aiMOOC

E9 M - Mediation in a conversation

QR-Code

Einleitung

E9 M - Mediation in a conversation trainiert Sprachmittlung in einer simulierten zweisprachigen Unterhaltung auf Klasse 9, M-Niveau, Baden-Württemberg. Du vermittelst mehrere relevante Informationen zwischen Deutsch und Englisch, fragst bei Bedarf nach und reagierst höflich auf die Gesprächssituation. Keine Vollübersetzung: Verstehe zuerst die Aussage und gib dann die für die andere Person wichtigen Informationen sinngemäß weiter.

Mini-Beschreibung: Vermittle in einer simulierten zweisprachigen Unterhaltung mehrere Informationen, frage bei Bedarf nach und beachte Höflichkeit und Gesprächssituation.

Media start – Look, think, speak: What might the people be discussing? Who may need help understanding another person? Give two possible situations in English.

Watch actively: Listen for useful phrases for clarification. Do not translate the whole video. Note only three phrases that could keep a conversation going.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Sprachmittlung bedeutet hier nicht Wort-für-Wort-Übersetzen. Du wählst wichtige Informationen aus, erklärst sie verständlich und reagierst auf Rückfragen.

E9-M-Sprachmodus

Bereich	Vorgabe für diesen Kurs
Niveau	B1-orientiert, zunehmend selbstständig
Gesprächsdauer	3–4 Minuten
Sprecherzahl	3 Personen: englischsprachige Person, deutschsprachige Person, vermittelnde Person
Tempo	moderat und natürlich; kurze Denkpausen sind erlaubt
Input	längere kurze/einfache authentische oder authentisch wirkende Texte mit erschließbarem Wortschatz
Output	mehrere Informationen vermitteln, nachfragen, paraphrasieren, höflich reagieren und zusammenfassen
Hilfe	zunächst English first; Deutsch nur als aufklappbare Unterstützung

Timing for your mediation: 0:00–0:45 understand the situation → 0:45–1:45 pass on key information → 1:45–2:30 ask for missing details → 2:30–3:15 clarify or compare options → 3:15–4:00 confirm the result and close politely.

I-can goals

I can …	Check
understand the main point and several useful details in a short conversation.	☐
pass on relevant information without translating every sentence.	☐
ask for clarification when information is missing or unclear.	☐
use polite requests and responses that fit the situation.	☐
paraphrase a word I do not know and keep speaking.	☐
check whether both people have understood the final decision.	☐

Vorwissen: What do you already do?

Think of a situation in which one person speaks mainly German and another mainly English.

Explain: In one English sentence, say what a mediator does.
Choose: Which is more useful: every word or the relevant message? Explain.
Try: Say one polite question for information and one phrase for checking understanding.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Denke an Austausch, Reise, Jugendbegegnung, Praktikum oder einen Besuch. Wichtig ist, dass Du Bedeutung vermittelst und nicht jedes einzelne Wort.

Input: Mediation in action

Core strategy:

Step	What you do	Useful language
Understand	Listen for purpose, people, time, place, price, problem and choice.	So the main point is …
Respond	Pass on only what the other person needs.	She says that … / He means that …
Ask	Get missing information.	Could you clarify …? / Do you mean …?
Hint	Explain an unknown word with easier words.	It’s a place where … / It’s similar to …
Improve	Correct yourself without stopping.	Sorry, let me rephrase that.
Use again	Apply the strategy in a new situation.	So, for you that means …

Quick challenge: You see this sign during a school trip. Your German-speaking partner asks what to do next. Give a one-sentence answer in English first, then mediate the key idea into German.

Listening and Viewing

First viewing – gist: Why does the speaker need clarification?

Second viewing – details: Note two questions that ask for specific information.

Third step – transfer: Change one question so it fits a school-trip situation.

Listening focus: Which requests sound polite because they use could, would or an indirect form? Choose two patterns and use them in your own mediation.

Listening rule: Do not chase every unknown word. Listen for the communicative goal and for details the other person actually needs.

Reading: Select, do not translate

Use the menu image as an authentic visual prompt. Your partner does not need the whole menu.

Task: Imagine your partner asks for a vegetarian option, a drink and an approximate price range. Scan the image and report only useful information. If a detail is unreadable or uncertain, say so instead of inventing it.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Suche gezielt nach Informationen, die zur Frage passen. Wenn Du etwas nicht sicher lesen kannst, sage zum Beispiel: “I can’t read the exact price, but …”

Context vocabulary

Function	Useful chunks
Pass on information	She says that … / He told me that … / The important thing is …
Ask	Could you tell me …? / Could you clarify …? / Do you mean …?
Check	So you mean …, right? / Have I got that right?
Compare	This option is cheaper, but … / The other option includes …
Explain	It means … / It’s a kind of … / It’s a place where …
Repair	Sorry, let me rephrase that. / What I mean is …
Close	Great, then we’ll … / Thanks, that clears it up.

Do not learn isolated words only. Learn chunks you can reuse while speaking.

Pronunciation and fluency

Goal: Verständlichkeit vor Akzentfreiheit. Clear chunks, sensible pauses and sentence stress matter more than sounding like a particular accent.

Say these chunks in one smooth unit:

Could you clarify that, please?
So, what you mean is …
Let me rephrase that.
The important thing for you is …

Private speaking option: Record one 30–45 second practice version only if you want to. Keep recordings private unless you explicitly choose to share them. No automatic upload is required.

Speaking: The 3-person mediation challenge

Visual setting only: The photo gives you an information-desk context. All task names, times and prices below are fictional.

Situation: A German school group is visiting an English-speaking city. Maya works at a youth media centre and speaks English. Jonas is visiting from Germany and mainly asks in German. You mediate.

Fictional information card for Maya:

Detail	Information
Workshop	Street Photography Basics
Start	2:30 p.m.
Meeting point	Information desk at 2:15 p.m.
Cost	£4 for students
Payment	Card only
Equipment	Cameras can be borrowed with a school ID
End	4:00 p.m.
Extra	A quiet waiting area is available

Jonas asks in German: „Wann müssen wir da sein? Was kostet es? Ich habe keine Kamera dabei. Kannst du auch fragen, ob ich bar bezahlen kann und wo ich warten kann, falls ich früher da bin?“

Your task: Mediate the relevant information to Jonas, then ask Maya about cash payment and the waiting area. Do not translate every line. Keep the exchange moving for 3–4 minutes by checking, clarifying and confirming the final plan.

Useful sequence:

Start in English: “Jonas would like to know …”
Listen and select the relevant details.
Mediate them naturally into German.
Ask Maya for the missing information.
Tell Jonas the answer.
Confirm the final plan in English.

Deutsch-Hilfe Stufe 1: Suche zuerst nach Zeit, Preis, Bezahlung, Kamera und Warteort.

Deutsch-Hilfe Stufe 2: Satzstarter: “Sie sagt, dass …” / “Wichtig für dich ist …” / “Ich frage noch nach, ob …”

Deutsch-Hilfe Stufe 3: Wenn ein Wort fehlt, beschreibe es: “It’s a document/card from school that shows you are a student.”

Functional grammar

Grammar supports the communicative goal.

Purpose	Pattern	Example
Polite request	could + base verb	Could you repeat the price, please?
Indirect question	Could you tell me + clause	Could you tell me where we should wait?
Report information	says that / told me that	She says that the workshop starts at 2:30.
Explain a condition	if + present	If you arrive early, you can wait inside.
Give a reason	because / so	He has no camera, so he needs to borrow one.

Notice: In an indirect question, use statement word order: “Could you tell me where the desk is?” not “where is the desk?”

Feedback loop: improve and use again

After the first role-play, get feedback on only four things:

Check	Feedback question
Relevance	Did I pass on the information the listener needed?
Clarity	Was my message easy to follow?
Interaction	Did I ask when something was unclear?
Politeness	Did my language fit the situation?

Then repeat the same task with one change: the workshop is full, the meeting point moves, or the visitor has a different need. React spontaneously instead of memorising your first version.

Error analysis

Match each problem with a better strategy.

Problem	Better move
You translate every sentence.	Select only relevant information.
You stop because one word is missing.	Paraphrase it.
You guess a detail.	Ask or mark uncertainty.
You sound too direct.	Use could, would or an indirect question.
You speak for too long without checking.	Pause and confirm understanding.

Repair is a skill, not a failure. Correcting yourself and asking again are signs of active communication.

Writing: From spoken mediation to a short message

After the role-play, write a coherent 80–110 word message to the German group. Include the agreed time, meeting point, cost, equipment and one practical note. Do not copy the English source sentence by sentence.

Then keep your first version and make a second version with improvements. Do not overwrite your original text.

Safe and responsible media use

Privacy: Use fictional names and fictional profile, application or CV data in practice tasks.
Social media: Do not include private social-media handles, messages or account data.
Recordings: Recordings are optional and should stay private unless you deliberately choose to share them.
AI use: Do not send personal recordings or texts to external AI services without permission.
Check AI output: Verify facts, sources and language feedback. Keep your own original version so changes remain visible.
Culture: Explain context when needed, but avoid cultural stereotypes.

Transfer: New situation

Imagine you are at a sports centre. An English-speaking staff member explains three membership options. Your German-speaking partner wants only a one-day visit and needs a locker.

Transfer rule: Understand → respond → ask → hint → improve → use again.

Active use: Watch for polite requests. Then create one request you could use at the sports centre.

Can-do check

Can-do	Not yet	With help	Independently
I can identify relevant information.	☐	☐	☐
I can mediate without translating everything.	☐	☐	☐
I can ask for clarification.	☐	☐	☐
I can paraphrase an unknown word.	☐	☐	☐
I can use polite requests naturally.	☐	☐	☐
I can keep a 3–4 minute three-person exchange going.	☐	☐	☐

Next step: E9 M - Mediation from a written source

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What is the main aim of mediation in this course? (Pass on relevant meaning for another person) (!Translate every word exactly) (!Avoid asking questions) (!Use only German)

What should you do when an important detail is unclear? (Ask for clarification) (!Invent a likely answer) (!Ignore the listener) (!End the conversation)

Which phrase is suitable for checking understanding? (Have I got that right?) (!You are wrong) (!Say everything again now) (!I do not care)

Which information should you pass on first? (Information relevant to the listener) (!Every adjective from the source) (!All background details) (!Only unknown words)

Which sentence is a polite request? (Could you clarify the meeting point, please?) (!Tell me the meeting point) (!You must repeat that) (!Give me the answer)

What can you do when you do not know one English word? (Paraphrase the idea with easier words) (!Stop speaking completely) (!Switch off the task) (!Make up a random word)

Which grammar pattern is correct for an indirect question? (Could you tell me where the desk is?) (!Could you tell me where is the desk?) (!Could you tell where the desk?) (!Could tell me the desk where?)

What matters more than accent-free speech? (Being understandable) (!Copying one specific accent) (!Speaking without pauses) (!Using difficult words)

What should happen to a voluntary practice recording by default? (It should stay private) (!It should be uploaded automatically) (!It should be posted publicly) (!It should include private account data)

What is the final step after feedback? (Use the strategy again in a changed situation) (!Memorise the exact first dialogue) (!Translate the whole source) (!Remove your first text version)

Memory

clarification	asking for clearer information
paraphrase	explaining an idea with different words
relevance	choosing what the listener needs
politeness	adapting language respectfully to the situation
repair	correcting or reformulating while speaking
confirmation	checking the final understanding

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Understand	identify purpose and key details
Respond	pass on the relevant message
Ask	get missing information
Hint	explain an unknown word
Improve	rephrase after feedback

Kreuzworträtsel

clarification	What do you ask for when a detail is unclear?
politeness	What helps a request fit a respectful situation?
mediator	What is a person called who helps meaning move between speakers?
relevance	What quality tells you that information matters for the listener?
context	What helps you choose language that fits the situation?
paraphrase	What can replace a missing word by explaining the idea differently?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Key details: Mark five details in the fictional information card that Jonas needs and explain why each one matters.
Phrase bank: Create six reusable English chunks for asking, checking and reformulating.
Image mediation: Choose one Wikimedia image from this course and describe a possible mediation situation in four English sentences.
Mini role-play: Perform a 60-second mediation with one request and one clarification question.

Standard

Three-person role-play: Perform the full 3–4 minute youth-centre mediation with three speakers and one changed detail.
Video phrases: Use one of the embedded videos and collect five phrases that could help in a real mediation.
Follow-up message: Write an 80–110 word German or English follow-up that contains only the information the target person needs.
Repair lab: Create three typical mediation mistakes and rewrite each as a better communicative move.

Schwer

Unexpected change: During a 3–4 minute role-play, let a partner introduce two unexpected changes and react without restarting.
Compare options: Mediate between two possible activities, compare price, time and suitability, and help the group reach a decision.
Peer interview: Interview a classmate about which mediation strategies help most, then present the results in English without naming private information.
Private media project: Create a short fictional audio or video mediation scene. Keep the recording private unless everyone involved explicitly agrees to share it.

Lernkontrolle

Relevance test: You receive a short conversation containing useful and irrelevant details. Explain which details you would mediate for a specific listener and why.
Situation test: Rewrite a direct request so that it fits a polite conversation with an unfamiliar adult, then explain the change.
Repair test: Show two different ways to keep speaking when one key word is missing.
Transfer test: Apply the mediation strategy from the youth centre to a new context such as a sports centre, museum or school exchange.
Perspective test: Explain how the information you select changes when the listener has a different goal.
Strategy reflection: Compare your first and second role-play and identify one improvement in relevance, interaction and clarity.

Lernnachweis

Für einen Lernnachweis zu diesem Thema ist wichtig:

Du vermittelst in einer 3–4-minütigen Unterhaltung zwischen drei Rollen mehrere relevante Informationen.
Du wählst Informationen adressatengerecht aus, statt vollständig zu übersetzen.
Du stellst mindestens eine sinnvolle Rückfrage.
Du nutzt mindestens eine Kompensationsstrategie wie Paraphrasieren oder Reformulieren.
Du beachtest Höflichkeit und Gesprächssituation.
Du reagierst auf mindestens eine spontane Änderung.
Du sprichst verständlich und kohärent; Akzentfreiheit ist kein Bewertungskriterium.
Du überprüfst am Ende, ob die Beteiligten die Vereinbarung verstanden haben.

OERs zum Thema

Weiterführende, geprüfte Grundlagen:

Medienhinweis: Die eingebundenen Bilder stammen aus Wikimedia Commons. Lizenz und Urheberangaben stehen jeweils auf der Dateiseite. Die eingebundenen Lernvideos stammen von Learn English with Cambridge bzw. BBC Learning English; Sofatutor wird nicht verwendet.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

Sprachmittlung

aiMOOC-Projekte

Inhalte werden geladen ...

Mediathek wird aus dem Wiki geladen ...

Frag mich zum aktuellen Lerninhalt oder wähle eine kurze Hilfe.

Textmodus bereit

Sprache