E10 M - Present and explain an infographic
aiMOOCE10 M - Present and explain an infographic
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E10 M - Present and explain an infographic
Mini-description: Explain the main message, select important data, make clear comparisons and point out limitations of an English infographic. You work mainly in English at B1 level and use German only when a mediation task needs it.
Media starter: Education Infographic, RubyLR, CC0, Wikimedia Commons. Treat the figures as claims shown in the infographic: check source, date and context before using them as facts.
Einleitung
An infographic combines words, numbers and visuals. Your job is not to read every number aloud. Your job is to help an audience understand what matters.
| Course route | Your action |
|---|---|
| Understand | Find topic, source, date and overall message. |
| Respond | Say what stands out and ask one useful question. |
| Analyse | Select key figures, compare them and check limits. |
| Communicate | Give a short presentation and react to questions. |
| Feedback | Use clear criteria to improve content and language. |
| Revise | Give a stronger second version. |
| Transfer | Apply the method to a new infographic without a full script. |
I can ...
| By the end, I can ... | Success sign |
|---|---|
| identify the main message | I can state it in one clear sentence. |
| select important data | I choose two to four useful figures instead of reading everything. |
| compare information | I use higher than, lower than, compared with or whereas correctly. |
| explain limitations | I check source, date, sample, scale and missing context. |
| present clearly | I speak for about two minutes with notes, not a full script. |
| react spontaneously | I answer a follow-up question or ask for clarification. |
| revise my work | I use feedback and correct at least one content and one language problem. |
Vorwissen: What can you already say?
Simple bar chart, Masur, public domain, Wikimedia Commons.
Look for thirty seconds. Then speak:
- Topic: What kind of visual is it?
- Comparison: Which bars are higher or lower?
- Limitation: What information is missing, so that you cannot safely explain the data?
Rule: Do not invent labels, dates, causes or sources that are not shown.
Your INFO lens
Use INFO every time you meet a new infographic.
| Letter | Question | Useful English |
|---|---|---|
| I – Identify | What is the topic, source, date and audience? | The infographic shows ... / It was published by ... |
| N – Name | What is the main message? | Overall, the main point is that ... |
| F – Figures | Which two to four figures are essential? | A key figure is ... / About ... per cent ... |
| O – Observe | What comparisons and limitations matter? | Compared with ... / However, the infographic does not show ... |
Listening and Viewing
Viewing 1: Language for charts
First viewing – gist: What is the speaker mainly teaching: data language, storytelling or pronunciation?
Second viewing – detail: Note five expressions you could really use in a presentation. Do not copy whole sentences.
Response: Use two expressions to describe the simple bar chart above.
Pronunciation focus: Listen for word stress and sentence stress. Repeat privately if you want. The goal is intelligibility, not copying one particular accent.
Viewing 2: Can a graph mislead you?
Watch the TED-Ed video in two passes.
| Pass | Task |
|---|---|
| Gist | Name the general problem in one sentence. |
| Detail | Note two ways a graph can create a misleading impression. |
| Critical response | Explain why a correct number can still be presented in a misleading way. |
Reading an infographic
Survey on data visualization for Wikipedia, OBCT, CC0, Wikimedia Commons, 2020.
Read the visual before you speak.
| Step | Do this |
|---|---|
| Scan | Read title, labels, source and date first. |
| Select | Choose only data that supports the main message. |
| Compare | Find one clear similarity, difference, high point or low point. |
| Question | Ask what the graphic does not tell you about participants, method or context. |
Quick response: Give one sentence for the main message and one sentence for a limitation. If information is missing, say that it is missing.
Context vocabulary
| Word or phrase | Meaning in this course | Example stem |
|---|---|---|
| main message | overall point | The main message is ... |
| figure | numerical value | One important figure is ... |
| percentage | amount out of one hundred | The percentage is ... |
| proportion | part of a whole | A large proportion ... |
| majority | more than half | The majority ... |
| minority | less than half | A minority ... |
| roughly | approximately | Roughly one third ... |
| compared with | introduces a comparison | Compared with group A ... |
| whereas | contrasts two points | A rises, whereas B ... |
| source | where information comes from | The source is ... |
| sample | group studied | The sample includes ... |
| limitation | what the data cannot safely show | One limitation is ... |
Pronunciation: say data clearly
| Word | IPA | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| percentage | /pəˈsentɪdʒ/ | stress the second syllable |
| comparison | /kəmˈpærɪsən/ | keep the middle syllable clear |
| approximately | /əˈprɒksɪmətli/ | stress prox |
| limitation | /ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃən/ | stress ta |
Read one comparison sentence aloud twice: first slowly, then at natural speed. Clear numbers and key words matter more than accent imitation.
Analyse: comparisons and limitations
Comparisons that add meaning
Delphi234, CC0, Wikimedia Commons. The chart compares monthly wind and solar electricity generation in Germany in 2016; the Commons description names ENTSO-E as the data source.
Do not list every month. Select a pattern.
| Function | Useful language |
|---|---|
| Compare | X is higher than Y. / Compared with X, Y is ... |
| Contrast | X rises, whereas Y falls. |
| Approximate | about, around, roughly, nearly |
| Highlight | The most noticeable point is ... |
| Avoid overclaiming | The data suggests ... / The chart does not explain why ... |
Limitations: what should you question?
Public-domain chart from 2007. Wikimedia Commons itself flags the three-dimensional design as potentially distorting the information. Use this image for design and source criticism, not as current evidence about English vocabulary.
Check five things:
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Source | Who collected or published the data? |
| Time | When was it collected? |
| Sample | Who or what was included? |
| Design | Do scale, 3-D effects or missing labels change the impression? |
| Claim | Does the graphic show a relationship only, or can it really support a cause? |
Safe sentence: The infographic shows a difference, but it does not explain the cause.
Functional grammar
Grammar is used for a communication purpose.
| Purpose | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| compare two values | comparative + than | Group A is higher than group B. |
| show the largest value | superlative | This is the highest figure. |
| describe change | increase or decrease + from ... to ... | It increased from 40 to 55. |
| describe amount of change | increase or decrease + by ... | It increased by 15 percentage points. |
| describe past data | past simple | The figure rose in 2016. |
| make a careful claim | suggest, may, might | The result may suggest a pattern. |
Common trap: from 40% to 55% is an increase of 15 percentage points. Do not automatically call it a 15 per cent increase.
Speaking
Two-minute presentation frame
| Stage | What to say |
|---|---|
| Open | The infographic shows ... It was published by ... |
| Main message | Overall, the main message is ... |
| Evidence | Select two or three key figures. |
| Compare | Explain one meaningful difference or trend. |
| Limit | One limitation is ... |
| Close | So, the key point to remember is ... |
Use keywords only. Look at the audience, not at a full script.
Partner task: Speaker A presents. Speaker B asks two follow-up questions. Speaker A answers spontaneously or says: Could you repeat the question, please? Then swap roles.
Spontaneous response cards
React without translating first.
| Situation | Response starter |
|---|---|
| You need more time | Let me think for a moment. |
| You do not know the exact value | I cannot give the exact figure, but it is roughly ... |
| The source is unclear | The infographic does not clearly identify the source. |
| Someone asks for a cause | The graphic shows the pattern, but it does not prove why it happened. |
| You want to challenge a point politely | I see your point, but the data also shows ... |
Writing
Write a short data comment of about 100–120 words.
Task: Explain the main message of one infographic in this course. Include:
- Source reference: topic, source and date if available.
- Evidence: two or three selected figures.
- Comparison: one meaningful comparison.
- Limitation: one point the infographic cannot show.
Possible structure: opening → overview → evidence → limitation → final sentence.
For extra B1 writing practice, use the British Council resource Describing charts: British Council LearnEnglish – Describing charts.
Mediation
Situation: A German school newsletter wants the key information from an English infographic.
Explain in German in three or four sentences:
- Purpose: What does the newsletter reader need to know?
- Selection: Choose only the relevant main message and key data.
- Source: Name the source if available.
- Limit: Add one limitation if it changes how the data should be understood.
Do not translate every word. Mediation means selecting and communicating information for a purpose and an audience.
Feedback, error analysis and revision
Peer feedback: MFCL
Use four checks.
| Letter | Check | Feedback sentence |
|---|---|---|
| M – Message | Is the main message clear? | Your main message is clear because ... |
| F – Figures | Are the figures selected and accurate? | One figure you could add or remove is ... |
| C – Comparison | Is there a useful comparison? | The comparison becomes clearer if ... |
| L – Limitation | Is one sensible limitation explained? | You could question ... |
Give one strength and one next step. Then present or write a second version.
Typical errors and fixes
| Error | Better move |
|---|---|
| reading every number | select only the figures that support the message |
| confusing by and to | use to for the new value and by for the size of change |
| saying proves | use shows, suggests or may indicate when evidence is limited |
| forgetting source or date | check them before presenting |
| giving a cause that is not shown | separate data from your interpretation |
| speaking from a full script | reduce notes to keywords and practise transitions |
Media literacy and safe use
Oswald259, CC0, Wikimedia Commons, 2025. The infographic explains Creative Commons licensing.
Course rules:
- Privacy: Recordings are voluntary and can stay private. No upload is required.
- Personal data: Do not put real private data into public tools. If a transfer task uses a profile or application, use a fictional one.
- AI use: No external AI access is required. If your school allows voluntary AI support, verify figures, claims and sources yourself.
- Authorship: Keep your own wording and your own draft. Do not replace your text with an unverified generated text.
- Fair communication: Describe people and groups precisely. Avoid stereotypes.
- Pronunciation: Aim for understandable communication, not accent-free speech.
Transfer
Use the wind-and-solar chart above or another teacher-selected English infographic.
Cold response: Thirty seconds to scan, then speak for sixty to ninety seconds without a full script.
Your answer must contain:
- Main message
- Two key figures
- One comparison
- One limitation
- One spontaneous answer to a follow-up question
Next step: Turn the same information into either a short report paragraph, a school-magazine article paragraph or a source-based opinion paragraph. Change style for purpose and audience.
Can-do check
| I can ... | Yes | Not yet |
|---|---|---|
| find topic, source and date | □ | □ |
| state the main message in one sentence | □ | □ |
| select two to four key figures | □ | □ |
| make a meaningful comparison | □ | □ |
| explain at least one limitation | □ | □ |
| speak for about two minutes from notes | □ | □ |
| answer a follow-up question | □ | □ |
| revise after feedback | □ | □ |
Current Baden-Württemberg exam connection
Stand: 02.10.2026. The current official 2027 Realschulabschluss rules were checked for this course.
For the written compulsory foreign-language examination, the official 2027 regulations list five parts: listening comprehension, text-oriented tasks, contextual vocabulary/grammar, topic-based language production and methodological skills. Pure working time is 150 minutes plus a 20-minute break between Part A and Parts B–E. No dictionary is used in Part A; a bilingual dictionary is available for Parts B–E. In D1, about 100 words are expected; in D2, about 160 words.
The communication examination contains monologic speaking, dialogic speaking and mediation. It lasts about 15 minutes per student, with the three parts taking roughly equal time. The regulations state that there is no preparation time for the individual parts.
Important: Presenting an infographic is a useful training format for data language, presentation, critical media analysis and spontaneous response. The 2027 rules do not state that an infographic itself is a mandatory communication-exam task.
Official sources:
- Ministerium für Kultus Baden-Württemberg – Realschulabschlussprüfung
- Ausführungsbestimmungen Realschulabschlussprüfung 2027
- Bildungspläne Baden-Württemberg
Before an actual exam, always re-check the current official rules for your examination year.
Folgekurs
Continue with:
- E10 M - Discuss and respond to data: defend a point, react and negotiate.
- E10 M - Write a data-based opinion: use evidence and source references in a structured opinion.
- E10 M - Mediate key information: select information for a specific audience and purpose.
- E10 M - Present with notes and respond spontaneously: move from prepared presentation to flexible interaction.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
What should you identify before explaining details? (The topic source date and main message) (!Every number in the infographic) (!A possible cause that is not shown) (!A complete German translation)
What is the main message? (The most important overall point) (!The smallest number only) (!The title copied word for word) (!Every label on the page)
Which phrase makes a clear comparison? (Compared with group A group B is higher) (!The source is probably correct) (!I will read all the figures) (!This proves the cause)
Which statement uses careful data language? (The data suggests a possible pattern) (!The chart proves why this happened) (!The infographic can never be wrong) (!Every visual gives complete context)
Which missing item can be an important limitation? (The source of the data) (!A decorative border) (!A longer title) (!More colours)
What should you do in mediation? (Select information for purpose and audience) (!Translate every word) (!Add facts from memory) (!Ignore the source)
What is a good speaking strategy? (Use keywords instead of a full script) (!Read every sentence from paper) (!Avoid all eye contact) (!Speak as fast as possible)
What matters most in pronunciation here? (Clear and intelligible communication) (!Copying one native accent exactly) (!Speaking without any pauses) (!Using only very long words)
What should follow useful peer feedback? (A revised second version) (!Deleting the whole first draft) (!Adding unverified figures) (!Changing the topic completely)
What should you do if a graph shows a relationship but no cause? (Say that the graphic does not prove the cause) (!Invent a likely cause) (!Call the relationship proof) (!Ignore the limitation)
Memory
| Main message | Overall point |
| Figure | Numerical value |
| Comparison | Similarity or difference |
| Source | Origin of the data |
| Sample | Group that was studied |
| Limitation | What the data cannot safely show |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| Main message | Overall point |
| Evidence | Key figures |
| Comparison | Similarities or differences |
| Source check | Who published the data |
| Limitation | Missing context or uncertainty |
Kreuzworträtsel
| SOURCE | Where does the data come from? |
| TREND | What word describes a general direction of change? |
| SAMPLE | What do we call the group studied in a survey? |
| FIGURE | What is a numerical value in an infographic called? |
| COMPARE | What verb means to look for similarities and differences? |
| LIMITATION | What word names a weakness or boundary of the data? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Headline hunt: Use the Education Infographic. Write one possible main-message sentence and mark which part of the visual supports it.
- Phrase bank: Create a personal list of eight useful English expressions for figures, comparisons and limitations.
- Thirty-second talk: Describe the simple bar chart for thirty seconds without inventing labels or a source.
- Limit check: Use the old three-dimensional pie chart and identify two reasons why you should be careful when interpreting it.
Standard
- Two-minute presentation: Present one infographic with topic, main message, two or three key figures, one comparison and one limitation.
- MFCL feedback: Give a partner one strength and one next step using Message, Figures, Comparison and Limitation, then revise your own presentation.
- Data comment: Write about 100–120 words on one infographic and include a clear source reference and limitation.
- Purpose-based mediation: Explain the key information of an English infographic in three or four German sentences for a school newsletter without translating everything.
Schwer
- Compare two infographics: Compare how two visuals support understanding. Use criteria such as labels, source, scale, selection and design rather than simply saying which one you like.
- Create a fictional infographic: Design a small English infographic from an invented dataset. Label it clearly as fictional practice data and add a source line such as fictional classroom sample.
- Private speaking review: If you choose to record yourself, keep the recording private. Mark one pause, one self-correction and one strong comparison, then make a second version. No upload is required.
- Unseen transfer: Use a new teacher-selected infographic. Scan for thirty seconds, speak for sixty to ninety seconds and answer one spontaneous follow-up question.
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Lernkontrolle
- Unseen infographic analysis: Explain a new infographic in a two-minute talk. Select evidence rather than reading every figure and justify your selection.
- Claim or overclaim: Given several statements about a graph, decide which are supported, which are only possible interpretations and which go beyond the evidence. Explain your reasoning.
- Improve a misleading visual: Redesign one problematic chart so that scale, labels and context are clearer, then explain how your changes affect interpretation.
- Spontaneous Q and A: After a short presentation, answer two unprepared questions. Use clarification or approximation strategies when needed.
- Mediation transfer: Select the information from an English infographic that a German school audience actually needs and explain why you left other information out.
- Revision task: Improve a first draft after feedback and annotate two changes: one for content accuracy and one for clearer English.
Lernnachweis
For a successful learning record, you should be able to:
- Identify context: name topic, source and date when available.
- State the main message: give one accurate overall sentence.
- Use evidence: select two to four relevant figures.
- Compare: explain one meaningful difference, similarity or trend.
- Evaluate limits: name at least one justified limitation.
- Present: speak clearly from notes and respond to a follow-up question.
- Write or mediate: adapt information to purpose and audience.
- Revise: use feedback to improve content and language while keeping your own authorship.
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