Mediation: The What, Why & How Explained 

"Mediation" is one of many words in English with dual meanings. To most people, it describes a method of resolving a conflict between two or more parties using a neutral mediator to assist in discussions and find a mutually agreeable resolution. 

In language teaching, it is a bridge between understanding. This blog post explores what mediation is, why it’s important, and how to include it in the ELT classroom. 

What is mediation? 

Mediation refers to the ability to understand, summarize, and explain information to others. In terms of teaching, it’s a great way to ensure learners have understood a lesson, but it’s also an important life skill for students. It’s a real-life communication skill that will help them succeed in life and work. 

No matter what roles our students play, they’ll need to use mediation skills to explain (often complex) things to others. For example: 

• a parent explaining to their child why they need to brush their teeth 
• a doctor communicating a diagnosis to a patient
• a teacher expressing the difference between present perfect and past simple
• a chef sharing the instructions for a recipe
• a friend showing how to progress to the next level in a video game 

Yet there is more to mediation than expressing complex information in a simple way. The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) includes examples of skills around mediating texts, concepts, and communication. For example: 

• relaying and rephrasing information to others
• taking notes, summarizing, and translating information
• comparing and critically evaluating information
• collaborating in a group 
• being aware and adapting to cultural differences
• understanding disagreements and finding a resolution

You can read the full CEFR list here: Mediation: What it is, how to teach it, and how to assess it

Why is mediation important? 

When I first started teaching over 20 years ago, the focus seemed to be on teaching learners four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Over time, the language classroom has grown to support learners in developing a multitude of 21st-century skills: 

• critical thinking
• intercultural communication
• digital skills
• employability 
• social-emotional skills
• mental health awareness
• translanguaging (and cross-linguistic mediation)
• mediation

By incorporating mediation into our classrooms, we give students the opportunity to enhance their communication skills for the real world. 

How can I incorporate it into class? 

The good news is that you’re probably already doing this. As I write this blog post, I’m researching, collating, and rephrasing information from other sources to explain mediation in a simple way. In short, I’m mediating information about mediation! 

In a similar way, think about many of the activities you do in class most days. Many activities typical of the language classroom involve resolving a gap in communication where students support each other to find and clarify meaning. 

For example: 

• reading two different texts and explaining them to another student 
• checking answers to comprehension questions in pairs
• researching information and presenting it to the class 
• discussing ideas for a group project and how to implement them

Examples of mediation activities

Let’s have a look at Ellii's lesson on Distracted Driving. (Available in print and digital formats.)

The warm-up questions allow students to link to their previous knowledge, express opinions, and collaborate to construct meaning with peers.

Students then work together to construct meaning of vocabulary, read a text, and complete comprehension questions. 

These comprehension questions allow learners to relay and check specific information, process the text, take notes, translate to their first language, and break down complex information. Working in pairs provides an opportunity to support each other, communicate, and create a shared understanding of the text. 

The lesson ends with a discussion and critical thinking activities. These prompts provide students with the opportunity to relate the text to their own experiences, discuss challenging debate topics, and express their personal responses to the text. 

For further exploration, teachers can launch an interactive Ellii Poll on this topic that students can participate in by scanning a QR code on their smartphones.

Further reading 

You’ll find more about mediation in these blog posts: 

• 6 English Language Teaching Trends in 2023
• How to Simplify Complex Tasks with Visual Prompts
• Translanguaging: Embracing the Power of Multilingualism in Your Classroom

I also highly recommend Riccardo Chiappini and Ethan Mansur’s book entitled Activities for Mediation. And this comprehensive resource from the CEFR. 

What experience do you have with mediation? How do you incorporate it into the classroom? We’d love to hear from you.