When we don't understanding someone, listeners tend to respond with phrases like "What?", "Can you say that again?", or "I'm sorry, I didn't understand you."
This often prompts the student to repeat the phrase again in the same way without understanding why the attempt failed in the first place.
Reply in a way that provides the student with a strategy for how to improve the communication attempt. Use a phrase like
"Say that again using different words"
or "Say that again slower"
to prompt the student to use synonyms, descriptors, or a slower rate. Pair a hand gesture, like twirling fingers when prompting the use of alternate words or lowering a palm to indicate slowing down, to provide a visual cue