78677 - Mediation - English (LM)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to familiarize the students with theories of linguistic and cultural mediation and its diverse practical/professional applications. The students are expected to be able to apply the theoretical and practical tools learned in class to the needs of the public and social services, as well as to international and intercultural communication. They are also expected to progress to being able to independently monitor and update their skills and competence, also for the purpose of conducting autonomous research in the field. Language classes aim at improving students’ linguistic competence; over the two year period students’ knowledge of English should reach the level C2 according to the European framework in all four abilities. These classes will work in connection with the lectures to improve students’ writing skills in particular.

Course contents

The course consists of two integrated modules, both delivered during the first semester, from Thursday 25 September to Friday 19 December 2025:

1. Mediation English, taught by Dr. Picciuolo, includes 30 in-class sessions of 2 hours each (total 60 hours), scheduled as follows:
   • Monday 13:00–17:00 (two consecutive lessons)
   • Wednesday 15:00–17:00
   Classes take place in Classroom D, Via Filippo Re 8.
   
2. Esercitazioni (Language Practice Classes) (36 hours), taught by Dr. Nigel James.
   Further details will be published shortly on his teaching page: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/nigel.james/didattica/2025

The course develops students’ linguistic and discourse-pragmatic skills for written and spoken mediation in business, legal and healthcare contexts. Activities will follow a practical approach: classroom exercises, role-play, simulations, sight translation and note-taking strategies, along with formative feedback. Special attention will be devoted to English as a Lingua Franca and to non-standard English varieties used in real-life professional interaction.

Students will acquire terminology, syntactic patterns, and genre conventions of each sector, as well as intercultural and strategic competence.

The course is delivered entirely in person.

1. Mediation English (Dr. Picciuolo): Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• understand specialized written and spoken texts in English;
• produce context-appropriate written and spoken output for mediation purposes;
• apply techniques for linguistic mediation and sight translation;
• interact effectively with speakers from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds using adequate pragmatic strategies;
• identify and use appropriate register and conventions of major professional genres (business, legal, healthcare);
• critically reflect on the use of English as a lingua franca and its intercultural implications.

2. Esercitazioni (Dr. James): Learning Outcomes

The Esercitazioni (language practice sessions – 36 hours) aim to both consolidate and enhance students’ linguistic competence, and to deepen their understanding of linguistic and discursive features of English in the commercial (intercultural communication), legal, and healthcare domains. These practical sessions are designed to develop students’ communicative skills (productive and receptive), enabling them to mediate, produce, and comprehend specialized language in English and Italian across professional contexts.

Esercitazioni: Written Exam

The written test is based on topics covered during the esercitazioni. It consists of four questions, all written and answered in English:

• Two on intercultural communication (cultural incidents) in commercial contexts,
• One on medical language,
• One on legal language (focusing on the right to medical care and the civil rights of both regular and irregular migrants).

The use of a monolingual English paper dictionary is allowed. The test will be handwritten, with a duration of 60 minutes.

The written test accounts for one-third of the final grade. Besides content knowledge, lexical and grammatical accuracy are essential to achieve a top score. Evaluation will follow the descriptors of the C2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), and students are expected to write in an academic style.

A maximum of 15 points is awarded for language use and 15 points for content.

Note: If both the official course exam and the esercitazioni are passed (minimum 18/30 in each), individual marks cannot be rejected. Only the final average can be refused, in which case both parts of the exam must be retaken. The result of each part remains valid for four sessions, including the one in which the exam was first taken.

Teaching materials (dispensa) will be available on virtuale.unibo.it.

The lecturer responsible for the esercitazioni is Dr. Nigel James (nigel.james@unibo.it).

Readings/Bibliography

Course materials will be provided on the Virtuale platform (virtuale.unibo.it). Reading requirements will differ for attending students, international students, and non-attending students. All students will be expected to engage with specialized texts, mediation examples, and relevant academic or professional readings.

Teaching methods

• Interactive lectures with a practical focus
• Role-play and simulated tasks
• Mediation, note-taking and sight translation activities
• Class discussion and guided reflection
• Individual formative feedback

Assessment methods

Students must register for the exam via AlmaEsami (see Unibo homepage > “Online Services”).
Once registration closes:

• students may remove their name from the list, but cannot be added;
• all students on the AlmaEsami list will receive a detailed email explaining the exam procedure.

EXAM STRUCTURE

• Two parts:

1. Written exam (with Dr. James)
   

The written test accounts for one-third of the final grade. Besides content knowledge, lexical and grammatical accuracy are essential to achieve a top score. Evaluation will follow the descriptors of the C2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), and students are expected to write in an academic style.

A maximum of 15 points is awarded for language use and 15 points for content.

Note: If both the official course exam and the esercitazioni are passed (minimum 18/30 in each), individual marks cannot be rejected. Only the final average can be refused, in which case both parts of the exam must be retaken. The result of each part remains valid for four sessions, including the one in which the exam was first taken.

2. Oral exam: Mediation - English (Dr. Picciuolo): 

* Attending students will be assessed through two practical oral tasks:

• Mediation dialogue (approx. 10 minutes)
• Sight translation (approx. 10 minutes)

Exam aids allowed: paper and pen for note-taking.

* International students and non-attenders will take a different oral exam format, consisting of:

• A short presentation (approx. 10 minutes) on one of the topics covered in class and referenced in the required readings, using a PowerPoint or other visual support,
• Followed by Q&A with the lecturer (approx. 10 minutes).
  

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The oral exam is designed to assess students’ communicative, pragmatic, and mediation-related skills, especially their ability to interpret, mediate, and effectively reformulate content according to context, register, and terminology.

ATTENDING STUDENTS:
The oral exam is divided into two parts:

• Mediation task (approx. 10 minutes)
• Sight translation task (approx. 10 minutes)
  Total duration: approx. 20 minutes.

Evaluation will be based on:

• Mastery of key content and field-specific terminology
• Fluency and communicative confidence
• Awareness of register and appropriate linguistic reformulation
• Ability to recall and reformulate essential information (e.g., dates, names, places)
• Clarity, precision, and structural coherence
• Responsiveness and ability to improvise appropriately when needed

For INTERNATIONAL OR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
The exam consists of an individual oral presentation (approx. 10 minutes) on one of the topics covered in the course or study materials, followed by a short discussion with the lecturer (approx. 10 minutes).

Evaluation will be based on:

• Originality and independence of the work (reused presentations or copied content will not be accepted)
• Research skills applied to relevant case studies in the mediation field
• Argumentation and critical problematization of key issues, as developed through the assigned bibliography and study materials
• Familiarity with international mediation contexts and terminology
• Effective use of visual support (e.g., PowerPoint)
• Ability to connect course topics to practical or real-life contexts
• Critical thinking and the ability to suggest alternative solutions or perspectives

Grading:

• Written exam (Dr. James): 1/3 of final grade
• Oral exam: 2/3 of final grade

Exam Sessions:

• January 2026
• June/July 2026
• August/September 2026

 

 

Teaching tools

The course adopts an inclusive approach that embraces students’ linguistic, cultural, and educational diversity. Different accents, language backgrounds, and communication styles will be acknowledged and valued to foster a respectful and participatory learning environment. Teaching will rely on accessible digital materials (slides, texts, videos) available via Virtuale, as well as practical and collaborative activities (role-play, surveys, group work) to promote active engagement and intercultural awareness.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities are kindly asked to contact the appropriate office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as early as possible, so that suitable accommodations can be arranged. Requests for adaptation must be submitted to the lecturer at least 15 days before the exam date. The lecturer will evaluate the appropriateness of the requested adjustments in light of the course learning objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Mariangela Picciuolo