Show:
Basics on Communication Breakdowns
How Should I Fix This?
Repair Strategies
What Caused the Breakdown?
100

What is a communication breakdown?

When there are difficulties communicating and sharing information with others

100

Your history teacher used a new vocabulary word that you have never heard before.

Ask them to explain what the word means

100

"Can you say that a little bit louder please? I missed the second part," is an example of which communication repair strategy?

What is repetition - repeating what you said

100
You're sitting in the cafeteria and cannot hear your friends at lunch. Why? What caused this communication breakdown?
What is too much background noise
200

How do people communicate?

Using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to share information

200

Your mom quickly gave you a list of things to get at the grocery store for her. You cannot remember the entire list.

Ask for her to say it again more slowly

200

Student A in this conversation uses which repair strategy when Student B does not understand? Student A: "I learned about cells in Science class yesterday" Student B: "You learned about what in Science class?" Student A: "Cells -- you know, the things that make up people, animals, and plants"

Giving more information to help them understand

200
You're riding in the backseat of the car and your parents are asking about your day at school. You only heard the word school and missed their question. Why did this communication breakdown occur?
What is you couldn't see their mouth to speech read, there was too much noise from the road and the radio
300

What are some communication breakdown repair strategies?

Repeat, Talk slower, Talk clear, Talk louder, Use different words

Fixing the problem when you are not understanding the information others share with you

300

As your teacher is writing a math problem on the board, she finishes the problem verbally. You miss the last part of the problem.

Ask for the teacher to say it again or ask her to write it down on the board

300

Pointing, gestures, miming, signing, or writing are examples of this kind of communication repair strategy

Nonverbal communication

300

During biology, the teacher is talking about cell reproduction. You hear two new words that sound similar (mitosis and meiosis) but do not understand how they connect to cells or reproduction. What caused this communication breakdown?

You don't know what the words mean

400

What does repair mean?

Fixing something that broke

400

While telling a story in class, the teacher gives you an odd look when you say a word indicating that she doesn't understand what you said. What should you do?

Give more information to help the teacher understand, check for understanding, ask "do you understand?"

400
This is an example of which communication repair strategy? "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that word you just used. Could you explain that word in a different way?"
What is revision
400
You're sitting in a noisy restaurant and the waiter is speaking very quickly while looking at the other table. You missed the specials for the day. Why did this communication breakdown occur?
What is too much background noise, not able to see the speaker's face
500

Is this a communication breakdown?

"Please clean your room." Says Mom

"Okay I will clean the broom" I reply

Yes, there was a communication breakdown

500

A friend asks you for directions to your house. While you're explaining, you can see that they don't understand what you are saying by their facial expression. How can you help them understand?

Use visuals, draw a map or give them more information to help them understand where they need to go

500

Smiling and shaking your head even when you do not understand is an example of:

A bad repair strategy or A good strategy

Bad repair strategy

500

During English, you missed the definitions for half of the vocabulary words. You smile politely and nod your head as if you understood, even though you are very confused. Why did this communication breakdown occur?

You weren't focused on the speaker, too noisy in the room, teacher spoke too quietly