly trained personnel who can support consultant checking.
• Lay the groundwork for long-term mentorship and consultant training initiatives.

Rather than producing fully trained consultants immediately, this project will enable experienced orality practitioners to start their development toward becoming OBT consultants.

Desired Results 

By the end of this project, we expect to achieve the following outcomes:

• A well-developed curriculum designed specifically for training OBT consultants.
• A successful pilot workshop that tests the effectiveness of the curriculum.
• At least 20 orality practitioners equipped with foundational consultant-checking skills and a clear path to further training.
• A structured training model that can be replicated in future workshops.
• A network of mentors and trainers to guide participants through further consultant development.

This project is a critical first step in ensuring that future OBT consultants receive high-quality, structured training while building upon the expertise of orality practitioners already working in the field.

Project Activities 

1. Face-to-Face Curriculum Development Meeting (July 28 – August 1, 2025)
   • Define the key competencies required for oral translation consultants.
   • Identify training needs and best practices for OBT consultant development.
2. Curriculum Development and Refinement (Q1 2026)
   • Structure the curriculum into clear learning modules.
   • Develop interactive training materials, including case studies, role-playing exercises, and consultant-checking simulations.
   • Create assessment tools to measure participant progress.
3. Pilot Workshop Implementation (Q2 2026)
   • Conduct a one-week training workshop to test the curriculum.
   • Train at least 20 orality practitioners, providing them with foundational consultant-checking skills.
   • Gather feedback on the effectiveness of the curriculum.
4. Post-Workshop Review and Refinement (Q4 2026 – Q1 2027)
   • Analyse participant feedback and assessment results.
   • Make necessary refinements to improve the curriculum.
   • Develop an implementation plan for future consultant training initiatives.

Monitoring and Evaluation 

To ensure the successful development and implementation of the Oral Translation Consultant Training Curriculum, we will use a multi-phase monitoring and evaluation strategy.

Phase 1: Curriculum Development Monitoring (July 2025 – Q1 2026)

• Specialist Review – Gather input from experienced OBT consultants to ensure the curriculum aligns with best practices.
• Development Milestones – Track progress in finalising core competencies, training materials, and assessments.
• Peer Review – Engage key stakeholders in reviewing and refining training content before pilot testing.

Phase 2: Pilot Workshop Evaluation (Q2 2026)

• Pre-Workshop Assessments – Evaluate participants' existing knowledge and experience in OBT, Oral Bible Storying, and oneStory to identify skill gaps.
• Real-time Feedback – Use daily reflections, debriefs, and participant surveys to make real-time improvements to the training sessions.
• Workshop Facilitator Evaluations – Gather feedback from instructors and facilitators on curriculum effectiveness.

Phase 3: Post-Workshop Follow-up (Q4 2026 – Q1 2027)

• Post-Workshop Evaluation – Measure participants' improvements in understanding consultant-checking principles and their ability to apply them in OBT projects.
• Follow-up Support – Conduct virtual check-ins, webinars, and mentorship to assist participants in applying learned skills.
• Impact Assessment – Track participants’ involvement in OBT projects and their progression toward consultant roles.

This evaluation process will ensure that the curriculum is continuously improved and that the training model remains relevant and effective.

By proactively identifying potential risks and preparing alternative solutions, we will strengthen the project's resilience and ensure successful execution.

Estimated flight Cost:

1. Thomas Hong, Dallas: $1,900
2. Jon Haahr, Florida: $1,900
3. Angie Foo, Sentani, Indonesia $1,600
4. Evelyn Gan, Malaysia: $1,100
5. Sebastian Floor, Cape Town: $150
6. Bonifacio Paulo, Mozambique, $340
7. Margie Lumawan Manila: $1,600
8. Prosper Nongnide, Benin, $1200
9. Marcia Suzuki, Los Angeles $2,000
10. Stephanie Jose $2,000

Total estimated cost: $13,790

Resources 

The curriculum development, pilot workshop, and post-training mentorship will require the following resources:

1. Teaching Staff and Facilitators

• Curriculum Development Team – Experienced OBT consultants and trainers contributing to curriculum design.  The team will comprise of consultants from the following organisations:
  • WGA
  • Wycliffe South Africa
  • SIL
  • Seed Co.
  • CRU
  • Spoken International
• Pilot Workshop Facilitators – Trainers specialising in oral translation consultant development.
• Mentors & Coaches – Experienced consultants providing post-training mentorship and virtual support.

2. Administrative and Logistical Support

• Project Coordination – to oversee planning, scheduling, and logistics.
• Workshop Administration – Facilitating participant registration, workshop materials, and session scheduling.

3. Curriculum Development Resources

• Training Materials – Development of handbooks, case studies, consultant-checking exercises, and assessments.
• Technology Support – Online learning tools for post-training mentorship and follow-ups.
• Translation & Adaptation – Ensuring materials are accessible to diverse linguistic and cultural contexts.

The focus is on curriculum development, ensuring a quality, scalable training model for future OBT consultant training initiatives.

Conclusion 

The Oral Translation Consultant Training Curriculum Development Project is a crucial initiative that will provide the foundation for training future OBT consultants. By investing in the research, design, and pilot implementation of a structured curriculum, this project will address the bottleneck in consultant availability and equip orality practitioners with a clear pathway toward becoming consultants.