Communicating effectively: a competency framework for CEFR (2020) mediation skills in use

Abstract

Goodier (2019) claims that mediation has innovation potential in language education, as mediation skills are integral to successful communication, and can be used for a range of communicative activities. In mediation, language is conceptualised as more than a linguistic construct, as it also focuses on the use of soft skills and being sensitive to another’s ideas, needs or culture (Kiddle, 2019). Mediation competences reflect the effective real-life communication of information through integrated skills and collaborative interaction. A competency framework was designed with the use of adapted CEFR (2020) mediation skills to improve communication skills for a university foundation stage cohort of healthcare students. The mediation competency framework was put into practice with a formative roleplay task, and this enabled the learners to develop the use of both sociolinguistic skills and critical thinking skills (Goodier, 2019). The competency framework can be adapted for different contexts and communicative acts, and can be used as an ongoing reference and feedback tool. It can help learners and teachers to be more aware of the complex nature of language, which includes collective, cognitive and social functions (Piccardo et al., 2019).