My buddy Eric (future certified ASL Interpreter!) passed this tip on to me, and I felt the need to share it with any colleagues.
When explaining something in a second language of yours, things don't always come out how you intend. Perhaps you are doing the very best you can, but some people still are not quite getting what you are talking about. The miscommunication may be an error on your part or an error on the language reception of the "listener." Either way, something isn't quite getting through.
Often, people who use ASL will express some level of confusion on their faces, and it is important for the "speaker" to confirm adequate communication exchange is occurring. He or she will rely on feedback from the "listener" (i.e. facial expressions, head nods...) to judge the successful reception of the message. And often times, this may come in the form of UNDERSTAND??
The truth is that when people are asked, "Do you understand?" a likely answer may be "yes." Any other response may be implying the incompetence, ignorance, or language impairment of the individual. This focuses on the "listener's" knowledge and skills and removes any responsibility from the "speaker" (who may or may not be to blame for a misunderstanding).
Instead, consider asking for confirmation in the form of CLEAR?? This allows the "listener" to respond more honestly without implying his or her lack of intelligence! It may be any one communicator's or the complexity of the content's fault for a misunderstanding.
