Checking understanding
'Any questions?' rarely reveals confusion. Skilled teachers check understanding by asking people to use or restate the idea.
Key ideas
- Silence is not understanding.
- Ask people to apply, not just repeat.
- Misunderstandings found early are cheap to fix.
Step by step
- 1
After each key point, ask a question that requires using it.
- 2
Invite people to summarise in their own words.
- 3
Listen for the specific misconception, not just right or wrong.
- 4
Re-explain from a different angle when needed.
Example
Instead of 'Does that make sense?', a trainer asks, 'Which of these two cases needs the new form, and why?' Two people choose wrong, and she fixes it on the spot.
Your drill
For your next explanation, prepare two application questions to replace 'any questions?' and use them.
Common mistakes
- Asking yes-or-no questions such as 'Is that clear?'
- Repeating the same explanation louder instead of differently.
Check yourself
Why is 'Any questions?' a weak check?
Show the answer
People rarely admit confusion and may not know what they misunderstand; application questions reveal it.
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