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E7 E - Mediate in a longer short conversation

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E7 E - Mediate in a longer short conversation

Mini-description: Mediate several connected pieces of information in a bilingual role-play. Ask when something is unclear. Choose what your listener really needs.

Your mission: You are the language bridge. Do not translate every word. Understand, select, explain, check.

Einleitung

You are at a station with two people who do not share the same language well. One person has useful information. The other person needs it quickly. You mediate.

This course is for English as a first foreign language, class 7, E-level, Baden-Württemberg. The focus is mediation, speaking, listening and clear interaction.

English first → try → context/media → hint → German help if needed.

The learning path is: notice → understand → try → use → communicate → feedback → improve → use again.

I-can goals

I can pass on several connected pieces of information.
I can ask for clarification when I am not sure.
I can select important information for my listener.
I can change my wording when my listener needs simpler English.
I can keep a short bilingual conversation going.

Media start: What is happening here?

Look at the board for 20 seconds.

What information could a traveller need?
Which details are easy to mediate: time, platform, destination, delay?
Which details might need a clarification question?

Do not translate the whole board. Pick what a person in a real situation would need.

Before you start: quick warm-up

Say one useful English phrase for each situation:

Situation	Your phrase
You did not hear a number.	______________________________
You are not sure about a place.	______________________________
Your listener looks confused.	______________________________
You need to shorten a long message.	______________________________

Hint: Could you say that again? / Did you mean ...? / The important thing is ... / You need to know that ...

Notice and understand

What mediation means here

Mediation is not a word-for-word translation. You listen or read, decide what matters and pass it on in a useful way.

A strong mediator does three things:

Select: What does this person need?
Clarify: What is still unclear?
Adapt: How can I say it so this person understands?

Imagine an English-speaking visitor asks about three places on the sign. You have German notes from a local person. Your job is to connect both sides.

Model situation: Bus change

Fictional profiles only:

Person	Role
Mia	German-speaking local student
Ben	English-speaking visitor
Alex	bilingual mediator

Situation: Ben wants to reach Riverside Skate Park and be back at Central Station by 5:30.

Mia: „Der Bus 8 fährt heute wegen einer Baustelle nicht über Harbour Street. Man soll am Market Square aussteigen und ungefähr fünf Minuten laufen. Zurück fährt der Bus alle 20 Minuten. Wenn Ben um halb sechs am Bahnhof sein muss, sollte er besser den Bus um 16:40 nehmen.“

Ben: “I need to get to Riverside Skate Park. My map says Harbour Street. I also need to be back at Central Station by 5:30.”

Alex: “The number 8 has a different route today. Get off at Market Square and walk for about five minutes. Buses back run every 20 minutes. If you need to be at the station by 5:30, the 4:40 bus is the safer choice.”

Ben: “Sorry, did you say 4:40 or 4:14?”

Alex to Mia: „Meinst du 16:40?“

Mia: „Ja, genau. 16:40.“

Alex: “Yes, 4:40.”

Notice: Alex does not translate every sentence. Alex keeps the useful details, checks the unclear time and answers Ben directly.

Your turn: spot the mediation moves

Match the move to the line from the model.

Move	Example
Select	“The number 8 has a different route today.”
Adapt	“Get off at Market Square and walk for about five minutes.”
Clarify	„Meinst du 16:40?“
Confirm	“Yes, 4:40.”

Listening and viewing

Watch the BBC Learning English video above once without stopping.

First viewing: What is the problem?
Second viewing: Note two polite phrases for asking for directions.
Third step: Which phrase could help in a mediation role-play?

Try first.

Hint 1: Listen for polite openings.

Hint 2: Listen for phrases beginning with “Excuse me ...” or “Could ...”.

German help if needed: Achte darauf, wie höflich um Hilfe gebeten wird. Du brauchst nicht jedes Wort zu verstehen.

Second media challenge: clarification

Listen for a phrase that helps when directions are unclear.

Then say your own version:

“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you __________?”

Possible idea after your own try: repeat that.

Reading

Read for meaning, not for every word

German notice:

„Am Samstag ist das Jugendzentrum ab 15 Uhr geöffnet. Der Skate-Workshop beginnt um 15:30 und kostet nichts. Helme können ausgeliehen werden. Wegen einer Schulveranstaltung ist der Haupteingang geschlossen. Benutzt bitte den Seiteneingang neben der Sporthalle.“

Your English-speaking friend asks:

“Can I join the skate workshop, and where do I go?”

Give a short answer in English. Include the useful information only.

Hint 1: start time + price + entrance.

Hint 2: “It starts at ... It’s ... Use the ...”

German help if needed: Wichtig sind hier Startzeit, Kosten und Eingang. Die Öffnungszeit des Jugendzentrums ist nur wichtig, wenn sie für die Person relevant ist.

Vocabulary in context

Use phrases as tools, not as isolated vocabulary.

Function	Useful English
Ask again	Could you say that again?
Check a detail	Did you mean 4:40?
Check understanding	So, I need to get off at Market Square, right?
Select information	The important thing is ...
Add a connected detail	Also, ...
Give a reason	because ...
Make information listener-friendly	For you, the easiest option is ...
Correct yourself	Sorry, I mean ...

Mini challenge: choose the best phrase

Your partner says: “Platform fourteen.”

You are not sure whether they said fourteen or forty.

Say one clarification question aloud.

Then compare with: “Sorry, did you say fourteen or forty?”

Pronunciation

Clarity matters more than accent.

Practise these short chunks:

Could you say that again?
Did you mean sixteen?
The important thing is ...
You need to get off at Market Square.
So that’s the 4:40 bus, right?

Focus on the key word. Slow down numbers and place names when they matter.

Private option: You may record yourself only if you want to. Keep recordings private unless you actively choose to share them. Do not upload recordings to external services just for this task.

Speaking

Main role-play: Three people, two languages

Use three roles.

Role A – English-speaking visitor

You want to go to the River Festival. You need to know:

where to meet
when the music starts
what to bring
how to get back before 8 p.m.

Role B – German-speaking local

You know:

„Treffpunkt ist nicht mehr am Rathaus, sondern vor der Stadtbibliothek. Die Musik startet um 17:15. Wegen des Wetters sollen alle eine leichte Regenjacke mitnehmen. Die letzte direkte Busverbindung zum Bahnhof fährt um 19:32 vom Theaterplatz.“

Role C – mediator

Pass on the connected information. Do not read a full translation. Listen, select, ask if a detail is unclear and adapt the information to Role A.

Round 1: 60–90 seconds.

Round 2: Switch roles.

Round 3: Add one surprise question.

Less support, more freedom

Use only these four prompts:

What matters?
What is unclear?
What does this person need now?
How can I say it more simply?

Try to keep the conversation natural. Short pauses are fine.

Writing

Mediate a message

A German classmate writes:

„Wir treffen uns morgen um 14:20 am Eingang des Hallenbads. Bring bitte zwei Euro für das Schließfach mit. Handtücher kann man dort nicht ausleihen. Wenn du später kommst, schreib bitte keine Nachricht in die Klassengruppe, sondern melde dich direkt bei der Begleitperson.“

Write a short English message for a visiting student. Use about 45–65 words.

Do not translate sentence by sentence.

After writing, check:

Did I include the meeting time and place?
Did I include the money and towel information?
Did I adapt the final instruction clearly?
Is my English easy to understand?

Functional grammar

Grammar that helps you communicate

You do not need difficult grammar to mediate well.

Useful question patterns:

Purpose	Pattern
Ask politely	Could you + verb ...?
Check a detail	Did you mean + detail ...?
Confirm	So, + information + right?
Give advice	You should + verb ...
Explain a reason	... because ...
Connect information	First ... Then ... Also ...

Focus: correct word order, clear time expressions and useful connectors.

E-level look ahead: past perfect, controlled only

This is only a small preview, not the main target.

Example: “By the time we arrived, the bus had left.”

Use it only when you already control the simpler story. Do not force it into your mediation.

Not a focus here: passive voice and formal reported speech.

Graduated help

Help 1: English prompts

The main point is ...
You also need to know ...
Could you repeat the time?
Did you mean ...?
For you, the best option is ...

Help 2: Sentence starters

“You need to ...”
“It starts at ...”
“Because of ..., you should ...”
“Sorry, I’m not sure about ...”
“So, that means ...”

Help 3: German support

Nutze diese Hilfe erst nach einem eigenen Versuch:

relevant = für die Person wichtig
to clarify = etwas klären
to adapt = Informationen passend umformulieren
to pass on = Informationen weitergeben
to leave out = Unwichtiges weglassen

Direct feedback

After a role-play, your partner gives one short feedback sentence in English.

Area	Feedback starter
Information	You included the important details.
Clarification	Your clarification question was clear.
Adaptation	You made the message easy for me.
Interaction	You kept the conversation going.
Next step	Next time, try to ...

Feedback is about communication, not accent.

Mini-transfer

Imagine a German-speaking friend explains a route on this map. An English-speaking visitor needs only three things: where to change, which direction to take and where to get off.

Give a 30-second mediation.

Then change one condition: The visitor has heavy luggage. Adapt your advice.

Safe and smart use of media and AI

Use fictional names and fictional profiles in practice tasks. Do not post private social-media information.

Recordings are voluntary. Keep them private unless you clearly choose otherwise.

If you use AI for feedback, check whether the language fits class 7 E-level. Ask for feedback on your own text, not a replacement text. Do not send private recordings, names or personal messages to an external AI service without permission.

Self-check: Can I do it?

Choose one answer for each line: Yes / Almost / Not yet.

I can ...	Yes	Almost	Not yet
pass on several connected details	□	□	□
ask when a number, time or place is unclear	□	□	□
leave out information my listener does not need	□	□	□
use simple English instead of translating word for word	□	□	□
keep a bilingual role-play going	□	□	□

If you chose Almost or Not yet, repeat one role-play with Help 1 only.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What is the main goal of mediation in this course? (Pass on useful meaning for a specific listener) (!Translate every word exactly) (!Use the most difficult grammar possible) (!Speak without ever asking a question)

What should you do if you are unsure whether you heard 4:40 or 4:14? (Ask a clarification question) (!Choose one number quickly) (!Ignore the time) (!Translate the rest word for word)

Which phrase checks a detail clearly? (Did you mean 4:40?) (!You mean maybe something) (!I know everything) (!Please no question)

Which information is usually most important for a traveller? (The information that helps with the current task) (!Every detail from the original message) (!Only difficult vocabulary) (!Only information in German)

What does adapting information mean? (Making it useful and understandable for the listener) (!Changing facts) (!Inventing extra details) (!Using longer sentences)

Which phrase can politely ask for repetition? (Could you say that again?) (!Say it now) (!You are wrong) (!No idea)

What is a good mediation strategy? (Select clarify and adapt) (!Copy guess and finish) (!Translate memorise and recite) (!Read stop and repeat)

What matters more than sounding like a native speaker? (Being understandable) (!Speaking very fast) (!Using a perfect accent) (!Avoiding all pauses)

What should you do with an unclear place name? (Check the place name before passing it on) (!Invent a similar name) (!Leave out the whole message) (!Change it to a German place)

How should AI be used in this course? (For checked feedback on your own work) (!To replace your own speaking) (!To upload private recordings automatically) (!To create personal profiles of classmates)

Memory

clarify	ask when something is unclear
adapt	make information fit the listener
relevant	important for the current purpose
pass on	give information to another person
leave out	omit information that is not needed
confirm	check that information is correct

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Listen for the main message	Notice
Choose the useful details	Select
Ask about an unclear time or place	Clarify
Say the message in listener-friendly English	Adapt
Check whether the listener understood	Confirm

Kreuzworträtsel

clarify	What verb means to make an unclear detail clear?
relevant	What adjective means important for the current purpose?
adapt	What verb means to change wording for the listener?
confirm	What verb means to check that a detail is correct?
listener	Who receives your mediated message?
context	What helps you understand a message beyond single words?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Mediation phrase card: Create a small card with six phrases for asking, checking and confirming. Use English first and add German help only on the back.
Picture mediation: Choose one freely licensed travel picture and explain three useful details to a partner in English.
Number check: Create five mini-dialogues with times, prices or platforms. Add one clarification question to each.
Route voice note: Give a private 30-second route explanation. Recording is optional; you can perform it live instead.

Standard

Station role-play: Write role cards for a German local, an English visitor and a mediator. Include four connected details and one unclear detail.
Audience switch: Mediate the same German message once for a classmate and once for a younger child. Explain what you changed.
Video noticing task: Watch one embedded video and collect three phrases that help with polite interaction. Use them in a new dialogue.
Information filter: Write a German event notice with six details. Ask a partner to mediate only the three details a visitor needs.

Schwer

Perspective change: Run a two-minute role-play in which the English-speaking person changes one need halfway through. Adapt your mediation.
Mini presentation: Explain in English for about one minute what makes mediation different from word-for-word translation. Use one example.
Communication repair: Design a dialogue with two misunderstandings. Solve both through clarification and confirmation.
Transfer challenge: Create a new bilingual situation outside travel, for example a club meeting, school event or youth centre. Include several connected pieces of information and limited preparation time.

Lernkontrolle

Mediation decision: You receive a long German message and a short question from an English-speaking visitor. Select the information you would pass on and justify two details you would leave out.
Clarification strategy: In a role-play, one key number is unclear. Formulate a clarification question, obtain the answer and continue without restarting the whole conversation.
Audience adaptation: Mediate the same information for two different listeners with different needs. Explain how and why your wording changes.
Repair a weak mediation: Improve a mediation that is too literal, too long or missing key information. Explain your changes.
Live transfer: Complete a 90-second three-person role-play with at least four connected details, one clarification and one final confirmation.
Media transfer: Use a timetable, map or information sign to support a spoken mediation. Explain which visual detail helped you most.

Lernnachweis

A strong learning record shows that you can:

understand the main idea of a short spoken or written message
select relevant information for a listener
mediate several connected details
ask for clarification
adapt language to the listener
use clear question forms and connectors
communicate understandably without aiming for accent perfection
reflect on feedback and improve a second attempt
use media responsibly
keep private data and recordings protected

A suitable learning record can be a live role-play, a teacher-observed partner task or a private audio recording plus a short reflection.

OERs zum Thema

The Wikimedia Commons media in this course are used as openly licensed or public-domain learning media according to their file pages. YouTube videos are embedded and not copied.

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