From a prior post here… 

Testing Understanding/Summarizing
The “testing understanding/summarizing” is actually a combination of two behaviors, but I often combine them to simplify their use. However, they are different.

Testing understanding is making statements or asking questions for the purpose of testing what you think you’ve just heard or what you think you know. Most of us know this as a form of “active listening.”

The second part of this behavior is summarizing. Again, it’s best to provide your own clues and cues to your group. Say, “Let me try to summarize this,” and then do it. If your words stray from the original (but not too far), then it’s easier for the group to react.

For the prior post- one of a series of 12 on Facilitation – please go here.

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