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E7 M - Mediate a message or website section

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E7 M - Mediate a message or website section

Mini-Beschreibung: Gib zentrale Informationen einer kurzen Nachricht oder eines Webseitenabschnitts adressatengerecht in der anderen Sprache wieder. Du übersetzt nicht Wort für Wort, sondern vermittelst das, was eine bestimmte Person wirklich wissen muss.

Level: Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Klasse 7, Baden-Württemberg, M-Niveau

Medien-Einstieg: What matters?

Look at the bilingual information sign above. You do not need every word to help another person. First ask:

Who needs the information?
What does this person need to know?
Which details can I leave out?
How can I say the key points clearly?

That is the basic idea of mediation.

Quick try: Imagine an English-speaking visitor asks: “What is this place for?” Give a one-sentence answer in English. Do not translate every word you can see.

I can ...

After this course, you can:

identify the key information in a short message or website section.
decide which details are useful for a specific person.
mediate important information from German into English and from English into German.
use your own words instead of translating sentence by sentence.
give times, places, prices, rules and reasons clearly.
ask for clarification and improve your mediation after feedback.

What you already know

You already need familiar language from topics such as Freizeit, Schule, Stadt, Reisen, Uhrzeit, Datum, Wegbeschreibung and emails.

Try first: What could these words mean in a message: meeting point – entrance – free – closed – bring – before – after – because?

Hint: Use the sentence around the word.

German help only if needed: meeting point = Treffpunkt; entrance = Eingang; free = kostenlos; closed = geschlossen; bring = mitbringen.

Notice: Mediation is not word-for-word translation

A good mediation is a useful message for a real listener or reader. You select information and adapt it to the situation.

Example situation: Your English exchange partner Mia cannot understand a German school message. She only asks: “When do we meet, where do we meet and what should I bring?”

You do not need to explain every sentence of the German message. You need the three answers Mia needs.

Viewing focus: Watch for the difference between translation and mediation. Then say the rule in one English sentence.

The 4-step strategy

Read or listen for the situation: Who is speaking or writing? Who needs help?
Mark the key points: What does the target person need?
Say it in simple language: Use words and structures you know.
Check the result: Is it clear, correct and useful?

Remember: meaning first, wording second.

Understand: Reading for key information

Websites often contain more information than you need. Read first for the main idea, then scan for details such as time, place, cost and rules.

Viewing task: Find the two reading strategies in the video: skimming and scanning. Which one helps you find a price quickly?

Reading task A: German message → English

Situation: Your class is visiting a youth centre. Your exchange partner Sam understands only a little German.

German source message:

Hallo Klasse 7b, am Freitag treffen wir uns um 14:45 Uhr vor dem Haupteingang des Jugendhauses West. Der Workshop beginnt um 15 Uhr und endet gegen 17 Uhr. Bitte bringt eine Trinkflasche und einen Stift mit. Die Teilnahme ist kostenlos. Wer später kommt, meldet sich bitte kurz bei Frau Berger. Viele Grüße, Frau Berger

Sam asks: “What time and where do we meet? What do I need? Does it cost anything?”

Your task: Mediate only the information Sam needs. Use 2–4 English sentences.

Try first.

Hint 1: Underline four key points: time – place – things to bring – price.

Hint 2: Start with: “We meet ...” / “Please bring ...” / “It’s ...”

German help if needed: gegen 17 Uhr = around 5 p.m.; kostenlos = free.

Direct feedback check:

Did you include 14:45?
Did you include in front of the main entrance?
Did you include a water bottle and a pen?
Did you say that it is free?
Did you leave out information Sam did not ask for?

Reading task B: English website → German

Situation: Your German-speaking cousin wants to join a holiday activity but does not understand the English website well.

Fictional website section:

Riverside Sports Day

Saturday, 18 July, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Meet at the community sports field. Try basketball, badminton and a short climbing course. The event is for ages 11–15. Entry is free, but please register online before Thursday. Bring sports shoes, a drink and sun protection. The event may be cancelled in very bad weather.

Your cousin asks: „Kann ich mit 13 mitmachen, was muss ich tun und was soll ich mitbringen?“

Your task: Gib auf Deutsch nur die Informationen weiter, die für diese Fragen wichtig sind.

Try first.

Hint 1: Suche age – registration – things to bring.

Hint 2: Du brauchst nicht alle Sportarten aufzuzählen.

Direct feedback check: Deine Antwort sollte enthalten: Teilnahme mit 13 möglich; vorher online anmelden; Sportschuhe, Getränk und Sonnenschutz mitbringen.

Listening and Viewing: Hear the key points

Two-speaker listening practice: Work with a partner. One person reads Alex, one person reads Jamie at a moderate natural speed. The listener may ask for one repetition.

Alex: “The museum workshop starts at eleven, but we should be there ten minutes early.”

Jamie: “Okay. Do we need to pay?”

Alex: “No, our school tickets are free. But we need to bring a pencil. Bags have to stay in the lockers.”

Listening mission: Your German-speaking friend only asks: „Wann müssen wir da sein, kostet es etwas und was brauche ich?“ Mediate the answer in German.

Feedback: The three key ideas are arrival at 10:50, no payment for the school tickets, and a pencil.

Speaking rule: If you miss information, ask:

“Could you say that again, please?”
“Did you say ten fifty?”
“What do we need to bring?”

Privacy note: Audio recordings are optional and should stay private unless everyone involved has clearly agreed to sharing them. No upload is needed for this course.

Vocabulary in context

Do not learn a huge word list. Notice useful chunks that often appear in messages and websites.

Function	Useful English	Your job
Time	starts at, ends at, before, after, around	Give the time clearly.
Place	meet at, in front of, entrance, sports field	Name the place.
Rules	must, have to, can, cannot, please bring	Explain what is required.
Cost	free, costs, entry	Say whether payment is needed.
Reason	because, so	Give a short reason when useful.
Uncertainty	may, maybe, probably	Do not turn uncertain information into a fact.

Pronunciation focus

For mediation, being understandable is more important than sounding like a native speaker.

Practise these chunks slowly, then at normal speed:

“We meet at quarter to three.”
“Please bring a water bottle.”
“You have to register before Thursday.”
“It’s free.”
“Could you say that again, please?”

Focus on stressed information words: meet – quarter – three, bring – water bottle, register – Thursday.

Try: From notes to mediation

Source notes in German:

Schulbibliothek – Mittwoch – ab 13:30 Uhr geschlossen – Teamtreffen – Rückgabe über Box neben Eingang möglich – Donnerstag wieder normal geöffnet

Situation: Your English-speaking friend wants to return a book on Wednesday afternoon.

Task: Give the useful information in 2–3 English sentences.

Try first.

Hint 1: What does your friend want to do?

Hint 2: You need: closed time – alternative – Thursday.

Language support: “The library is closed from ...” / “You can ...” / “It is open as usual ...”

Feedback target: Your friend should understand that the library is closed from 1:30 p.m., the book can be returned in the box by the entrance, and normal opening resumes on Thursday.

Use: Adapt to the person

The same source can lead to different mediations.

Source: “The school café closes at 1:45 p.m. Hot meals are served until 1:15 p.m. Sandwiches and fruit are usually available until closing time.”

Person A asks: “Can I get a hot meal at 1:30?”

Useful answer: “No. Hot meals are only served until 1:15, but you can probably still get a sandwich or fruit.”

Person B asks: “When does the café close?”

Useful answer: “It closes at 1:45.”

Notice: A good mediation depends on the question and the audience.

Communicate: Short spoken mediation

Work in pairs.

Role A: You have this German note:

Heute fällt das Fußballtraining wegen des starken Regens aus. Das nächste Training ist am Montag um 17 Uhr in der Sporthalle. Hallenschuhe nicht vergessen.

Role B: You are an English-speaking teammate. Ask:

“Is training on today?”
“When is the next training?”
“Do I need anything special?”

Role A mediates the information in English. Role B asks one follow-up question.

Useful reactions: “Okay, thanks.” / “So, Monday at five?” / “Do you mean indoor shoes?”

Writing: A short mediated message

Situation: Your English-speaking exchange partner is at home. You want to send the key information from this German school notice:

Morgen beginnt der Unterricht für Klasse 7 wegen einer Konferenz erst zur dritten Stunde. Bitte kommt um 9:35 Uhr direkt in Raum 214. Der Sportunterricht am Nachmittag findet normal statt.

Write a short English message of about 35–50 words.

Structure:

greeting
reason for writing
key time and place
one extra important detail
short ending

Self-check: Is every sentence useful for the receiver?

Functional grammar for mediation

You do not need difficult grammar to mediate well.

Use:

present simple for facts: “The event starts at ten.”
can for possibilities: “You can return the book at the box.”
have to / must for requirements: “You have to register.”
may for uncertainty: “The event may be cancelled.”
because / so for short reasons: “Training is cancelled because of the rain.”

Avoid changing meaning: If a source says may, do not say will.

E-outlook only: Later, at a higher level, you may meet structures such as the past perfect in more complex mediation tasks. You do not need it here. Passive voice and reported speech are not required for this course.

Feedback: Improve your mediation

Use K-U-R-Z:

K – Kerninformation: Did I include what the person needs?
U – Useful language: Is my wording simple and clear?
R – Receiver: Does the tone fit the person?
Z – Zuverlässig: Did I keep times, places, rules and uncertainty correct?

Peer feedback sentence starters:

“The key information is clear because ...”
“One detail you could add is ...”
“One detail you could leave out is ...”
“This sentence could be simpler: ...”

Feedback should help you improve the message, not replace your own text.

AI and digital tools: Use them carefully

You may use digital tools only if your teacher allows them.

First write your own mediation.
Check whether an AI suggestion changes facts, tone or level.
Never enter private messages, names, contact details or private social-media data.
Do not let a tool replace your own thinking or your own final text.
External AI access is not required for any task in this course.

Mini-Transfer

New situation: A German-speaking visitor asks you about this English notice:

City Pool: On Sunday, the indoor pool opens at 11 a.m. because of a swimming competition. The outdoor pool opens at 9 a.m. as usual. Family tickets are available online and at the entrance.

The visitor asks only: „Kann ich am Sonntag schon um 9 Uhr schwimmen?“

Give a short German mediation. Then explain which information you deliberately left out and why.

Self- / Can-do-Check

Mark each statement for yourself: Yes – Almost – Not yet.

I can find the main point of a short message.
I can scan a website section for time, place, price and rules.
I can decide which details a person needs.
I can mediate without translating word for word.
I can ask for repetition or clarification.
I can write a short mediated message.
I can check facts and uncertainty before I send my answer.

If you marked Not yet, repeat one short task with the hints. If you marked mostly Yes, continue with a mediation task that includes two sources.

Media practice

Media task: Imagine the sign contains information that your friend cannot understand. Before translating anything, ask three questions: Who is my friend? What do they want to do? Which details do they need?

Website task: On a webpage, headings, icons, dates and buttons can help you locate important information. Practise scanning before reading every line.

Optional strategy viewing: Take one reading tip from the video and test it on Reading task B. Use only the part that helps you; the video is an additional resource, not a model text you must copy.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What is the main aim of mediation? (To give the useful meaning to another person) (!To translate every word exactly) (!To use the longest sentences possible) (!To explain every grammar rule)

What should you decide first? (Who needs which information) (!Which dictionary has the most words) (!How many sentences the source has) (!Which tense sounds most difficult)

Which reading strategy helps you find a price quickly? (Scanning) (!Rhyming) (!Guessing every word) (!Reading aloud only)

Which detail is usually important when someone asks when an event starts? (The starting time) (!The font size) (!The website colour) (!The writer's favourite subject)

A source says an event may be cancelled. What should your mediation show? (It is possible but not certain) (!It will definitely be cancelled) (!It was already cancelled) (!The event is always cancelled)

What is a useful phrase when you did not hear a detail? (Could you say that again please) (!I will invent the missing detail) (!Every word is unimportant) (!Do not answer me)

Which sentence clearly gives a requirement? (You have to register before Thursday) (!Thursday is a nice day) (!Registration sounds interesting) (!Maybe somebody likes Thursday)

What should you do with information the receiver does not need? (Leave it out if it is not relevant) (!Always add it twice) (!Change it into a new fact) (!Translate it word for word)

Which check is most important for times and prices? (Check that the facts are correct) (!Make them more dramatic) (!Change them to round numbers) (!Remove them from the message)

What matters most for pronunciation in this course? (Being understandable) (!Having one perfect accent) (!Speaking as fast as possible) (!Never asking for repetition)

Memory

Mediation	Useful transfer of meaning
Scanning	Searching for a specific detail
Audience	Person who receives the information
Key point	Information that really matters
Clarification	Asking to make something clearer
Register	Style that fits the situation

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Receiver	Person who needs the information
Key detail	Time place price or rule that matters
Scanning	Looking quickly for one specific fact
Clarification	Asking again when something is unclear
Mediation	Passing on useful meaning in another language

Kreuzworträtsel

Adressat	Für wen passt die vermittelte Information?
Kernaussage	Wie nennt man die wichtigste Aussage eines Textes?
Kontext	Was hilft Dir zu verstehen, wie eine Information gemeint ist?
Auswahl	Was triffst Du, wenn Du wichtige von unwichtigen Details trennst?
Tonfall	Was passt Du an die Zielperson und Situation an?
Stichwort	Wie nennt man eine kurze Notiz mit einem wichtigen Begriff?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Key-information card: Schreibe aus Reading task A nur die vier Informationen auf, die Sam wirklich braucht.
One-sentence mediation: Vermittle die Kernaussage eines kurzen schulischen Hinweises in genau einem englischen Satz.
Website scan: Nimm eine schulgeeignete englische Webseite und notiere nur Überschrift, Öffnungszeit, Preis und eine Regel. Verwende keine privaten Daten.
Clear speaking: Lies drei nützliche Mediation-Sätze verständlich vor. Eine Aufnahme ist freiwillig und bleibt privat.

Standard

Two receivers: Vermittle dieselbe kurze Information einmal für einen Freund und einmal für eine Lehrkraft. Vergleiche Wortwahl und Ton.
Message mediation: Schreibe zu einem fiktiven deutschen Veranstaltungshinweis eine englische Nachricht mit 40–60 Wörtern.
Listen and mediate: Lass Dir von einem Partner einen kurzen zweisprachigen Schulhinweis vorlesen, stelle eine Rückfrage und vermittle die Kerninformation.
Peer check: Prüfe eine Mediation mit K-U-R-Z und überarbeite nur die Stellen, die wirklich verbessert werden müssen.

Schwer

Website challenge: Wähle einen kurzen öffentlich zugänglichen Webseitenabschnitt mit Veranstaltungshinweisen und vermittle nur die Informationen für eine vorgegebene Zielperson.
Change the question: Formuliere zu derselben Quelle drei unterschiedliche Fragen von drei fiktiven Personen und schreibe jeweils eine passende Kurzmediation.
Media comparison: Vergleiche einen kurzen Hinweis als Text und als Bild. Erkläre, welche Informationen sich in welchem Medium schneller finden lassen.
Mini mediation guide: Gestalte eine kleine Karte mit fünf Regeln für gute Mediation und je einem eigenen Beispiel. Nutze nur eigene oder frei lizenzierte Bilder.

Lernkontrolle

Relevant or not?: Eine Person möchte nur wissen, ob sie an einer Veranstaltung teilnehmen kann. Erkläre, welche drei Arten von Informationen Du zuerst suchst und warum.
Same source, different answer: Zeige an einem eigenen Beispiel, warum zwei Personen aus derselben Quelle unterschiedliche Informationen brauchen können.
Uncertainty matters: Erkläre, warum aus „may be cancelled“ nicht „will be cancelled“ werden darf, und formuliere eine passende Mediation.
Repair strategy: Entwickle einen kurzen Dialog, in dem Du eine akustisch unklare Zeitangabe durch Nachfragen sicherst, bevor Du sie weitergibst.
Website transfer: Übertrage die 4-Schritt-Strategie auf einen neuen kurzen Webseitenabschnitt und begründe, welche Details Du auslässt.
Improve: Vergleiche zwei mögliche Mediationen zu derselben Quelle und erläutere, welche Änderungen die Verständlichkeit erhöhen, ohne zusätzliche Informationen zu erfinden.

Lernnachweis

Für einen Lernnachweis zu diesem Thema ist wichtig, dass Du:

die Zielperson und ihre Frage erkennst.
zentrale Informationen zuverlässig auswählst.
Informationen sinngemäß statt Wort für Wort vermittelst.
passende einfache englische oder deutsche Formulierungen nutzt.
Zeiten, Orte, Preise, Regeln und Unsicherheiten korrekt wiedergibst.
bei Bedarf nachfragst.
Deine Mediation mit einer Checkliste überarbeitest.
Datenschutz beachtest und keine privaten Daten oder ungefragten Aufnahmen veröffentlichst.

Der Lernnachweis bewertet vor allem kommunikativen Erfolg, Verständlichkeit, Auswahl und Zuverlässigkeit. Ein einzelner sprachlicher Fehler ist weniger wichtig als eine falsche Kerninformation.

OERs zum Thema

Die Wikipedia-Seite Englischunterricht ordnet Sprachmittlung neben Hörverstehen, Sprechen, Lesen und Schreiben als Teil fremdsprachlicher Kompetenz ein.

Folgekurs

Next step: Mediate information in a short conversation. Dort vermittelst Du Informationen flexibler in einem Gespräch, reagierst auf Rückfragen und begründest kurze Entscheidungen.

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