Mediation

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What is mediation in English teaching?

Have you ever noticed how your understanding of something often develops when you try to explain it to someone else? That’s the result of mediation, a core facet of communication that occurs when we take into account the needs of others, and adjust our own expression accordingly.  When we mediate, we don’t just think about what to say, but also how to say it. This often results in new meanings and ways of communicating them as a result. In general, mediation includes activities that:

• Aid understanding between people
• Make things more comprehensible
• Make connections between ideas and information
• Support ‘talking things through’ to reach new conclusions

How does the mediation fit in the CEFR?

Mediation has become a hot topic of discussion in language learning recently because the concept has been significantly updated in the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

The CEFR now gives us detailed descriptions of what learners ‘can do’ in a whole range of mediation activities at levels A1-C2. These descriptors have been published in the CEFR ‘Companion Volume’ (2018).

A key thing to note here is that the CEFR doesn’t break things down into four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. Instead it describes four ‘modes’ to better reflect how communication occurs in real life: 

• Reception: comprehension in listening and reading
• Production: formulating something new to say or write
• Interaction: engaging in conversation or written exchanges
• Mediation: adjusting the message for the recipient