mediate

To move between different linguistic and cultural systems, referencing own first language(s)/culture(s) while learning to use and to understand those of the target language. This movement involves:

  • noticing, interpreting, responding sensitively and flexibly
  • conveying culturally-shaped ideas, values, experience to others
  • exploring how ideas and experiences are represented and conveyed in different languages and cultures
  • considering similarities, overlaps, collisions and adjustments
  • developing the capacity to communicate and represent different perspectives and interpretations.

Mediating operates in two distinctive ways:

  • in practices such as interpreting and translating, with attention to what can happen in these processes in terms of ‘losing’ or ‘gaining’ meaning
  • as the element of the learning experience, which involves noticing, responding, comparing and explaining differences in expression and perspective.