The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and Companion Volume (2018) not only focuses on the acquisition of the four skills and their descriptors, but it also considers other language activities (reception, production, interaction and mediation).

In this regard, mediation is seen as a transversal competence, based on rephrasing, summarizing and adapting information to the listener, so it is essential in communication.

Mediation is useful to solve problems between speakers, whether they share the same language or not. If they share the same language (i.e. English) we would speak of intralinguistic mediation, and if they don’t, it would be an example of interlinguistic mediation.

In the current globalized society, mediation is part of many social exchanges, as it involves receptive, productive and interactive skills, and as far as teaching foreign languages is concerned, it also needs to be part of our daily teaching practice.

Below you have an example of both oral and written mediation activities for C1 students. Thanks to Mónica Otero García (EOI León) for the following exercises:

C1 ORAL MEDIATION

Task 1: Mediation (2-3´)

You have a friend who is really concerned about the Covid-19 and the use and reuse of protective masks. You have found an infographic about some ways to reuse them and are going to summarize the information for him/her.

Task 2: Monologue. (3´)

Give your opinion about the use of protective masks and other ways to stop the spread of the virus. Are they really useful?

C1 WRITTEN MEDIATION.

You have a friend that brags that he only sleeps 4 hours every night. He believes that his health will not be affected by that and he intends to keep that habit as he has more time to work and so on. He believes that caffeine is all it takes to feel fine.

You have read the beginning of this book and want to send him/her an e-mail to warn him about the dangers of not getting enough sleep. (150-180 words)

CHAPTER 1

To Sleep . . .

Do you think you got enough sleep this past week? Can you recall the last time you woke up without an alarm clock feeling refreshed, not needing caffeine? If the answer to either of these questions is “no,” you are not alone. Two-thirds of adults throughout all developed nations fail to obtain the recommended eight hours of nightly sleep.

I doubt you are surprised by this fact, but you may be surprised by the consequences. Routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night demolishes your immune system, more than doubling your risk of cancer. Insufficient sleep is a key lifestyle factor determining whether or not you will develop Alzheimer’s disease. Inadequate sleep—even moderate reductions for just one week—disrupts blood sugar levels so profoundly that you would be classified as pre-diabetic. Short sleeping increases the likelihood of your coronary arteries becoming blocked and brittle, setting you on a path toward cardiovascular disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Fitting Charlotte Brontë’s prophetic wisdom that “a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow,” sleep disruption further contributes to all major psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and suicidality.

Perhaps you have also noticed a desire to eat more when you’re tired? This is no coincidence. Too little sleep swells concentrations of a hormone that makes you feel hungry while suppressing a companion hormone that otherwise signals food satisfaction. Despite being full, you still want to eat more. It’s a proven recipe for weight gain in sleep-deficient adults and children alike. Worse, should you attempt to diet but don’t get enough sleep while doing so, it is futile, since most of the weight you lose will come from lean body mass, not fat.

Why we sleep. Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams.

Mathew Walker, PhD