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    The design process


Types of mediation tasks


Before the design process


The design process


Adapting mediation tasks


Assessing mediation
 

How to design mediation tasks: what to consider

This section provides an overview of some of the steps that teachers might wish to follow when creating their own mediation tasks.

Stage 1: Planning for mediation 

I. Setting the aims, topics and task type

In order for teachers to create their own mediation tasks, the very first step is to decide on the content and the type of activities to be carried out on the basis of the aim and the specific objectives of the task. It is also important to consider learners’ (CEFR) proficiency levels in different languages, in general, and in the target language in particular, together with the specific characteristics of the learners and the situational context. The teacher will also decide whether the focus of the task will be on oral mediation (producing an oral text on the basis of a written or another oral text) or written mediation (producing a written text). 

II. Selecting (or adapting) the relevant CEFR-CV can-do statements 

The CEFR Companion Volume can provide valuable support to learning. This entails that the teacher decides which descriptor scales can be useful for the learners in carrying out a specific task. For instance, if the teacher’s goal is to teach summary writing in the target language through written mediation tasks, the set of descriptors relating to ‘Processing text in writing’ could be a starting point for designing specific task activities. An example of such a (B1 level) descriptor is: ‘Can summarise in writing the main points made in straightforward informational texts regarding subjects that are of personal or current interest.’ Choosing the appropriate and most relevant scales and descriptors is not an easy process. 

For this reason, the METLA team provides: 



A table with examples of METLA tasks aligned with CEFR-CV descriptors. For teachers to be aware of the rationale behind METLA activities and to create similar tasks for their own purposes, it is important to understand the way we have linked our activities to the CEFR-CV scales and descriptors. The first column provides the scales, the second column the proficiency level as well as the descriptors in the particular scale. The third column presents selected steps from METLA tasks which relate to the specific descriptors.

III. Selecting relevant, authentic and linguistically appropriate source (Language A) texts

The selection of (authentic) source texts is an important step when designing cross-linguistic mediation tasks since the whole mediation activity is based on sources. Apart from authenticity of materials, relevance of the topic and learners’ needs, age and interests, the teacher also needs to take into account: the genres of the source and the target texts: using genre-appropriate language is likely to be one of the goals of the task. For instance, the language teacher may intend to help learners practise writing an email in the foreign language.

IV. Writing clear task instructions and creating a realistic context

Clear task instructions are a very important aspect of a mediation task. The learner needs specific information about the context of mediation, the purpose of mediation and the addressee(s) of the target text in order to relay the information that is most relevant, useful or interesting to the target audience. 

V. Using the METLA (or other) checklists for the process of creating a task 

The METLA team offers two checklists, a short and a more extended one, for teachers who wish to check to what extent they have considered the above-mentioned aspects of mediation task design. The use of self-assessment or reflection checklists will help teachers monitor their lessons in a systematic way.
 

Download Checklist 1 and 2


Stage 2: The design process 

The METLA task template

For the purposes of task design, the teacher can use the METLA template, which consists of two parts: a first part for the teacher and a second part for the learner.  It guides the teacher as to what information to include in relation to the task (e.g., the type of task - role play, project etc, the task description, its aims, the languages involved, duration, the CEFR language proficiency level, CEFR-CV mediation descriptors). The second part of the template can be used by the teacher to present the actual texts and tasks. It is actually the worksheet for the learners. Grids for self-assessment and reflection can also be included here. 

See Chapter 3 of the Teaching Guide for further information on the use of the METLA task template.
  

Download the template here.

Some considerations when creating mediation tasks

This section focuses on how mediation can be taught, and offers some important considerations in relation to the incorporation of learners’ home languages, the promotion of (inter/pluri)cultural elements, the introduction of multimodality and of different media, the authenticity of texts and tasks, the development of collaborative interaction, the development of learners’ mediation strategies, and how teachers can bring a variety of genres into the classroom through mediation tasks. Finally, the METLA team offer some ideas as to how mediation can be assessed through means of alternative assessment. 

Inclusion de la langue d’origine des apprenant·es

Les enseignant·es de langues se demandent très souvent comment intégrer les langues d’origine de leurs élèves, puisqu’ils·elles ne parlent ni ne comprennent ces langues eux·elles-mêmes. Cela peut facilement être réalisé en utilisant des tâches de médiation où le texte A ou le texte B peuvent utiliser les langues nationales.

Voici d’autres idées qui permettent à l’enseignant·e de s’assurer que toutes les langues de la classe sont respectées :

  • Créer des tableaux de classe multilingues ou des murs de mots interactifs des langues parlées par les élèves ;
  • Demander aux élèves de trouver différents textes dans leur langue maternelle et de les apporter en classe ;
  • Inviter des locuteurs ou des locutrices multilingues dans la classe, par exemple des membres de la famille, si les élèves se sentent à l’aise avec cela, et les laisser discuter avec les élèves.

D’autres idées sont disponibles dans le guide d’enseignement (chapitre 4).

Deux des tâches METLA (voir les tâches 12 et 17) comprennent des activités de vocabulaire en rapport avec le sujet de la leçon (Internet et technologie dans la première tâche et la littérature dans la seconde) qui encouragent les apprenant·es à utiliser leur langue maternelle ou toute autre langue. 

EXEMPLES : Tâche 12, Tâche 17

Inclusion de la composante (inter/pluri culturelle)

L’incorporation d’activités qui favorisent les éléments (inter/pluri)culturels est un aspect important de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage des langues étrangères. Transmettre des informations à une personne d’origine ethnique, linguistique ou/et culturelle différente est une activité qu’un·e locuteur·rice plurilingue peut réaliser dans sa communication quotidienne. Fournir des informations sur les traditions, les coutumes, les habitudes sociales, les expériences culturelles, etc. à des personnes qui ne partagent pas la même langue est un exemple de médiation interlangues et interculturelle. 

EXEMPLES : Tâche 10, Tâche 13

Inclusion de multimodalité et d’éléments visuels

La multimodalité désigne la transmission de connaissances à l’aide de divers modes de représentation - textes écrits, représentations visuelles, sons, etc. Avec la représentation multimodale, le texte, l’image, le son, etc. se combinent pour créer une signification qui n’est pas seulement une addition de modes séparés, mais le résultat de leur interaction. Les tâches de médiation peuvent inviter les apprenant·es à produire des textes multimodaux dans la langue étrangère sur divers sujets de la vie quotidienne, tels que les loisirs, la famille, la technologie, etc. D’autres tâches peuvent demander aux étudiant·es de tirer des informations de textes combinant plusieurs modes, tels que des affiches électroniques, des vidéos, des blogs, etc. 

Quant à l’utilisation de visuels dans les tâches de médiation, on peut demander à l’élève de relayer un message présenté à travers un camembert, un graphique, un tableau, une carte, un croquis, une photographie, etc. à des interlocuteurs ou interlocutrices qui peuvent ne pas comprendre ce visuel. Dans ce cas, le texte source est constitué uniquement de visuels. Le texte cible est constitué de textes verbaux relayés (écrits ou oraux). 

EXEMPLES : Tâche 11, Tâche 13

Garantir l’authenticité

L’authenticité est d’une importance capitale lors de la conception de tâches de médiation. Les tâches METLA font écho à deux types d’authenticité : 

a) Authenticité des textes, tels que : 

  • des éléments visuels (photos, images, chiffres, graphiques, posters, etc.) ;
  • des textes multimodaux tels que des vidéos authentiques soigneusement sélectionnées ;
  • des textes tirés de journaux, de magazines, d'affiches, de billets, etc.

b) Authenticité des tâches à travers :

  • des contextes de vie réels et des objectifs authentiques pour communiquer (par exemple, acheter un ticket de bus) ;
  • des sujets quotidiens proches des expériences de vie et des intérêts des apprenant·es.

EXEMPLE : Tâche 7 

Développement des stratégies de médiation des apprenant·es

Les stratégies de médiation sont utilisées par le médiateur ou la médiatrice afin de faire passer des informations d’une langue à l’autre. Elles font généralement référence à la manière dont le contenu source est traité, paraphrasé et finalement incorporé dans le texte ou le discours cible.

Afin de développer les stratégies de médiation, l’enseignant·e de langues peut envisager de s’appuyer sur les stratégies avec lesquelles les apprenant·es sont déjà familier·ères lorsqu’ils·elles lisent ou écrivent des textes - par exemple, chercher l’information essentielle, deviner le vocabulaire à partir du contexte, paraphraser, etc. L’enseignement des stratégies peut être explicite et l’enseignant·e peut associer des types de tâches spécifiques à des stratégies spécifiques, afin que les apprenant·es prennent conscience de l’interrelation entre les tâches et l’utilisation des stratégies de médiation. 

Idées pour l’enseignement explicite des stratégies de médiation (tableau de la section 5.2.7)

EXEMPLE : Tâche 11

Traitement de la variété des genres

Les textes sources et les textes cibles peuvent être de différents types (genres) et devraient couvrir une grande variété de genres (articles, lettres et courriels, dépliants, textes de manuels d’instruction, cartes, poèmes, annonces de livres, textes Internet, etc.). Le style et le registre des textes produits par les apprenant·es doivent être adaptés au contexte et respecter les conventions du genre (les articles de journaux suivent une structure spécifique avec un titre, etc.) 

L'un des aspects les plus difficiles de la médiation est la prise en compte par les apprenant·es des conventions du texte cible et la production de textes appropriés ; le genre du texte original ne coïncide pas toujours avec celui du texte de sortie, de sorte que le médiateur ou la médiatrice doit coordonner des conventions textuelles différentes.

EXEMPLE : Tâche 5

Collaborer pour construire le sens et faciliter l'interaction

En s'inspirant de l'approche actionnelle adoptée dans le VC-CECR, qui souligne l'importance de l'interaction collaborative entre les apprenant·es lorsqu'ils et elles travaillent sur des tâches de médiation interlangues, on peut leur demander d'échanger leurs points de vue sur les tâches, de partager leurs ressources, de les construire en collaboration, voire d'évaluer leurs accomplissements (voir aussi Piccardo et North, 2019).

EXEMPLES : Tâches 13, 1

Incorporating learners’ home languages

Language teachers very frequently wonder how to incorporate their learners’ home languages since they do not speak or understand the languages themselves. This can easily be done when using mediation tasks where Text A or Text B actually involve use of home languages.

Other ideas that can help the teacher ensure that all languages in the class are respected:

  • Creating multilingual classroom charts or interactive word walls of languages spoken by learners;
  • Asking learners to find different texts in their home languages and bring them into class;
  • Inviting multilingual speakers into the classroom, e.g., family members if students feel comfortable with this, and letting them discuss with the students.

More ideas are available in the Teaching Guide in Chapter 4.

Two of the METLA tasks (Task 16 and 26), include vocabulary activities relevant to the topic of the task  (Internet and technology in the former and literature in the latter) which encourage learners to use their home languages or any other language. 

EXAMPLES: Task 16, Task 26

Incorporating the (inter/pluri)cultural component

Incorporating activities which promote (inter/pluri)cultural elements is an important aspect of foreign language teaching and learning. Relaying information to someone with a different ethnic, linguistic or/and cultural background is an activity that a plurilingual speaker may perform in everyday communication. Providing information about traditions, customs, social habits, cultural experiences, etc. for listeners/readers who do not share the same language is an example of cross-linguistic as well as intercultural mediation. 

EXAMPLES: Task 14, Task 17

Incorporating multimodality and different media

Multimodality refers to the transmission of knowledge using various modes of representation – written texts, visual representations, sound etc. With multimodal representation, text, image, sound etc. combine to create meaning that is not just an addition of separate modes, but the result of the interplay between them. Mediation tasks may invite learners to produce multimodal texts in the foreign language on various everyday topics, such as hobbies, family, technology etc. Other tasks may ask learners to draw information from texts that combine multiple modes, such as electronic posters, videos, blogs etc. 

As for the use of visuals in mediation tasks, the learner may be asked to relay a message presented through a pie chart, graph, table, map, sketch, photograph, etc. to interlocutors who may not understand this visual. In this case, the source text consists of visuals only. The target text consists of relayed verbal texts (either written or oral). 

EXAMPLES: Task 11, Task 13

Ensuring authenticity

Authenticity is of paramount importance when designing mediation tasks. METLA tasks echo two types of authenticity: 

a) Authenticity of texts, such as: 

  • visuals (photos, pictures, figures, charts, posters etc.)
  • texts such as authentic videos carefully selected 
  • texts taken from newspapers, magazines, posters, tickets, etc.

b) Authenticity of tasks through:

  • real-life contexts and genuine purposes to communicate (e.g., buying a bus ticket)
  • everyday topics close to learners’ life experiences and interests

Integrating digital resources is another way to enhance authenticity of mediation tasks. Digital resources can be used as a source of (multilingual) information, as a means of communication, and as a resource for knowledge dissemination.

EXAMPLES: Tasks 7, 11, 19

Developing learners’ mediation strategies

Mediation strategies are used by the mediator in order to pass on information from one language to another. These generally refer to how source content is handled, paraphrased and ultimately incorporated into the target text or discourse.

In order to develop learners’ mediation strategies, the language teacher can consider building on the strategies which learners are already familiar with when reading or writing texts –for example, skimming for gist, guessing vocabulary from context, paraphrasing etc. The teaching of strategies could be explicit while the teacher could link specific types of tasks to specific strategies making learners aware of the interrelationship between tasks and mediation strategy use. 

Ideas for the explicit teaching of mediation strategies

EXAMPLE: Task 11

Dealing with a variety of genres

Source and output texts can be of different types (genres) and should cover a wide variety of genres (articles, letters and emails, leaflets, instruction-manual texts, maps, poems, book announcements, internet texts, etc.). The style and register of the learners’ output texts should be appropriate for the context and follow the conventions of  the genre (newspaper articles follow a specific structure with a title, etc.). One of the most challenging aspects of mediation is for learners to take into account the generic conventions of the target text and produce appropriate texts; the genre of the original text does not always coincide with that of the output text, so the mediator needs to coordinate the generic conventions of two different texts.

EXAMPLE: Task 5

Collaborating to construct meaning and facilitating interaction

Drawing upon the action-oriented approach adopted in the CEFR-CV, which stresses the importance of collaborative interaction between learners while working on cross-linguistic mediation tasks, learners can be asked to share their views on the tasks, to share their resources, to collaboratively build up on them, or even to evaluate their achievements (see also Piccardo and North, 2019).

EXAMPLES: Tasks 13, 1