失言に後悔して落ち込む前に、上手にフォローする技術を学びましょう。このレッスンでは、会話の中で誤解を招いてしまう様な言い方をしたり、強く言い過ぎてしまった時にさりげなく軌道修正をすることに焦点を当てます。トピックは抽象的な話題です。
This lesson will teach you how to monitor yourself and the person with whom you are speaking. This is important even in your native language, and it's more important in a second language. You need to monitor yourself so if you make a mistake with grammar, nuance or meaning, you can correct it right away.
This lesson is a little different from a typical transitions lesson, but it is an important topic. Start with this line of thinking/questioning:
1. When we speak, we always think partly about what we are saying and partly about what the other person is understanding. Like, right now, I'm thinking a little about what I'm saying. I'm mostly thinking about if you are understanding.
2. Let's think about you. For instance, if you are in a client meeting, and you speak, are you thinking about what you are saying? Or, are you thinking about what the client is understanding? What's the proportion...? 50/50?
3. Now, what about in English? Are you thinking more about what you are saying, or what the listener is understanding?
Most people are thinking so much about what they are saying, they forget to check if the listener is understanding.
Think about the types of questions you have trouble answering. Here are some common ones:
- Personal questions, especially ones like, "What's your best job skill?"
- Abstract questions like, "What is human nature?"
- Topics that you are very good at talking about in your native language, but lack the vocabulary to do so in English. For instance, sports, movies, and comedy.
- Topics that are big ideas and you have never thought about them before, like "What do you think about wind power?"
Understanding which topics are hardest will help you in the next sections. Or, maybe all the topics are hard. That's okay, too!
Self-monitoring is important when you are speaking off the cuff (quickly and without thinking deeply about it). You may make a mistake and realize it quickly:
The biggest problem is that elderly people are decreasing... I mean, what I meant to say is, the number of elderly people is decreasing.
Or you may make a mistake with nuance:
I’m not sure if I’m able to put this right, but I don't think tradition is important compared to progress. I don't mean that negatively. I mean traditions are important, and progress is important. I just think the latter is slightly more important.
Please consider each transition phrase. Your instructor has an example and a question regarding each one. Remember the goal is to smoothly use the transition phrase, not to give a long answer.
- I’m not sure if I’m able to put this right... — I may make a mistake in nuance in what I'm going to say.
- What I meant to say is... — I made a mistake in meaning or nuance, so let me correct it.
- This is quite complex/a bit complex... — Used to introduce a complex topic, it prepares the listener to pay close attention.
- Do you have any questions (at this point/so far)? — Formal, used in a presentation to check for questions.
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Do you follow me? [formal, from a higher position]/Are you with me? [spoken English, casual and friendly] — Used to check understanding through a complex set of directions or logic.
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Let me know if there's anything I need to reiterate/go over again. — Used at the beginning, middle or end of a complex line of thought.
Spend as long or as short a time as necessary on each phrase, but make sure the student can use it smoothly before moving on.
Note: For struggling students, elicit the adjectives/sentences from the student before adding the transition phrase. For higher levels, you may be able to skip right to the question.
This lesson will vary greatly depending on student level. When two examples or questions are presented, choose the most appropriate for your student.
1. I’m not sure if I’m able to put this right, but... This is used before a complex idea.
E.g.: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: Well, I often go to the gym in my free time. I’m not sure if I’m able to put this right, but I kinda hate working out. But I love being in good shape. So I dislike the process, but I really love the result.
Practice 1: What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Can you think of a complex part of one of your hobbies?
Practice 2: What's a part of your job that you didn't expect when you first joined your company?
2. What I meant to say is... If you need to rephrase what you said and say it again, this is the most common phrase. You may have made a mistake in meaning and so your sentence is unclear. Or, your nuance may seem too strong or too weak.
E.g. 1: I'm the best on my team. I mean.... What I meant to say is, my teammates are all amazing, but when it comes to IT, I'm the most knowledgeable.
E.g. 2: Your hair looks good today! I mean, what I meant to say is, while I like your usual hairstyle, I like this new look, too!
Practice: Have you ever made a mistake communicating while abroad?
Note: You may not get your student to produce this. That's ok, just remind them to use it in the future.
3. This is quite/a bit complex... — Used to introduce a complex topic; it prepares the listener to pay close attention.
E.g. 1: I studied macro-economics. This is a bit complex, but we take the big-picture view on the economy and then discuss how it changes over time and what kind of things affect it.
E.g. 2: I studied sociology. We look at social issues and we problematize. That's a new word for most people. It's quite complex, but let me see if I can try to explain it. We look at big social issues and we discuss the problems without looking for solutions, and then we look for factors that are causative or correlative. What I mean by "causative" is factors that cause the problem, and by "correlative", I mean factors that are often found with the problem.
Practice 1: What did you major in, in university? Can you tell me one complex point you studied?
Practice 2: How do you define human nature?
4. Do you have any questions (at this point/so far)? — Formal; used in presentations to check for questions.
You can more casually say, "Any questions so far?"
E.g.: Well, when it comes to a company expanding, there are a couple things to keep in mind. Don't over-extend... so don't open too many branches at once or hire too many staff in a go. Secondly, hire the right people. Your company is only as good as your staff. Any questions so far?
Practice: What's the best process for acquiring excellent staff?
5. Do you follow me? [formal, from a higher position]/Are you with me? [spoken English, casual and friendly]—Used to check understanding through a complex set of directions or logic.
E.g.: Let's talk about branding. This is quite complex. Well, when I think of successful brands, there are a few factors that can lead to success. First of all, the image needs to be clearly defined. Consumers should be able to describe it. Then that image needs to translate into the day-to-day actions at the company. So that image needs to be correct. If your image is that you are customer-centered, then you have to really be customer-centered all the time! Are you with me?
Practice 1: What factors contribute to the overall success of a start-up?
Practice 2: Can you recommend a good lunch spot near your office and tell me how to get there?
6. Let me know if there's anything I need to reiterate/go over again. — Used at the beginning, middle or end of a complex line of thought.
E.g.: Ok, let's talk about how a company can reinvent their image. This is pretty complex, so let me know if there's anything I need to go over again. So, first of all, the company needs to admit the problem. Not just the CEO, but the company. This might involve an advertising campaign or something like that. Next, the company needs to make a real and public change. Are you with me? (stop or continue) Ok, a good example of this is the pizza company Domino's. They reinvented their image. First, they publicly admitted that their pizza tasted terrible. Then, they changed where they sourced their ingredients from, and they changed their recipe. They had another campaign. It was a huge success. They completely changed their image. Does that make sense?
Practice: Can you lay a simple roadmap for a company in your country to increase efficiency?
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Phrases for checking understanding
If your student is in a high-level position or needs to explain complex topics, they may need to check understanding. Doing this politely requires tact. One good strategy is to first address how complex the topic is:
- This is a confusing topic for a lot of people.
- A lot of people have a hard time wrapping their heads around this the first time.
- This is quite/a bit complex...
- Did that sound too negative? I don’t mean it negatively... Used, of course, if your English sounded more negative than how you meant it.
Then ask a question to check understanding:
- Let me know if there's anything I need to reiterate. [formal, nice, used at the beginning or middle]
- Do you have any questions (at this point/so far)? [formal]
- Do you follow me? [spoken English, from a higher position]
- Are you with me? [spoken English, casual and friendly]
- So far, so good? [casual and friendly]
- Does that make sense to you? [spoken English, used with coworkers and friends]
E.g.: Well, the thing that’s different about Bitcoin is that it’s decentralized—in other words, no single institution controls the Bitcoin network. This is a confusing topic for a lot of people. Do you follow me?
E.g.: To get to the office, I have to ride my bicycle to the train station, and then take the express train about four stops. The express train actually passes the station where I need to go, so I take the local train back one stop. Are you with me? Ok. From the local station, I walk to the office.
E.g.: My friend is Australian. He was born in Canada though, and his mum is an Aussie, which means he's got two passports. He lives in Australia, but he sounds Canadian. It's confusing for a lot of people, but does that make sense to you?
E.g.: My favorite food to make is fish tacos with green salsa. First, make Mexican green salsa. It's a bit unusual. Let me know if there's anything I need to reiterate. First put cucumber, some avocado, jalapeno, some onion and lime juice in a blender and blend it into a thick paste. So far so good? Ok, Add some salt. Cook fish in a pan with plenty of oil. Cut some cabbage and tomato, and put it all in a taco. It's delicious!
Practice: Choose a question your student is willing to get complex about:
- Can you describe your commute?
- Can you describe how to make your favorite food (in detail)?
- What's your favorite sport? Has the style or strategy changed in the last 30 years?
- Can you describe the process for new recruits at your company?
Now, try using the monitoring phrases to answer some questions your instructor will ask you.