Title: The MiLLaT Project: Making mediation more visible in language teaching

 

Authors: Roy Siddall, Mika Aromäki, Gráinne Hiney, Tuula Lehtonen, Kari Pitkänen, Nina Wallden, Cintia Widmann Etchemaite

 

Affiliation: Language Centre, University of Helsinki

 

Contact e-mail address: Roy.Siddall@helsinki.fi

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Key words: mediation, communication, engagement, classroom activities, student evaluation

 

Following the publication of the CEFR Companion Volume in 2018, the focus in language teaching and learning has shifted from the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing to four ‘modes’ of communication: reception, production, interaction and mediation. Mediation, in particular, has become a hot topic in language learning, since it has been recognized as a core feature of communication in our increasingly globalized and online world. However, while mediation is an intrinsic part of almost all language learning activities, it may not be explicitly mentioned in class by teachers or recognized by students.

 

In this workshop, we will consider how some common tasks in language courses, such as summarising a text in writing, can be introduced to students in an engaging way as mediation activities that bear relevance to real-life communication. In addition, we will explore ways for students to peer or self-evaluate the effectiveness of their mediation and understand what is important for effective mediation, so that they can become aware of individual strengths and weaknesses or development needs as mediators. By raising awareness among students of what mediation is and why it is relevant, language teachers could increase motivation towards and engagement with mediation-related activities.

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