A) In dialog #2 Mohammad is uncertain of his homework assignment, yet he does not voice his concern. He seems hesitant to ask Mr. Smith for help. When asked by Mr. Smith if he understood the assignment Mohammad responds, “Yes, I think so”, however, when asked an additional time, Mohammad responds, “Yes, sir.” The miscommunication occurs when Mohammad says “Yes, sir” because Mr. Smith unknowingly assumes that Mohammad understands the assignment, when in fact, he does not.
B) I read an article earlier this year in ESL 501 entitled, English as a Second Language Learners: A Guide for Classroom Teachers (1999), that states “In some cultures, expressing a lack of understanding or asking for help from the teacher is interpreted as a suggestion that the teacher has not been doing a good enough job of teaching and is considered impolite" (p. 9). This cultural belief may be why Mohammad is hesitant to ask for Mr. Smith’s help.
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