Mediation
The CEFR presents mediation as a mode of communication with many different aspects. In our engineering teaching context, we find it useful to focus on the aspect of relaying information. We see mediation as a teachable, reflective process that aims to raise awareness regarding the importance of mediation when relaying information in different contexts.
For example, engineers might need to read technical specifications of a product and then relay them to marketing professionals in a way so that they will be able to market the product. This would require reformulating the tech specs:
- for a different purpose: from informational to marketing-oriented
- for a different audience: engineers to marketing professionals
- into new modes: written specs into a spoken presentation and slides
We [the Engineering SIG Committee] call these three parameters contextual parameters. Engineers reformulate material from one context for another one, defined by these contextual parameters.
In order to reformulate material for new contexts, different pragmatic parameters might need to be adapted:
- organization of information
- language (e.g., vocabulary, sentence structure)
- signposting
- sentences/bullets/phrases
- media (e.g., visuals, audio)
- paralinguistic features (for spoken production/interaction)
It is our belief that if practitioners can make visible both contextual and pragmatic parameters, then mediation can be taught and practiced. The mediation Can-Do statements below are organized according to: (1) the number of contextual/pragmatic parameters and, (2) the genre of the information being mediated. This organization reflects the level of complexity involved in successful mediation.
Mediation/Relaying information | |
---|---|
Advanced 2 (Mitkadamim Bet) | Can relay specific information of a professional engineering text and explain its relevance in another context that differs by two to three context parameters and two to three pragmatic parameters. Example: reformulate a description of a technology into written/spoken pitches for investors. |
Advanced 1 (Mitkadmim Aleph) | Can relay the main point(s) contained in semi-professional engineering texts in another context that differs by two to three context parameters and two to three pragmatic parameters. Example: reformulate a reported science text for a general audience into an academic poster presentation for other students. |
Basic (Besisi) | Can relay self-selected information given in straightforward informational texts in another context that differs by two context parameters and two to three pragmatic parameters. Example: reformulate a spoken informational text for a general audience into a written text/infographic for students. |
Pre-Basic (Trom Besisi) | Can relay the point made in short, clear, simple messages, and instructions in another context that differs by one context parameter and one to two pragmatic parameters. Example: reformulate a simple written procedure/description into a short video, such as how to use a coffee machine. |