1. Chapter 8: Asking for Clarification
Strategies for Minimizing Misunderstandings

2. On Monday
We looked at checking comprehension. We looked at 4 strategies that we can use to make sure our students have understood us. We practiced giving instructions and then checking comprehension with other students.

3. Today
We are going to look at asking for clarification.

4. Strategy 1: Interrupting
For a quick clarification try using the following:
I’m sorry.
Excuse me.
Hang on a minute*.
Just a minute.
Wait a minute.

5. For a lengthier clarification you can try these expressions:
Can I stop you for a minute?
Can I interrupt you for a minute?
Do you mind if I interrupt you for a second?

6. Strategy 2: Indicating You Don’t Understood
If you don’t understand. . .
I don’t follow you.
I don’t understand.
I didn’t understand that.
I don’t get it.
I’m not clear.
You lost me.

7. If you didn’t hear. I didn’t catch that
If you didn’t hear I didn’t catch that. I didn’t hear you I didn’t hear what you said. I missed that.

8. Strategy 3: Asking for Complete Clarification
You can ask for complete clarification . . .
Can you repeat that?
Can you say that again?
Can you explain that again?
Can you rephrase that?

9. Or just partial clarification. from the beginning
Or just partial clarification from the beginning from the part where/ when just the first part just the last part just the part when

10. Strategy 4: Clarifying Details
You can clarify details by asking questions What did he do? Where did he go? When did he leave? Why did he do that? Who did he talk to?

11. Or by restating what your students have said, placing a question in the part that is not understood. He did what? He went where? He left when? He did it because why? He talked to who?

12. The advantage of this last part is that you can recast your student’s sentence emphasizing correct grammar.
Example)
Student: He go to the beach.
Teacher: He went where?

13. In class, we are going to
(1) write a paragraph on our summer vacation
(2) ‘garble’ parts of it
(3) tell it to our partners
(4) partners will ask for clarification