{"id":9758,"date":"2014-11-19T13:19:34","date_gmt":"2014-11-19T12:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.targettraining.eu\/?p=9758"},"modified":"2015-09-11T15:05:15","modified_gmt":"2015-09-11T13:05:15","slug":"helping-non-native-speakers-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.targettraining.eu\/de\/helping-non-native-speakers-room\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping out the non-native speakers in the room"},"content":{"rendered":"

Advice on how to improve your business communication skills is often directed at helping the non-native speakers communicate better, but what about the native speakers? What could\/should they do to have a more successful outcome? Below are two considerations for native speakers preparing for meetings with mixed language ability colleagues. The examples shown below are from the observation of English <\/em>native speakers, but the advice holds true for any meeting with different nationalities present.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reformulate<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s hard to cross-check yourself as a native speaker, especially when you are in full-flow and a strong, educated talker. It may be worth, however, trying to reword what you have just said- especially when you do catch yourself seeing some blank looks. The following expressions are taken from an actual meeting. Consider how difficult they might be to understand for a non-native English speaker. One way to evaluate this is by asking yourself: \u201cHave I ever heard the other people in the room use this expression?\u201d If the answer is \u201cno\u201d, then you should consider reformulating.<\/p>\n