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E9 E - International communication challenge

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E9 E - International communication challenge

Mini-description: Solve a complex simulated international communication task. Use plain English, clarification, mediation and negotiation to reach a shared decision.

Learning loop: English first → understand → respond → ask → hint → improve → use again.

Level: Klasse 9, E-Niveau, Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Baden-Württemberg.

Kurz auf Deutsch: Du arbeitest weitgehend selbstständig. Englisch kommt zuerst. Wenn etwas unklar ist, fragst Du nach, nutzt Hinweise, verbesserst Deine Antwort und verwendest die Sprache erneut. Es gibt keine Vollübersetzung.

Media start – 60 seconds: Look at the photo. Who is speaking? Who is listening? What could help the group reach a fair decision? Say three English phrases you could use.

Media entry: Watch a short part first. What makes a spoken message easy or difficult to follow? Notice pace, pauses, structure and eye contact. Then give one 20-second project update of your own.

Your mission

You are part of a fictional international student team. Your group must plan a 45-minute Global Student Exchange Session for four partner schools. The information is incomplete and some needs conflict. Your team has to understand the brief, ask useful questions, mediate a German message, negotiate a compromise and write a clear final decision.

Final products: a 4–5 minute team negotiation, a 90-second spoken summary and a 180–220 word decision note. Your note must refer to at least two perspectives and explain why the final plan is workable.

Privacy: All profiles and contact details in this course are fictional. Recordings are voluntary and should stay private unless everyone agrees otherwise. Do not upload recordings, names or school data without permission. Do not send class material to external AI tools without permission.

I-can goals

I can ...	Success looks like ...
understand key points in authentic spoken English	I can identify the main issue, useful details and the speaker's position.
keep communication going	I can ask for clarification, check meaning and paraphrase.
mediate information	I can pass on the relevant meaning for a purpose and audience instead of translating every word.
negotiate	I can state priorities, respond to others, make a conditional proposal and accept or reject politely.
write a reasoned decision	I can connect evidence, perspectives and my own judgement in a coherent text.
revise my language	I can use feedback, explain an error and improve my own text without losing my original version.

Before you start: activate what you know

30-second recall: Say four phrases for agreeing or disagreeing.
Repair move: Your partner says something you do not understand. Ask a clear follow-up question.
Mini-mediation: Explain the German phrase „Das WLAN ist stabil, aber es gibt nur zwei Funkmikrofone“ in natural English for an international team. Do not translate word by word.
Source check: Name one sign that a video, webpage or AI answer may need verification.

Challenge input

Use the image: Communication is not only sending a message. In this challenge, the receiver must react, check meaning and sometimes repair the message. Add one possible source of “noise”: unclear wording, missing context, weak audio or an assumption.

The situation

Your fictional team has to agree on one programme for a 45-minute online student exchange. The topic is “Small changes, real impact”. The session must be safe, interactive and possible with normal school technology.

Perspective card	Priority	Limitation
A – Interaction team	wants a live quiz and student questions	needs at least 12 minutes
B – Media team	wants a short student-made video	the video may be no longer than 5 minutes
C – Access team	wants captions, clear slides and slower key instructions	asks for a written summary after the session
D – Privacy team	wants participation without public student profiles	no public posting of faces, names or recordings

Shared facts: You have 45 minutes. You can use slides, a private school video call and one shared document. You cannot assume that every participant has perfect audio, fast internet or the same English level.

Reading: the project brief

Read once for the main idea. Read a second time and mark must, could and open question.

The session should give students from different schools a real reason to communicate in English. Every team should contribute, but no team can get everything it wants. The final plan needs one opening activity, one short input, one interactive phase and a clear ending. Build in a way to repair misunderstandings. Use only fictional names in examples and do not require public social-media accounts.

Reading response: Write a six-word headline for the brief. Then write one question that the brief does not answer.

Context vocabulary

Function	Useful English	Use it now
clarify	clarify, mean, refer to, in other words	“Could you clarify what you mean by …?”
check	confirm, check, make sure	“So, if I understand correctly, …”
prioritise	priority, essential, optional, trade-off	“Our main priority is …”
negotiate	proposal, compromise, alternative, condition	“If we shorten X, we could keep Y.”
mediate	relevant, explain, summarise, audience	“The important point for our group is …”
evaluate	evidence, source, reliable, perspective	“This source supports the idea that …”
revise	draft, feedback, coherence, edit	“I changed this because …”

Word-choice challenge: Explain the difference between a priority and a preference with one example from the project.

Pronunciation and fluency

Goal: intelligibility, not accent-free speech. Make key words easy to hear. Speak in chunks and pause before important information.

Try	Focus
“Could you clarify / what you mean by that?”	chunking
“Our main priority / is equal participation.”	sentence stress
“If we cut the video to three minutes / we can keep the quiz.”	clear condition and result
“So, are we agreed / on the final plan?”	checking closure

Fluency loop: Say one line slowly and clearly. Say it again at natural speed. Then use the same pattern with new information from the challenge.

Image task: Choose three icons or ideas you connect with active listening. Turn them into actions: listen, weigh information, ask, check, respond.

Listening and viewing

Viewing 1: clarification

Watch with a purpose.

First viewing: What communication problem is the lesson trying to solve?
Second viewing: Note two clarification phrases and one checking phrase.
Use again: One partner gives a deliberately vague project suggestion. The other partner repairs the conversation with a clarification question.
Improve: Replace “What?” with a more precise question.

Viewing 2: discussion and negotiation moves

This British Council LearnEnglish Teens video shows students discussing a topic. Transfer the interaction moves to your own negotiation.

Notice how speakers start, respond and keep the discussion moving.
Find one moment where a speaker reacts to another viewpoint.
Choose one useful move for your project negotiation.
Use that move in a 60-second practice round.

Source-thinking: A useful learning video still needs a context check. Ask: Who made it? Who is it for? What can I transfer to my task?

Viewing 3: agreeing and disagreeing

Listen for interaction, not perfect sentences. Note one phrase for agreement, one for partial agreement and one for disagreement. Then use each phrase once in a 90-second mini-discussion about whether the live quiz should stay.

Mediation

Mediation means making meaning accessible for a purpose and audience. It is not a word-for-word translation. Select what your international team needs.

German message from the local organiser:

Die Aula ist am Dienstag erst ab 14:30 Uhr frei. Das WLAN ist stabil, aber es gibt nur zwei Funkmikrofone. Die Schulleitung erlaubt keine öffentliche Veröffentlichung von Schüleraufnahmen. Getränke sind erlaubt, Essen nicht. Für den Online-Austausch kann ein schulischer Videokonferenzraum genutzt werden.

Your mediation task: Give a 45–60 second English update to the international team. Include only information that matters for the online exchange. Then answer one spontaneous follow-up question.

Purpose check: Which detail did you leave out? Explain why it was not relevant.

Mediation help levels

Level	Help
Hint 1	Start with: “The local organiser says that …”
Hint 2	Group information: time – technology – privacy.
Hint 3	Useful verbs: available, provide, allow, publish, use.
Challenge	Add a consequence: “Because there are only two microphones, we should …”

Speaking: negotiate the plan

Use the image: Notice that discussion is interactive. In your task, speaking time is shared. Respond to a previous point before you introduce a new one.

Round 1: positions

Each person takes one fictional role card A–D. You have 45 seconds to state your priority and one reason. Do not read a full script.

Useful frame: “From our perspective, the key point is … because …”

Round 2: clarification

Before you argue for your own idea, ask at least one real clarification question.

Strong questions: “What would that look like in the 45-minute plan?” / “Which part is essential for you?” / “Do you mean that the video has to be live?”

Round 3: negotiation

Your group must produce a complete 45-minute schedule.

Move	Language tool
make a proposal	“I suggest we …”
add a reason	“That would work because …”
offer a condition	“If we reduce …, we can …”
partly agree	“I see your point, but …”
test a compromise	“Would it work if we …?”
close the decision	“So, are we agreed that …?”

Rule: You may not vote until every role has spoken and at least two clarification questions have been answered.

Functional grammar for the challenge

Use grammar to do something, not to display grammar.

Function	Pattern	Example
possibility	could + verb	“We could move the quiz to the end.”
advice	should + verb	“We should send the summary afterwards.”
necessity	must / have to	“We have to protect student privacy.”
compromise	if + present, can/could + verb	“If we shorten the input, we can add questions.”
polite clarification	Could you + verb ...?	“Could you explain what you mean by ‘interactive’?”
reported information	says that / explains that	“The organiser says that the room is available after 14:30.”

Grammar repair: Improve this sentence: “If we will shorten the video, we can have more time.” Explain the change in one short sentence.

Writing: decision note

Write 180–220 words for the fictional partner schools.

Your note must:

state the final programme clearly;
explain two important decisions with reasons;
refer to at least two perspectives from the role cards;
include the mediated privacy or technology information if relevant;
mention one trade-off;
end with one practical next step.

Cohesion tools: however, therefore, while, because, as a result, in addition, for this reason.

Source and perspective rule: Do not write “everyone agrees” unless your simulation supports that claim. Distinguish a fact from a preference.

Writing help levels

Need	Try
structure	decision → reasons → perspectives → trade-off → next step
stronger reasoning	“This matters because …”
source link	“According to the project brief, …”
perspective link	“From the access team’s perspective, …”
revision	underline claims, circle reasons, box source references

Feedback and error analysis

Keep your first version. Do not replace it with an AI-generated text.

Check	Question
meaning	Is my message easy to understand?
interaction	Did I respond to other people’s ideas?
evidence	Did I separate facts, sources and preferences?
language	Did I use precise verbs and linking words?
grammar	Are my conditionals, modals and question forms working?
privacy	Did I use only fictional or approved information?

Error analysis: Choose one error from your own speaking or writing. Write the original, the improved version and one reason for the change. Then use the improved pattern in a new sentence.

AI check: If AI support is allowed, verify factual claims, sources and feedback. Keep your own draft and decide which suggestions you accept. Never enter private school or student data into an external AI service without permission.

Transfer: use it again

Your partner team suddenly changes one condition: the session is reduced from 45 to 35 minutes. You have three minutes to renegotiate.

Transfer rule: Do not start from zero. Reuse one clarification move, one conditional proposal, one mediation strategy and one feedback idea from this course.

Can-do check

Can-do statement	Not yet	With a hint	Independently
I can identify priorities and constraints.	□	□	□
I can ask precise clarification questions.	□	□	□
I can mediate relevant information for an audience.	□	□	□
I can negotiate a workable compromise.	□	□	□
I can give reasons and respond spontaneously.	□	□	□
I can write a coherent perspective-based decision note.	□	□	□
I can revise my own language after feedback.	□	□	□

Next course: E9 E - International project pitch – present a proposal, answer challenging questions and revise your pitch after feedback.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What is the best purpose of clarification in an international discussion? (To repair or prevent misunderstanding) (!To show that the other speaker made a mistake) (!To translate every sentence into German) (!To avoid answering a difficult point)

Which sentence makes a conditional compromise? (If we shorten the video, we can keep the quiz) (!We shorten the video yesterday) (!The video is shorter than the quiz) (!Short videos are always better)

What should mediation focus on? (Relevant meaning for the purpose and audience) (!Every word in the original order) (!Only difficult vocabulary) (!A complete grammar explanation)

Which question is the most precise clarification question? (Could you explain what you mean by interactive) (!What) (!Really) (!Why English)

Which sentence politely shows partial agreement? (I see your point, but we still need captions) (!You are completely wrong) (!That is impossible and silly) (!I will not listen to that)

Which information is a project constraint? (The session lasts 45 minutes) (!The interaction team likes quizzes) (!One student prefers blue slides) (!A speaker thinks videos are fun)

What makes a source-based decision note stronger? (It separates facts, perspectives and reasons) (!It repeats the same opinion many times) (!It hides where information came from) (!It uses the longest possible sentences)

What is the main pronunciation goal in this course? (Being easy to understand) (!Removing every trace of an accent) (!Speaking as fast as possible) (!Copying one speaker exactly)

What should you do with your first writing draft? (Keep it and revise it visibly) (!Delete it before feedback) (!Replace it with a copied model) (!Post it publicly)

Which action protects privacy best? (Use fictional profiles and keep recordings private unless agreed) (!Use real student accounts in the simulation) (!Upload every recording automatically) (!Share private contact data for realism)

Memory

Clarification	making meaning clearer
Mediation	passing on relevant meaning for an audience
Compromise	a solution in which sides adjust
Priority	something more important than a preference
Evidence	information used to support a claim
Revision	improving your own draft after feedback
Trade-off	giving up one benefit to gain another
Fluency	communicating smoothly enough to keep meaning moving

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Kommunikationsfunktion
Could you clarify what you mean?	Clarification
If we shorten the video, we can keep the quiz.	Compromise
The organiser says that recordings cannot be posted publicly.	Mediation
From our perspective, captions are essential.	Position
So, are we agreed on the final plan?	Closure

Kreuzworträtsel

Clarify	What verb means to make a message clearer?
Compromise	What word describes a solution in which sides adjust their demands?
Mediation	What process passes on relevant meaning for a specific purpose and audience?
Evidence	What word means information used to support a claim?
Audience	Who should shape the way you mediate or write information?
Revision	What process improves a draft after feedback?

LearningApps

Lückentext

In an international discussion, a precise follow-up question can create

. A good mediator selects information for a specific

. When priorities conflict, a conditional proposal can support a

. The phrase “If we shorten the video, we can keep the quiz” uses a useful

. A reasoned decision should separate facts from personal

. Clear chunking and sentence stress improve

. After feedback, you should keep your first draft and make a visible

. Before using AI-supported information, you should check facts and

.

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Clarification: Write six useful clarification questions for the challenge and test them with a partner.
Plain English: Rewrite five long or vague project sentences in shorter, clearer English without losing key meaning.
Active listening: Watch one short course video and note three moments where a listener could check or respond.
Pronunciation: Record one 30-second private practice message if you want to. Compare version one and version two for chunking and clarity; no upload is required.

Standard

Mediation: Mediate the German organiser message for two different audiences: the international student team and a teacher. Change the selection of detail.
Negotiation: Run a four-role negotiation and produce a 45-minute schedule that all roles can explain.
Media literacy: Compare two course media sources. Check creator, purpose, date or context, and explain what each source is useful for.
Writing: Draft the 180–220 word decision note, get peer feedback with the checklist and submit a revised version plus two explained changes.

Schwer

Perspective: Add a fifth fictional role with one new accessibility or technology constraint. Renegotiate without stereotyping a country or culture.
Spontaneous speaking: Present your final plan for two minutes and answer three unplanned follow-up questions without reading a full script.
Source-based argumentation: Research one reliable English-language source on effective group communication. Summarise one relevant point in your own words, link it to the simulation and record the source.
Transfer: Redesign the exchange for 35 minutes and write a short comparison explaining what you changed, what you kept and why.

Lernkontrolle

Communication strategy: A team repeatedly says “I don’t understand” but never solves the problem. Explain two better repair strategies and demonstrate each with project language.
Mediation: Decide which parts of the German organiser message matter most for the international team. Justify one included and one omitted detail.
Negotiation: Two roles both claim their idea is “essential”. Create a fair process for testing the claims and produce one conditional compromise.
Source evaluation: A fluent video gives advice that does not fit a school setting. Explain why fluency and production quality are not enough to prove relevance.
Writing transfer: Improve a weak decision paragraph by adding one perspective, one reason, one source reference and one trade-off. Explain how coherence improved.
Error analysis: Choose one recurring language error from your own work, explain the pattern and use the corrected form in a new communication situation.

Lernnachweis

For a strong learning record, show evidence of the whole communication process:

one completed role-based negotiation or teacher-observed discussion;
one 90-second spoken summary or equivalent live contribution;
one mediation task adapted to purpose and audience;
one 180–220 word decision note that uses perspectives and reasons;
one preserved first draft plus a revised version;
one short error analysis;
one source/media check;
one completed Can-do check with a next learning goal.

Recordings are optional unless your school has clearly agreed another safe procedure. No public upload is required.

OERs zum Thema

Bildungsplan Baden-Württemberg – Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Klassen 7/8/9: check functional communication and text/media competence.
Council of Europe – CEFR Mediation: check mediation as purpose- and audience-oriented meaning-making.
British Council LearnEnglish Teens – Discussion: teen-appropriate speaking input.
Media licence check: The embedded images are Wikimedia Commons files with free licences stated on their file pages. Check the exact licence and attribution there before reuse outside the wiki.

Further learning links: CEFR, Sprachmittlung, Kommunikation, Argumentation, Medienkompetenz.

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International communication

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