DEVELOPING MEDIATION AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THROUGH AUTHENTIC SCIENCE COMMUNICATION FORMATS: A CASE STUDY OF FALLING WALLS, BERLIN SCIENCE WEEK

Abstract

The article explores theoretical and practical aspects of developing mediation and critical thinking skills in master’s students within the framework of English for Mediation in Academic Matters teaching. The relevance of the study is determined by the transformation of contemporary academic discourse and the growing role of authentic science communication formats in the professional training of future philologists.
Particular attention is paid to the use of authentic formats of contemporary science communication as an effective pedagogical tool. Based on the materials of the international event Falling Walls, Berlin Science Week (2020), a case-based learning model was designed and implemented to integrate linguistic, cognitive, and communicative competencies.
The study highlights the role of mediation as a key competence in accordance with the CEFR Companion Volume and emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in academic discourse. The proposed instructional model comprises three stages: preparatory, analytical, and interactive-communicative, allowing students to engage deeply with authentic video content.
The study employs methods of literature analysis, generalization of pedagogical experience, and instructional design.
The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating authentic science communication materials into the learning process for fostering linguistic, cognitive, and mediation competences.The study concludes that such formats are pedagogically valuable and should be incorporated into academic English training for philology students.