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Developing illustrative descriptors of aspects of mediation for the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

A Council of Europe project

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2016

Brian North  and
Enrica Piccardo
Brian North
Affiliation:
Eurocentres [email protected]
Enrica Piccardo
Affiliation:
OISE, University of Toronto and Université [email protected]
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Extract

The notion of mediation has been the object of growing interest in second language education in recent years. The increasing awareness of the complex nature of the process of learning – and teaching – stretches our collective reflection towards less explored areas. In mediation, the immediate focus is on the role of language in processes like creating the space and conditions for communication and/or learning, constructing and co-constructing new meaning, and/or passing on information, whilst simplifying, elaborating, illustrating or otherwise adapting input in order to facilitate the process concerned. At a deeper level though, the notion of mediation embraces a broader spectrum of dimensions and connotations. Mediation has been defined as a ‘nomadic notion’ (Lenoir 1996) insomuch as it is at the core of a variety of scientific disciplines and the term ‘mediation’ is used in different senses in different contexts.

Type
Research in the News
Information
Language Teaching , Volume 49 , Issue 3 , July 2016 , pp. 455 - 459
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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