MEDIATION SAMPLES

Click here for topic-based oral and written mediation activities.

HOW TO DESCRIBE A CARTOON

HOW TO DESCRIBE A CARTOON

The cartoonist may want to convey the idea that…

Its message might be that…

Perhaps the cartoonist’s intention is to show that…

The cartoon implies that…

At first glance one might think that… but a closer analysis shows that…

You could draw the conclusion that…

a speech bubble/ thought bubble

on the (visual) surface

X stands for/ symbolizes…

The aim of the cartoonist is to exaggerate certain character traits

This cartoon shows a satirical description (of)

to satirize sth.

to criticize the behaviour of ....

The cartoon is critical towards…

This cartoon is an outspoken critic (of)

to disapprove of sth.

The cartoonist’s intention is to make fun of/ to poke fun at sb./sth./ridicule sth/sb

to make a sarcastic comment (on)

Let's analyse a cartoon:

Step 2:
What is going on in the cartoon?

Use present continuous to describe

Step 3:
What is the message of the cartoon?

MEDIATION: HOW TO QUOTE

        

Lead-ins, also called signal phrases, introduce quotations.

l According to X, “. . .”

l In the words of X,  “. . .”

l As X puts it, “. . .”

Alternate signal phrase verbs:

Adds, admits, agrees, argues, asserts, believes, claims, comments, compares, confirms, contends, declares, denies, disputes, emphasizes, endorses, grants, illustrates, implies, insists, notes, observes, points out, reasons, refutes, rejects, reports, responds, suggests, thinks, writes.

l X points out that “. . .”

l X, (well-known scientist), argues that “. . .”

l X, (a professor at X University), admits that “. . .”

l X has concluded that “. . .”

l X reports that “. . .”

l X writes that “. . .”

l X stated in an interview that “. . .”

l “. . .,” remarks X, “. . .” .

l “. . .,” claims X

l X claims that “. . .”

1. To contend: assert something as a position in an argument. Spanish argüir, sostener

Example: She contends that the judge was wrong

2. Endorse: declare one’s public approval or support of. Spanish: aprobar, refrendar

Example: I fully endorse that opinion

3. Refute: refutar, rebatir. To deny or contradict ( a statement or accusation). Prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false; disprove

Example: these claims have not been convincingly refuted

4. Claim: asegurar, afirmar. State or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof

Example: The Prime Minister claimed that he was concerned about Third World debt

Assert: state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully. Afirmar

EXPRESSIONS FOR MEDIATION

REFERRING TO THE SOURCE TEXT

·    I’ve read/looked at/listened to ……the leaflet/article/ad…… as you asked me to, and ..

CHOOSING AND REPHRASING THE CONTENT RELEVANT TO THE SITUATION/RECEIVER. SHOWING THAT YOU'VE CONSIDERED THE TASK INFORMATION

Since
Seeing as
Given that you ...
As is indicated here...
As far as you're / your situation is concerned, ...

Since /seeing as you have a dog/are a single parent …….. I consider the following options are the ones that best fit your requirements

REPHRASING CONTENT
· That is to say, …..
· In other words,
   What this basically means is .....
   In a nutshell, ....

  

EXPLAINING /COMMENTING

·         That’s why….

·         For this reason….

EXAMPLES

·         For example, …

·         For instance, ….

BRIDGING INTERCULTURAL DIFFERENCES THROUGH COMPARISON

·         X is similar to /very like/not unlike ……

·         X is a kind of ……

      Cocido is a kind of stew

OFFERING AN OPINION

· In my view, …
· From my point of view, …
· In my humble opinion, ….

GIVING ADVICE AND EMPHASIS TO HIGHLIGHT KEY INFORMATION

· If I were you, I’d…
· I suggest you + present simple
· I suggest+ verb-ing
· I recommend+ verb-ING
· I recommend that +subject+verb

  What I think you really need to pay attention to are/is (the dates, the place....)

     

CONCLUSION
I hope this information is helpul/comes in handy
Let me know if I can do anything else
I hope to have been of service

LIST OF CONNECTORS, LINKS, TRANSITIONAL WORDS AND PHRASES

Click here for a very useful list. These words will improve your mediations hugely 

SPECIFIC INFO FOR WRITTEN MEDIATION
- Avoid repetitions
- Try to express the same information in fewer words
- Highlight key information (using emphasis)
- Compare, contrast and draw conclusions . Emphasize the advantages expressed in the article, but should also make reference to the disadvantages and extract a final conclusion
- Adapt the message to the recipient by referring to cultural aspects
- Break down the information. Introduction, pros, cons and conclusion could be a good structure on some occasions
- Synthesize: by providing original ideas and opinions based on your previous knowledge and your interlocutor´s from different sources of information, including the text to mediate

-S   EXAMPLES OF MEDIATION:

  WRITTEN TEXTS
https://salondeidiomas.es/mediacion-linguistica-eoi /
https://englishadvancedc1.blogspot.com/2019/10/empower-p-61-summer-job-oral-mediation.html

SPOKEN TEXTS

MISTAKES TO AVOID

MEDIATION, WHAT'S THAT?

What EXACTLY is mediation? 

Check out this presentation, which will cast light on what mediation is 

Further information on mediation:

Mediation is a technique used to express relevant aspects of a text in another language. In written exams you are most often asked to mediate a Spanish text into English. Do not translate literally!! You have to process the text. The task is given in a specific situation, e.g. you help a tourist to understand information in Spanish, you write an article for an American school’s year book using a Spanish source, etc. 

Step 1: Read the task carefully to find out what information your addressee needs. 

Step 2: Read the text given to get its meaning and intention. 

Step 3: Highlight or underline keywords. Don’t panic if the text is long and /or complex – Concentrate on the points relevant for the focus of the mediation / to the addressee and leave out the rest. 

Step 4: Take notes in English to process the relevant passages from the Spanish text. Use your own words. Sometimes it is useful to simplify or paraphrase important words or phrases. 

Step 5: Structure your notes according to the task – if necessary, rearrange the structure of the original text. 

Step 6: If there are passages in the text which need explanation to be clarified, add further information. Don’t forget to explain concepts that are typical of one culture but not of the other, e.g. “Abitur” (final exam taken at German schools for higher education). 

Step 7: Write your text summarising your notes. Adapt your language (style, register) to the task and addressee. In an article for a school year book, you use relatively formal language; in an email to a friend, you write more informally.