Unit 7 — Mediation: A Workplace Text

Track G+M · Klasse 10 · Niveau G/M

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

Learning objectives Link to heading

  • I can mediate a German workplace policy text into 6–8 English sentences for a colleague.
  • I can preserve modal nuance (sollten → should; müssen → must) and adjust register.
  • I can use 7 reporting verbs.

curriculum framework (“Bildungsplan”) alignment Link to heading

  • 3.3.1 Soziokulturelles Orientierungswissen / Themen
  • 3.3.3.5 Schreiben
  • 3.3.3.6 Sprachmittlung
  • 3.3.3.7 Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel – Wortschatz

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

Lead-in story Link to heading

Sam’s mother forwarded a German policy update from her company. Sam’s English-speaking cousin in Toronto, who is starting a similar job, asked for a quick gist. Sam rewrote it in seven sentences. He kept the modals. He dropped the company-letterhead language.

1. Activate Link to heading

Drop or keep? Slide shows a 100-word German policy. Mark each sentence as essential / paraphrase / drop for a colleague abroad.

2. Input Link to heading

Source — German workplace policy (excerpt) Link to heading

Sehr geehrte Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter, ab dem 1. Juli gilt eine neue Regelung zum mobilen Arbeiten. Mitarbeitende dürfen bis zu drei Tage pro Woche im Homeoffice arbeiten, sofern dies vorher mit der Führungskraft abgestimmt wurde. Die Anwesenheit an einem festen Bürotag pro Woche wird vorausgesetzt. Bei Verstößen behält sich die Geschäftsleitung Maßnahmen vor.

Mediation — modal mapping Link to heading

German dürfen → English may / are allowed to / can. German müssen → English must / have to. German sollen / sollten → English should. Keep the modal nuance — should and must are not interchangeable in English.

Reporting verbs (workplace register) Link to heading

to announce, to require, to permit, to expect, to warn, to advise, to clarify, to confirm, to stipulate, to reserve the right to.

3. Practise Link to heading

Niveau G Link to heading

  1. Match German modal → English: dürfen → ?, müssen → ?, sollten → ?
  2. Choose: announce / warn / clarify / require — Management __________ a new rule. The company __________ that breaches will be addressed.

Niveau M Link to heading

  1. Build a 6-sentence English mediation of the source above.
Answer key

G. 1. may / must / should. 2. announces / warns.

M. 3. Open.

4. Produce Link to heading

Mediation, 7 sentences. Read the German source above. Write 7 English sentences for a colleague abroad. Keep modal nuance + use 4 reporting verbs.

Sample Link to heading

Hi Jordan, here’s the gist of the new policy. The company has announced a new home-office rule starting 1 July. Employees may work from home up to three days a week, provided that this is agreed in advance with their line manager. Attendance at one fixed office day per week is required. Management warns that breaches may result in measures, though the policy doesn’t say what those are. The tone is cautious — they confirm that the rule is conditional on prior approval. In short: hybrid is allowed, but not automatic.

5. Reflect Link to heading

  • I can mediate a German policy into 7 English sentences.
  • I can preserve modal nuance.
  • 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 M (45 minutes)
Time. 45 minutes. Total. 45 points.

Task 1 — Listening (10 BE) Link to heading

Listen twice.

“Ab dem 1. Juli gilt eine neue Regelung. Mitarbeitende dürfen bis zu drei Tage pro Woche im Homeoffice arbeiten, sofern dies abgestimmt wurde. Ein fester Bürotag pro Woche wird vorausgesetzt.”

  1. Date: ___ . 2. Permission: ___ . 3. Condition: ___ . 4. Required: ___ .

Task 2 — Reading (12 BE) Link to heading

Read the German source above.

  1. New policy starts: ___ . 2. Maximum home-office days: ___ . 3. Pre-condition: ___ . 4. Sanctions: ___ .

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

Modal mapping.

  1. Mitarbeitende dürfen … → Employees __________ …
  2. Ein Bürotag wird vorausgesetzt → One office day is __________ .
  3. Bei Verstößen … → In case of breaches, management __________ measures.
  4. Sollte abgestimmt werden → It __________ be agreed.

Task 4 — Writing (13 BE) Link to heading

Mediate: write 7 English sentences from the source for a colleague abroad. Use 4 reporting verbs.

Answer key
T1. 1 July; up to 3 days WFH; agreed with line manager; one office day per week. T2. 1 July; 3 days; prior agreement with line manager; possible measures (unspecified). T3. may / are allowed to; required / expected; reserves the right to take / warns about; should. 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. Niveau G: scaffold card with the key structure. Above Niveau M: extension prompt linking to Klasse 11 (or post-Klasse-10 path).

Common pitfalls Link to heading

  • müssen mistranslated as should (= weaker). müssen = must / have to.
  • dürfen mistranslated as should. dürfen = may / are allowed to.
  • Carrying over German letterhead salutations (Sehr geehrte …) into a peer-message — drop them.

Further reading / listening Link to heading

  • Goethe-Institut — Sprachmittlungs-Beispielaufgaben.
  • Cambridge Business English — accessible policy-text samples.

Downloads

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