The aim of this paper is to investigate the role played by the observation of expert performance in simultaneous interpreter training. Firstly, the research literature on example-based learning in the fields of educational psychology and cognitive science is explored. Theoretical frameworks and practical teaching models, which have been developed and adopted in a wide variety of domains, are described to support the idea that it is highly beneficial to regularly provide graduate students in interpreting with a model of expert performance. Existing proposals for example-based learning by interpreter trainers are then reviewed and their advantages and disadvantages discussed. These proposals drawn from Interpreting Studies literature are examined according to three macro-categories: teacher demonstration, conference observation, and drills based on multimedia resources which provide access to professional performance, including interpreting corpora. The result is an inventory of theoretical insights and practical suggestions useful for both teaching and self-study, with the intention of expanding the toolkit available to trainers and students.
