Listening and Responding to Stories
Listening and Responding to Stories Objective: Students will be able to listen attentively to a story and respond by identifying key details and expressing their thoughts verbally, supporting their listening comprehension skills.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the importance of listening carefully during a story.
- Identify key details from the story after listening.
- Express thoughts and ideas about the story using simple sentences.
Materials Needed
- A short storybook appropriate for kindergarten (preferably with pictures)
- Paper and crayons or markers
- A quiet reading area
Key Vocabulary
- Listen
- To pay attention carefully to sounds or someone speaking.
- Story
- A series of events told to entertain or teach something.
- Details
- Small pieces of information that tell more about a story.
Detailed Activities
Storytime and Discussion
- Gather your child in a quiet, comfortable reading area and explain that you will read a story together.
- Read the story aloud slowly and clearly, showing the pictures as you go.
- Pause occasionally to ask simple questions like ‘What do you see here?’ or ‘What do you think will happen next?’
- After finishing the story, ask your child to tell you one thing they liked or remembered from the story.
- Encourage your child to draw a picture about their favorite part of the story and describe it to you.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson helps build your child’s listening and comprehension skills, which are foundational for language arts.
- Keep the story session short and engaging to maintain your child’s attention.
- Encourage your child to express their thoughts freely, even if the sentences are simple or incomplete.
Assessment Questions
- Can your child recall one detail from the story?
- Does your child respond when asked questions about the story?
- Is your child able to express their thoughts about the story in their own words?
Extension Ideas
- Read a new story and compare it to the first one by discussing similarities and differences.
- Create a simple puppet show based on the story to encourage retelling and understanding.
- Listen to an audio story and practice the same activities to build varied listening skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s normal for young children to have short attention spans. Try shorter stories or break the story into parts with discussion breaks.
Ask open-ended questions and praise their efforts. Use prompts like ‘Tell me more about…’ or ‘Why do you think…?’ to encourage elaboration.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may repeat words without understanding their meaning; encourage explanation in their own words.
- Some children may be shy or reluctant to speak at first; gentle encouragement is important.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter stories with repetitive phrases to build confidence.
- Incorporate more visual aids like pictures or props to support comprehension.
For Advanced Students:
- Ask more detailed questions about characters’ feelings and motives.
- Encourage storytelling by having the child create their own simple stories.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Allow extra time for discussion and drawing to reinforce comprehension.
- Be flexible; if your child is engaged, extend the activity slightly, but avoid pushing past their attention span.
Standards
- K.L.6 — Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
Printable Worksheet
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