Unit 8 — Erste Mediation: A German E-mail

Track E · Klasse 7 · Niveau E

Template: Activate → Input → Practise → Produce → Reflect.
Niveau: E. class test (“Klassenarbeit”) at Niveau E.
This is the first explicit mediation (“Mediation”) Unit of Klasse 7. Mediation will return in every year group (“Klassenstufe”) from now on.

Learning objectives Link to heading

  • I can explain the gist of a short German message in three or four English sentences for a clear addressee and purpose.
  • I can choose what to keep, paraphrase, or leave out depending on what the addressee needs to know.
  • I can use simple reporting verbs (says, explains, asks, advises) instead of literal translation.

Bildungsplan alignment Link to heading

  • 3.2.1 Themen — everyday communication across languages.
  • 3.2.3.5 Schreiben — short, structured texts.
  • 3.2.3.6 language mediation (Sprachmittlung) — gist-level mediation between German and English with named addressee and purpose.
  • 3.2.3.7 Wortschatz — reporting-verb cluster.
  • 3.2.4 Text- und Medienkompetenz — recognise the writer’s intent in a short German source text.

(Source: https://www.bildungsplaene-bw.de/,Lde/LS/BP2016BW/ALLG/SEK1/E1)

Lead-in story Link to heading

Aisha’s mother forwarded an e-mail from the school. The e-mail was in German. Aisha needed to explain it to her cousin in Manchester before the weekend, because the school trip date had moved. The e-mail had four paragraphs and one list. Aisha did not need to translate them. She only had to tell her cousin what to put in his diary.

1. Activate Link to heading

Two-minute think. Look at the slide. There is one short German WhatsApp message. With your partner, decide:

  • Who is the message for?
  • What does the receiver need to do?
  • What is not essential to translate?

Mediation is not translation. It is useful explaining.

2. Input Link to heading

What mediation is Link to heading

Mediation is moving meaning from one language to another for someone. The “for someone” is the trick. The receiver tells you what to keep, what to paraphrase, and what to drop.

A useful frame:

  1. Who is reading this?
  2. What do they need to do, decide, or know?
  3. What is the smallest amount of information that gets them there?

Source text — E-Mail von der Schule Link to heading

Liebe Eltern, der ursprünglich für den 14. Juni geplante Wandertag wird auf den 21. Juni verschoben. Treffpunkt bleibt der Hauptbahnhof, jedoch 15 Minuten früher als ursprünglich angegeben. Wer den Zug um 7:45 Uhr verpasst, kann an der Wanderung leider nicht mehr teilnehmen. Bitte denken Sie daran, dass festes Schuhwerk und eine Regenjacke verpflichtend sind. Mit freundlichen Grüßen, die school administration (Schulleitung).

Mediation in English — three sentences Link to heading

“Hi Tom, the school hike has been moved from June 14 to June 21. We meet at the main station fifteen minutes earlier — at 7:30. If you miss the train, you can’t come, so don’t forget good shoes and a rain jacket.”

Notice:

  • Greeting matches the addressee (Hi Tom, not Dear Parents).
  • Date is converted (German “21. Juni” → English “June 21”).
  • Salutation is dropped (“Mit freundlichen Grüßen, die school administration (Schulleitung)” is not useful for Tom).
  • Information is reordered for what Tom needs to do.

Useful reporting verbs Link to heading

German cueEnglish
sagento say (that)
erklärento explain (that)
erwähnento mention (that)
empfehlen / ratento advise (someone to)
fragento ask (whether/where/why)
bittento ask (someone to)
antwortento answer (that)
No subjunctive needed at Klasse 7. He says that he is tired. is fine. The Konjunktiv I (er sagt, dass er müde sei) is not required in English mediation at this level.

3. Practise Link to heading

Niveau G — controlled Link to heading

A. Drop or keep? Read the sentence and decide whether the information is essential, non-essential, or to be paraphrased when mediating to a friend in Manchester.

  1. “Treffpunkt bleibt der Hauptbahnhof, jedoch 15 Minuten früher.”
  2. “Mit freundlichen Grüßen, die school administration (Schulleitung).”
  3. “Bitte denken Sie daran, dass festes Schuhwerk verpflichtend ist.”
  4. “Liebe Eltern,”

B. Reporting-verb match.

German verbEnglish
1. erklärena. to ask
2. fragenb. to advise
3. ratenc. to explain

Niveau M — productive Link to heading

C. Mini-mediation. Read the German source line and write one English sentence for an English-speaking peer.

  1. “Mama hat angerufen und gesagt, sie kommt zehn Minuten später.” → ___
  2. “Bitte mach mein Handy aus, wenn du es findest.” → ___
  3. “Der Lehrer fragt, ob du heute zur Hausaufgabenhilfe kommst.” → ___
Answer key

Niveau G

A. 1. essential. 2. non-essential. 3. essential, paraphrase. 4. paraphrase to addressee.
B. 1–c, 2–a, 3–b.

Niveau M

  1. Mum called and said she’ll be ten minutes late.\
  2. Could you switch off my phone if you find it?\
  3. The teacher is asking if you’re coming to homework help today.

4. Produce Link to heading

mediation (“Mediation”) task — The Forwarded Message. Your German cousin forwards you a real-looking e-mail (provided on the slide). Your job: write a short English message (60–120 words depending on Niveau) to your English-speaking friend explaining what to do.

Three rules:

  1. Greeting and tone match your friend, not the original sender.
  2. Drop ceremony lines. Keep dates, times, places, actions.
  3. Use at least one reporting structure (says, asks, advises, explains).

Sample student response (Niveau M, 110 words) Link to heading

Hi Jordan, my cousin’s school just sent a notice and I’m forwarding the gist. The class trip on June 14 has been moved to June 21. The teacher asks everyone to meet at the main station at 7:30 instead of 7:45. She mentions that anyone who misses the train can’t come on the trip. She also advises us to bring good walking shoes and a rain jacket — apparently the forecast is unstable. Tell your mum so she doesn’t drive to the station on the wrong day. Talk later! — Aisha.

5. Reflect Link to heading

  • I can explain the gist of a German message in English with a clear addressee.
  • I can drop ceremony lines and keep what the receiver needs.
  • I can use says / explains / asks / advises instead of literal translation.

One sentence in your notebook: What is the difference between translating and mediating?

Exam example Link to heading

class test ("Klassenarbeit") — Niveau E (45 minutes)
Materials allowed. A monolingual dictionary (Niveau M only).
Time. 45 minutes.
Total. 60 points.

Task 1 — Mediation A: WhatsApp message (15 BE) Link to heading

Read the German message your aunt sent you about the school trip.

“Hallo Schatz, kurze Info: Das Wandertag-Datum wurde verschoben. Statt am 14. Juni gehen wir jetzt am 21. Juni los. Treffpunkt bleibt am Bahnhof, aber 15 Minuten früher. Wer den Zug verpasst, kommt nicht mit. Festes Schuhwerk und Regenjacke sind Pflicht.”

Write four sentences in English to your English-speaking exchange partner explaining the new arrangements. Cover: new date, meeting time, what happens if you miss the train, what to bring.

Task 2 — Mediation B: short German blog post (15 BE) Link to heading

Read the short German text below.

“Letztes Wochenende war ich zum ersten Mal in der Stuttgarter Markthalle. Es ist ein wunderschönes Jugendstil-Gebäude mitten in der Stadt. Drinnen gibt es kleine Stände mit Käse, Brot, Oliven, Gewürzen aus aller Welt. Mein Lieblingsstand verkauft frische Pasta. Die Verkäuferin hat mir erklärt, wie sie die Ravioli mit der Hand füllt.”

Write three to four sentences in English for an English- speaking visitor describing what the Stuttgarter Markthalle is and what they would experience there.

Task 3 — Use of English (10 BE) Link to heading

Reporting verbs. Rewrite each German cue in indirect English speech, using says / explains / mentions / advises / asks.

  1. “Wir treffen uns 15 Minuten früher.” (Tante) → My aunt says that ___ .
  2. “Vergiss die Regenjacke nicht.” (Mutter) → My mother advises me ___ .
  3. “Wo ist der Bahnhof?” (Tourist) → A tourist asks ___ .
  4. “Die Pasta wird mit der Hand gefüllt.” (Verkäuferin) → The seller explains that ___ .
  5. “Der Käse ist aus den Alpen.” (Stand) → The sign mentions that ___ .

Task 4 — Writing (20 BE) Link to heading

You spent a Saturday with your German cousin in your home town. Write 100–120 words in English to a friend who has never been there, telling them about one place you visited together. Use at least three reporting structures (“My cousin said …”, “She explained that …”, “She asked whether …”).

Expected answer key — class test ("Klassenarbeit")

Task 1 (15 BE). Sample: “The hiking day has been moved from June 14 to June 21. We still meet at the train station, but fifteen minutes earlier. If you miss the train, you can’t come. Bring sturdy shoes and a rain jacket.” Award for: gist (6), addressee-fit (3), correct grammar (6).

Task 2 (15 BE). Sample: “The Stuttgarter Markthalle is a beautiful Art-Nouveau building in the city centre. Inside, there are small stalls selling cheese, bread, olives, and spices from all over the world. The blogger’s favourite stall sold fresh pasta. The seller explained how she fills the ravioli by hand.” Award for: gist (6), addressee-fit (3), correct grammar (6).

Task 3 (10 BE). 1. … we meet fifteen minutes earlier. 2. … not to forget the rain jacket. 3. … where the station is. 4. … the pasta is filled by hand. 5. … the cheese comes from the Alps.

Task 4 (20 BE). Inhalt 10 / Sprache 10.

Rubric — grading scale (Notenschlüssel)
Punkte (von 60)Note
56–601
30–394

Mediation tasks reward gist + adressatengerechte Anpassung over literal translation. A nearly-literal translation cannot reach the top band.

Downloads Link to heading

**Slide deck timing.** 45 minutes total.
  • Title + Lead-in (3 min). Establish the who is reading this? frame on the board.
  • Activate (5 min). Two-minute pair on a forwarded WhatsApp.
  • Input (15 min). Read the school e-mail aloud in German first. Then walk through the three-sentence English mediation, highlighting what was kept, paraphrased, dropped. Reporting-verb cluster on the board.
  • Practise (10 min). Niveau split.
  • Produce (10 min). Forwarded-message task; circulate, prompt for one reporting verb.
  • Reflect (2 min).

Differentiation. Niveau G: provide a printed “keep / paraphrase / drop” decision card. Above Niveau M: require two reporting verbs and one addressee-greeting choice (formal vs. informal) explained in one line at the bottom of the writing.

Marking note. A near-literal translation that keeps “Liebe Eltern, … Mit freundlichen Grüßen” is not strong mediation, even if grammatically correct. Reward addressee-fit and information selection, not word-for-word coverage.

Common pitfalls Link to heading

  • Carrying over the German salutation. Dear Parents in a message to a peer is a mismatch.
  • Translating dates literally. 21. Juni in English is June 21 (or 21 June in BrE), not 21st of the June.
  • Over-translation. A 200-word source does not need a 200-word English version. Mediate to the addressee’s need.
  • Reported speech without “that”. He said is coming. → ✗ / He said he is coming. → ✓ (drop that, but keep the subject).

Further reading / listening Link to heading

Downloads

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