Unit 7 — Mediation: A German News Article

Track E · Klasse 9 · Niveau E

Template: Activate → Input → Practise → Produce → Reflect.
Niveau: E. class test (“Klassenarbeit”) at Niveau E (45 BE).

Learning objectives Link to heading

  • I can mediate a German news article into 5–7 English sentences for a peer.
  • I can keep facts, drop ceremony, and adjust register.
  • I can use 6 reporting verbs (says, explains, claims, points out, warns, recommends).

curriculum framework (“Bildungsplan”) alignment Link to heading

  • 3.2.1 Soziokulturelles Orientierungswissen / Themen
  • 3.2.3.5 Schreiben
  • 3.2.3.6 Sprachmittlung
  • 3.2.3.7 Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel – Wortschatz

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

Lead-in story Link to heading

Naima’s German uncle forwarded a news article about a bus-route change. Her English-speaking cousin in Toronto needed to know whether her favourite shop was still reachable. Naima translated nothing. She explained.

1. Activate Link to heading

Drop or keep? On the slide are six lines from a German news article. Mark each as essential / paraphrase / drop depending on the addressee.

2. Input Link to heading

Source — German news article (excerpt) Link to heading

Die Stadtverwaltung hat angekündigt, dass die Linie 42 ab dem 1. September einen neuen Fahrplan haben wird. Die Buslinie wird zwei zusätzliche Haltestellen im Stadtteil Ost bedienen. Die Fahrtzeit verlängert sich dadurch um etwa fünf Minuten. Pendler werden gebeten, die neue Verbindung im Online-Fahrplan zu überprüfen.

Mediation rules — Klasse 9 version Link to heading

  1. Who is reading? — register, formality.
  2. What do they need? — keep facts, drop decoration.
  3. What is the smallest version? — without losing meaning.
  4. Are there cultural notes that need explaining?

Reporting verbs (extended) Link to heading

to say, to explain, to mention, to claim, to advise, to warn, to recommend, to point out, to stress, to add, to deny.

3. Practise Link to heading

Niveau E — controlled Link to heading

  1. Match German verb to English: bestreiten — ?, betonen — ?, hinzufügen — ?, mahnen — ?.
  2. Choose: say / claim / explain / warn — The article __________ that the route will change. Critics __________ that this will hurt elderly passengers.

Niveau E — productive Link to heading

  1. Build a 5-sentence English mediation of the source article above.
Answer key

Controlled. 1. deny / stress / add / warn. 2. says or explains / warn or claim.

Productive. 3. Open.

4. Produce Link to heading

Mediation, 6–7 sentences. Read the German source above. Write 6–7 English sentences for a Canadian friend who has asked whether a particular bus stop is still reachable. Use 4 reporting verbs.

Sample Link to heading

Hi Jo, here’s the gist of the article. The city council has announced a new timetable for bus line 42, starting 1 September. The article explains that two extra stops are being added in the eastern part of town. It mentions the journey will be about five minutes longer. Officials advise passengers to check the online schedule. The article also points out that all current stops are kept, so your favourite shop should still be reachable. The change starts in two weeks.

5. Reflect Link to heading

  • I can mediate a German article into 6 English sentences.
  • I can drop ceremony and keep facts.
  • I can use 4 reporting verbs.

One thing in your notebook: Write one sentence using something you learned in this Unit.

Exam example Link to heading

class test ("Klassenarbeit") — Niveau E (45 minutes)
Time. 45 minutes. Total. 45 points.

Task 1 — Listening (10 BE) Link to heading

Listen twice.

“Die Stadtverwaltung hat angekündigt, dass die Linie 42 ab dem 1. September einen neuen Fahrplan haben wird. Die Fahrtzeit verlängert sich um etwa fünf Minuten.”

  1. Topic: ___ . 2. Date: ___ . 3. Time change: ___ . 4. Source-language: ___ .

Task 2 — Reading (12 BE) Link to heading

Read the German source above. Answer in English.

  1. Authority: ___ . 2. Date of change: ___ . 3. Two extra stops in: ___ . 4. Action requested: ___ .

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

Reporting-verb fill-in.

  1. The article __________ that line 42 has a new timetable. (says)
  2. Officials __________ passengers to check online. (advise)
  3. The author __________ that the change is small. (claims)
  4. Critics __________ that elderly passengers will be affected. (warn)

Task 4 — Writing (13 BE) Link to heading

Mediate: write 6 English sentences from the German source for a friend abroad. Use 3 reporting verbs.

Answer key
T1. new bus line 42 timetable; 1 September; about 5 min longer; German. T2. city council; 1 September; the eastern part of town; check the online timetable. T3. says / advise / claims / warn. T4. Open.
grading scale (Notenschlüssel) (von 45)
| 42–45 | 1 | 36–41 | 2 | 30–35 | 3 | | 22–29 | 4 | 13–21 | 5 | 0–12 | 6 |

Downloads Link to heading

**Slide deck timing.** 45 minutes total. Lead-in 4 min · Activate 5 min · Input 14 min · Practise 8 min · Produce 11 min · Reflect 3 min.

Differentiation. Below Niveau E: scaffold card with the key structure. Above Niveau E: extension prompt linking to Klasse 10.

Common pitfalls Link to heading

  • Literal translation kills mediation.
  • Carrying over German salutations into a peer message.
  • Cultural notes — when needed, give them; when not, skip.

Further reading / listening Link to heading

  • Goethe-Institut — Beispiel-Aufgaben Sprachmittlung.
  • Landesbildungsserver BW — Mediation-Beispielaufgaben.

Downloads

Presentation thumbnail for Unit 7 — Mediation: A German News Article
Presentation
Download .pptx
Worksheet thumbnail for Unit 7 — Mediation: A German News Article
Worksheet
Download .pdf