Scene 7 - Sorry, but I Don't Always Understand You

Scene 7

Student: Um, I've come in today because I'd like to talk about the class.

TA: What do you want to talk about?

Student: Um, I'm having a problem with the class.

TA: I've noticed that you've had a problem with the assignment.

Student: Yeah…um…, actually I'm having some difficulty following what you're saying.

TA: You mean, you can't follow what I'm saying?

Student: Yeah, um. I mean I know you're really trying, and it's just that the, the class itself is difficult. But sometimes when you're speaking I can't really understand you very well.

TA: Ok…

Student: Um, do you think that we could figure out something to um, to improve the situation, so that I could understand you better?

Consultant's Thoughts

Okay, this is a great situation. I would thank the student for coming in first of all because he is being polite, he's being respectful and he's really demonstrating the motivation to get the most out of the class that he can. Next, what I would do is probe, try to find out why he isn't understanding me. Is it my volume? Is it something else about my language? Are there distractions outside of the classroom or in the hallway. Are others in the class distracting him? Maybe I'm not using enough visual support. So really find out what is going on to prevent him from understanding. And then third, I would ask other students in the class, either through a survey or a written questionnaire, if anyone else is having trouble with following what is going on in the class.

If I were the TA in this situation, I would address the communication issue directly with my students because I think if one student is having trouble understanding you, chances are there are others who are, too. But, they might not be comfortable bringing it up with you. So ideally, if you know your English may not be very clear or if it's not your first language, I would bring it up on the first day of class. I would tell the students that you are doing your best but that sometimes you may struggle with your English. And I would welcome them to ask you questions and clarify things if they don't understand. And if you're comfortable with it, ask them to correct you at times. I think if you do this you're showing a willingness to work with them and they're more likely to maybe forgive you for some of your difficulty.