1. 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 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.

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010
Your turn
James McMullan & Lillian Mak TESL Ontario - October 28/29, 2010