Bluffing

I had a lightbulb go off in class today while I was evaluating one of my English learner participants. I realized that he often nods his head in understanding when I see that he didn't hear all the words nor understand the context of their usage. I asked myself why he doesn't stop me and ask for clarification. Then I thought back to the last Portuguese conversation I bluffed my way through and realized that I sometimes don't ask for help because I don't even know what it was I didn't comprehend. In other words, the fact that there were layers of non-understanding meant that I couldn't identify the specific aspects of the statement that went over my head. There are definite hurdles to get over in assimilating a language that require patience.  Pretending, however, shouldn't be on the top of the list.  To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week (a separate weekly message), please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com