Description

For this teaching method, either the instructor or learner summarizes something someone previously said in their own words to ensure they comprehend each other without any misconceptions.

Advantages

• By having a learner repeat the instructor’s statement in their own words, the instructor can see whether learners understand something.
• By repeating a learner’s statement in different languages, the instructor can see whether they truly understand what the learner means.

Disadvantages

• The most significant risk here is in the instructor’s putting words in the learner’s mouth. This may give the learner a free pass.

Implementation

1. The instructor explains a concept, then asks the learner to repeat it without using the same terms. A pause between the instructor’s explanation and the learner’s response can help prevent the learner from directly copying the instructor’s language. Over time, the meaning must remain, but the exact terms must be forgotten.
2. Alternatively, the learner makes a statement, and the instructor translates it in their own words and finishes with, “Is that what you meant?”