Language Skills: Pronunciation Troubles

I find speaking for a long time with someone who has poor pronunciation skills very exhausting.  I remember another professor saying that speaking with someone who is learning EAL is like running an obstacle course race.  If you have to run over only small or a few bumps, you can easily keep up.  But if you have to run over large or many bumps, you will fall behind easily.  For me, it's not so much the single sounds that create a problem; if there is a context, like "I'm sinking about it", than I can figure out that he means, "I'm thinking about it".  It's when the context doesn't make sense that I get confused; "I'm looking for 'scent' products" could mean they want perfume or cologne but "I'm looking for 'sand' products" could mean they want toys for the beach. 

However, I also have to remember that it is exhausting for them to speak.  It can take them a long time to think of the proper pronunciation and I have to be patient enough for them to have that silent period.  I also have to be careful in my error correction, remembering what the purpose of the communication is.  If the purpose is to receive information, as long as the facts are clear, that is the main thing.  If the purpose is to learn a grammar point, specific feedback should be provided.  Talking for the sake of filling silence is only stressful, not polite.

Finally, I also have to be careful not to over- or under-do my own pronunciation.  Sometimes I exaggerate sounds to make sure that they understand, only to find out that I've insulted their intelligence.  And sometimes I mumble sounds, assuming they know the word, only to find out that they have no idea what I just said.  I often ask, "Do you know X word?" (just to be sure) and use a facial or hand gesture to help the communication and get the response "Of course I know that!" It's a tricky balance remembering what they know and don't know.