Abstract:

Cross-linguistic mediation involves transferring a text, whether written or spoken, from one language to another in the required format. As it involves other modes of communication, mediation is seen as a shift from static education towards a more dynamic approach that accentuates the use of languages in real-life situations for real-world purposes. In this process, users are considered social agents who use language appropriately in accordance with their interlocutors and situations. Cross-linguistic mediation involves using different languages to share information with people who do not speak the same language.

This study focuses on assessing the cross-linguistic mediation skills of university students whose English proficiency is expected to reach level C1. In their first year of the Master’s programme, students majoring in English were asked to mediate a text written in their mother tongue, transmitting the message into English at the expected level of proficiency. In constructing the task, it was necessary to develop a rating scale for qualitative aspects such as task achievement, mediation strategies, and language use, aligned with CEFR descriptors at the C1 proficiency level.

This study will present all stages of the research: task construction; development of the rating scale; alignment with the CEFR; and rating of students’ performances. The data obtained will be used for detailed analysis, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of the processes presented. Students’ performances, rated against the rating scale, will be presented quantitatively, and their quality will be discussed to provide justification for particular ratings.

Keywords:

Mediation, message transmission, rating scales, alignment with the CEFR, level C1.