You know that we humans always love a good story and that when you connect to the story because you can relate to it, or to someone in the story because you have felt the same way, your brain stops seeing the task as a second language classroom task and connects to the affective and more creative part, the emotional side that wants to get involved and lend a hand.
STEP 1. Choose a Mediation Task.
In this case, I have selected Hacked Website for C1 Level.
STEP 2. Ask Learners to get in the shoes of the person in need.
In this particular mediation activity, the person in need is someone who has an online business and who received a startling email that got them really worried and led them to ask for help.
Before they dive into the mediation task, ask learners to think of what website or online business they would have if they could have any.
What would they be selling, offering, or sharing if it were them? Would it be an e-commerce, a website selling services, a portal for an association, or an NGO?
As they define their website or online business they are connecting in more depth with the person in need. This is, according to research in Neurodidactics, one of the key elements that make learning stick, making the assimilation of new concepts, contents and strategies more meaningful and therefore long-lasting.
Especially with mediation, which always involves helping someone else, this affective factor can be intensified when we describe the situation in real-life terms.
According to Neurodidactics, there are two more key elements for meaningful and long-lasting learning. A clear GOAL and the TOOLS to achieve it with high chances of success.
A clear goal is provided when the task is well-defined and specified in the instructions and context.
To boost learners’ self-confidence when facing the task at hand, and so that they feel they do have the necessary toolkit to perform successfully, we have given them an Exam Tip Box in which they have suggestions from which they can pick & choose those they feel most comfortable using.
By presenting this kind of activity to learners you are also pushing them kindly and subtly into building up their confidence, as you are giving them a goal to achieve and the means to do it successfully.
So… add enough detail to spice it up a little!
