CEFR Mediation Strategies and Activities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In CEFR mediation, what does 'bridging' refer to when communicating across language groups?
- Translating a text word-for-word into another language
- Conveying meaning between people who cannot communicate directly in a shared language (Correct answer)
- Building rapport by sharing personal stories with both parties
- Using gestures to supplement verbal communication
Correct answer: Conveying meaning between people who cannot communicate directly in a shared language
Bridging in CEFR mediation means facilitating communication between people who lack a common language, acting as an intermediary to convey meaning.
Question 2: Which CEFR mediation activity involves taking notes during a lecture and later sharing a summary with peers?
- Interpreting written texts
- Facilitating collaborative interaction
- Relaying specific information from spoken input (Correct answer)
- Processing text to construct knowledge
Correct answer: Relaying specific information from spoken input
Relaying specific information includes tasks like summarizing spoken content (a lecture) and passing the key points on to others.
Question 3: A mediator at a community meeting simplifies technical legal jargon for residents. Which CEFR strategy is being applied?
- Amplifying a message
- Adapting language to the audience (Correct answer)
- Paraphrasing for emphasis
- Inferring implied meaning
Correct answer: Adapting language to the audience
Adapting language to the audience means adjusting register, complexity, or terminology so the message is accessible to the specific listeners.
Question 4: According to CEFR, which descriptor best fits B2-level 'facilitating collaborative interaction'?
- Can help establish a shared space by summarising areas of agreement and disagreement (Correct answer)
- Can express views on abstract topics with little hesitation
- Can assist beginners in understanding simple instructions
- Can translate short formal documents without reference materials
Correct answer: Can help establish a shared space by summarising areas of agreement and disagreement
At B2, facilitating collaborative interaction includes helping a group identify common ground by summarising agreement and disagreement.
Question 5: What is the primary difference between 'interpreting' and 'translating' as mediation activities in CEFR?
- Interpreting is always written; translating is always spoken
- Interpreting deals with spoken language in real time; translating deals with written texts (Correct answer)
- Interpreting requires professional certification; translating does not
- Interpreting is informal; translating is a formal academic exercise
Correct answer: Interpreting deals with spoken language in real time; translating deals with written texts
In CEFR, interpreting is live spoken language mediation, while translating involves rendering written texts into another language.
Question 6: Which CEFR scale descriptor applies to a user who 'can identify the most important points in a straightforward text and convey these to another person'?
- A2
- B1 (Correct answer)
- B2
- C1
Correct answer: B1
B1-level processing of text descriptors include identifying and conveying main points from a straightforward text to others.
Question 7: In a CEFR mediation context, 'creating space for others to speak' is most closely associated with which competence area?
- Processing text
- Facilitating collaborative interaction (Correct answer)
- Relaying specific information
- Translating a written text
Correct answer: Facilitating collaborative interaction
Facilitating collaborative interaction includes strategies like encouraging quieter participants and ensuring all voices are heard.
CEFR Mediation Strategies and Activities 2
In CEFR mediation, what does 'bridging' refer to when communicating across language groups?