Abstract:
The objective of the present paper is to introduce the concept of linguistic mediation as one of the activities which must be developed by the foreign language’s learner. The common European reference frame for languages (cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues) has made brief presentations of this concept. The importance of this study is that it introduces the linguistic mediation as a new approach to use translation in the foreign language class. It also wide opens the doors to rethink translation as a natural skill that should be taken care of and developed by learners of foreign language, in the same way as other skills of writing, speaking, or writing and oral understanding. This paper is also motivated by the fact that it suggests practical modalities to use translation and linguistic mediation in the foreign language teaching without prejudice to the bases of the communicative approach, which is commonly used in foreign languages teaching and learning. Three points can summarize the objectives of this study: the first point urges to rethink the reluctance towards using translation in the foreign language class. The second point tries to introduce linguistic mediation as a concept that promotes the use of translation, and the third point proposes models to use linguistic mediation through translation in the foreign language class.
