Obstacles to effective spoken expression

Cultural differences

• Lack of experience with interactive teaching
• Different expectations of teacher/student roles and responsibilities

Lack of confidence in language skills

• in being able to
  • ask a coherent question with reasonable fluency
  • express a point of view comprehensibly and with reasonable fluency

• in knowing how to
  • enter a discussion
  • add to the last speaker's turn
  • express disagreement without offence
  • pose a question politely
    • to the teacher
    • to another student
  • hold the floor against an interruption
  • refuse a turn to speak gracefully
  • deflect a question
  • respond to a challenge
  • use humour
  • respond to humour
  • express non-comprehension without looking foolish
  • seek clarification without losing face
  • …