More practice with the language you're learning
Supplementary support — grammar, vocabulary, speaking and review — built from language already taught in the course. Not a lesson, and never a test.
1.Notice first: read these and say what they share — "**Reframe**: 'I hear two concerns inside that — fairness and precedent. Which matters more right now?'" / "**Summarise**: 'Let me try to say back what I think I'm hearing. Correct me where I get it wrong.'" / "**Name deadlock**: 'We've spent twenty minutes circling the same point. Let's name it: neither of you wants to be the first to move.'"
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Mediator language at C2: (a) REFRAME ('I hear two different concerns inside that — which matters more to you right now?'), (b) SUMMARISE BACK ('Let me try to say what I think I'm hearing from each side — correct me if I'm wrong'), (c) NAME THE DEADLOCK ('We're stuck on X — let's look at it together rather than around it'), (d) PROTECT PROCESS NOT POSITION ('I'm not going to take a side; I am going to insist we both stay in the room').
2.Reframe an attack: 'You don't trust me!' → mediator move.
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'There's a question of trust underneath that — can we name what would rebuild it for each of you?'
3.Summarise back two opposed claims into a single shared question.
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'Both of you are asking the same question from opposite ends: who carries the risk if this fails?'
4.Name a deadlock without taking sides.
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'We're stuck on the principle, not the number. Let's look at the principle directly.'
5.Sort these into "natural" and "not natural" and justify each decision out loud: "**Reframe**: 'I hear two concerns inside that — fairness and precedent. Which matters more right now?'" · "**Summarise**: 'Let me try to say back what I think I'm hearing. Correct me where I get it wrong.'" · "**Name deadlock**: 'We've spent twenty minutes circling the same point. Let's name it: neither of you wants to be the first to move.'" · "**Protect process**: 'I won't take a side. I will insist we keep talking until we both know what we'd each say next.'"
6.Build three sentences on this pattern about your own week — one neutral, one emphatic, one tentative.
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Mediator language at C2: (a) REFRAME ('I hear two different concerns inside that — which matters more to you right now?'), (b) SUMMARISE BACK ('Let me try to say what I think I'm hearing from each side — correct me if I'm wrong'), (c) NAME THE DEADLOCK ('We're stuck on X — let's look at it together rather than around it'), (d) PROTECT PROCESS NOT POSITION ('I'm not going to take a side; I am going to insist we both stay in the room').
1.Fill: 'Let's ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ for two minutes.' (5 words)
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take the temperature down
2.Fill: 'Give me the ____ ____ of what she said.' (2 words)
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good-faith reading
3.Fill: 'Let's ____ this disagreement.' (1 word)
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depersonalise
4.Complete in context: "Before we problem-solve, let's hold space for the disappointment."
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to hold space for
5.Complete in context: "Let's take the temperature down for two minutes."
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to take the temperature down
6.Complete in context: "There's an unsaid resentment here; let's surface it explicitly."
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to surface (something) explicitly
7.Complete in context: "Let's depersonalise this — it's about the policy, not about either of you."
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to depersonalise (a disagreement)
8.Complete in context: "Give me the ______ of what she just said."
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good-faith reading
9.Complete in context: "Can we broker a 24-hour pause before either side responds publicly?"
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to broker (an agreement / a pause)
10.Cover the list. Which words can you still recall, and what does each one add that a simpler word wouldn't?
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to hold space for — to allow a difficult feeling or claim to be voiced fully | to take the temperature down — to lower emotional intensity in the room | to surface (something) explicitly — to bring an unspoken issue into the open | to depersonalise (a disagreement) — to separate the issue from the person holding it | good-faith reading — the most generous plausible interpretation of what someone said | to broker (an agreement / a pause) — to negotiate a settlement or break
1.Give two natural word partners for "to hold space for" (adjective + noun, verb + noun, or adverb + adjective), then use one.
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Model use: Before we problem-solve, let's hold space for the disappointment.
2.Give two natural word partners for "to take the temperature down" (adjective + noun, verb + noun, or adverb + adjective), then use one.
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Model use: Let's take the temperature down for two minutes.
3.Give two natural word partners for "to surface (something) explicitly" (adjective + noun, verb + noun, or adverb + adjective), then use one.
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Model use: There's an unsaid resentment here; let's surface it explicitly.
4.Give two natural word partners for "to depersonalise (a disagreement)" (adjective + noun, verb + noun, or adverb + adjective), then use one.
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Model use: Let's depersonalise this — it's about the policy, not about either of you.
5.Give two natural word partners for "good-faith reading" (adjective + noun, verb + noun, or adverb + adjective), then use one.
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Model use: Give me the good-faith reading of what she just said.
6.Give two natural word partners for "to broker (an agreement / a pause)" (adjective + noun, verb + noun, or adverb + adjective), then use one.
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Model use: Can we broker a 24-hour pause before either side responds publicly?
7.Choose three words from this lesson and build one sentence that uses all three naturally.
1.Rewrite so the meaning stays the same but you do NOT use "to hold space for": "Before we problem-solve, let's hold space for the disappointment."
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Keep the meaning of: to allow a difficult feeling or claim to be voiced fully
2.Rewrite so the meaning stays the same but you do NOT use "to take the temperature down": "Let's take the temperature down for two minutes."
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Keep the meaning of: to lower emotional intensity in the room
3.Rewrite so the meaning stays the same but you do NOT use "to surface (something) explicitly": "There's an unsaid resentment here; let's surface it explicitly."
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Keep the meaning of: to bring an unspoken issue into the open
4.Rewrite so the meaning stays the same but you do NOT use "to depersonalise (a disagreement)": "Let's depersonalise this — it's about the policy, not about either of you."
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Keep the meaning of: to separate the issue from the person holding it
5.Rewrite so the meaning stays the same but you do NOT use "good-faith reading": "Give me the good-faith reading of what she just said."
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Keep the meaning of: the most generous plausible interpretation of what someone said
6.Summarise the lesson's main idea in exactly 20 words — no more, no less.
1.Scenario A: missed product launch deadline.
2.Scenario B: disputed credit on a published report.
3.Scenario C: cancelled commitment to a shared client.
4.Long turn (2 minutes, no notes): You = mediator. Teacher plays Party A for the first 4 minutes, then Party B for the next 4 minutes; final 2 minutes both 'attend' (teacher voices alternately). Reach an action plan with three commitments — one from each party plus one shared. Use mediator moves throughout.
5.Record 90 seconds using at least four of: to hold space for, to take the temperature down, to surface (something) explicitly, to depersonalise (a disagreement), good-faith reading. Listen back and mark one thing to make more precise.
1.Plan first: write a three-line outline (position → strongest support → concession) before you draft.
2.Write a 150–170-word note FROM A MEDIATOR to two parties after a session, capturing what was heard and what is unresolved. You MUST: (a) summarise each side fairly, (b) name what is unresolved without taking a side, (c) propose ONE next step both can accept, (d) use at least three target items. (150–170 words). Include: to hold space for, to take the temperature down, to surface (something) explicitly, to depersonalise (a disagreement), good-faith reading, to broker (an agreement / a pause).
3.Model analysis: compare your text with the model. What does the model do in its first and last sentences that yours doesn't?
1.Strong candidates rescue collaborative discussions when partners diverge — using mediator moves rather than insisting.
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When you and your partner diverge, summarise both views BACK before pushing your own. Examiners notice the move.
2.Where does the mediator summarise back?
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Twice — first restating Anya's injury, then Marco's.
3.Where does the mediator depersonalise?
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'one event and two real injuries — neither of which dissolves the other.'
4.How does the mediator name the deadlock?
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'We can't fix both by deciding who was right.'
5.How does the mediator protect process?
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'We will not get to a clean apology in this room; I want to be honest about that.'
6.What is the mediator REFUSING to do?
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Take a side, force an apology, or pretend the dispute can be cleanly resolved.
1.In your own words, when do you use "The mediator's voice"?
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Mediator language at C2: (a) REFRAME ('I hear two different concerns inside that — which matters more to you right now?'), (b) SUMMARISE BACK ('Let me try to say what I think I'm hearing from each side — correct me if I'm wrong'), (c) NAME THE DEADLOCK ('We're stuck on X — let's look at it together rather than around it'), (d) PROTECT PROCESS NOT POSITION ('I'm not going to take a side; I am going to insist we both stay in the room').
2.Complete naturally: "Before we problem-solve, let's hold space for the disappointment."
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to hold space for
3.Complete naturally: "Let's take the temperature down for two minutes."
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to take the temperature down
4.Complete naturally: "There's an unsaid resentment here; let's surface it explicitly."
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to surface (something) explicitly
5.Complete naturally: "Let's depersonalise this — it's about the policy, not about either of you."
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to depersonalise (a disagreement)
6.Complete naturally: "Give me the ______ of what she just said."
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good-faith reading
7.Two-minute retell: summarise the reading/listening from this lesson without looking at it.
8.When did you last try to mediate and accidentally take a side?
9.Where in your own life is over-neutrality serving you badly?