Developing Focused Non-Comprehension Strategies To Improve Communication James McMullan, SCS University of Toronto Lillian Mak, IEP George Brown College Copyright James McMullan & Lillian Mak 2010. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the authors.
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Workshop Agenda Communication Breakdown Possible Causes A New Approach Tools for Learners Recommendations for Teachers and Learners James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Communication Breakdown “All those months in an ESL Program and they still can’t speak English!” - Pilot trainer “I have to tell them everything twice!” - Oil company line manager “They don’t understand a word I say!” - University lecturer James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Possible Causes Non-use of kinesics Nodding and smiling problems Zero-comprehension expressions James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Zero-Comprehension Expressions CLB Speaking Stage 1 Benchmark 1 Indicate problems in communication Sorry. Pardon? Repeat please. James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Zero-Comprehension Expressions CLB Speaking Stage 1 Benchmark 2 Indicate communication problems in a number of ways I don’t understand. I don’t speak English well. Please repeat. Can you speak slowly, please? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Zero-Comprehension Expressions CLB Speaking Stage 1 Benchmark 3 Indicate problems in communication Can you repeat? I don’t understand, can you say it again? What did you say? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Zero-Comprehension Expressions CLB Speaking Stage 2 Benchmark 5 Indicate non-comprehension Sorry, what did you say? I didn’t catch what you said about X. Could you repeat that? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… Rate the responses # WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… YOU REPLY… RATING 4 = best 0 = worst 1 Could you get me a XXXX, please? Can you repeat that? OK. Again? Sorry, get you a what? Please speak more slowly. James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… Rate the responses # WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… YOU REPLY… RATING 4 = best 0 = worst 2 Please take this file to the XXXX. What did you say? Sorry, take it where? Could you repeat that? Sure. I can’t understand you. James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… Rate the responses # WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… YOU REPLY… RATING 4 = best 0 = worst 3 Can you ask XXXX to call me? You speak too quickly. Pardon? No problem. Say it again, please Ask who to call you? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… Rate the responses # WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… YOU REPLY… RATING 4 = best 0 = worst 4 I need this report by XXXX. What do you need? Excuse me? You need it by when? This report… Right away. James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… Rate the responses # WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR SAYS… YOU REPLY… RATING 4 = best 0 = worst 5 Could you move XXXX’s car? It’s blocking the entrance. Move whose car? Uhh? I don’t understand. Could you move…? I’m on it. James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Intonation GET YOU SOME WHAT? LATER? (KNOW) IF COMING IS WHO James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Facial expression and posture Extend neck forward slightly Squeeze eyebrows together … but try not to overdo it! James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Tool A: Flip the speakers 1st and 2nd person pronouns switch over I/me you my/mine your/yours we/us you our/ours your/yours James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Tool A: Flip the speakers Example: A: Can you send me your XXXX? B: Sorry, can I send you my WHAT? Don’t flip we/us/our/ours if they refer to both speaker AND listener 3rd person pronouns stay as they are James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool B: Which WH- word? WHO A: Ask XXXX if she needs a ride. B: Ask WHO if she needs a ride? N.B. WHOM may be too formal here James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool B: Which WH- word? WHAT A: We had some XXXX last week. B: You had (some) WHAT last week? With no adjectives, repetition of this, that, a, an, some, any, etc. is optional. James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool B: Which WH- word? WHERE A: Can you take John down to XXXX? B: Sorry, can I take him WHERE? Prepositions/adverbs of position and direction can be left out James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool B: Which WH- word? WHEN A: I’ll be here at XXXX tomorrow. B: You’ll be here WHEN tomorrow? N.B. Omit ‘in, on, at’ but keep ‘by, from, until’ James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool B: Which WH- word? WHICH… A: I’ll take the XXXX shirt. B: Sorry, you’ll take WHICH shirt? WHOSE… A: XXXX’s house is on fire B: Sorry, WHOSE house is on fire? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool B: Which WH- word? HOW /HOW MUCH/HOW MANY A: He’s XXXX feet tall. B: Sorry, he’s HOW tall? A: We’ll need at least XXXX rice. B: At least HOW MUCH? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Tool C: Nouns to pronouns Speed up communication flow by changing nouns before the XXXX word to pronouns A: Can you give the report to XXXX? B: Sorry, give it to WHO? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Tool C: Nouns to pronouns But it sometimes helps to repeat the exact words after the XXXX, with rising intonation A: Can you ask XXXX to lock the office? B: Sorry, ask WHO to lock the office? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool D: Handling verbs If you mishear an active verb or verb phrase, replace it with DO WHAT in a suitable tense A: My daughter XXXX last week. B: She DID WHAT last week? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Tool D: Handling verbs If you mishear a passive verb or verb phrase, replace the past participle with WHAT, e.g. A: The doorman has been XXXXed. B: Sorry, he’s been WHAT? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Recommendations for Teachers Use focused non-comprehension strategies in the classroom Introduce the 4 Tools at appropriate levels Encourage learners to use the 4 Tools when they partially understand the other speaker James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Recommendations for Learners Collaborate with the other speaker to build understanding Use kinesics to show non-comprehension If in doubt, start with the verb, e.g. Go WHERE? Give it to WHO? Take HOW MANY? James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010 Your turn James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010