Improving Listening and Speaking Skills through Story Sharing
Improving Listening and Speaking Skills through Story Sharing Objective: Students will practice active listening and effective speaking by retelling a short story in their own words, demonstrating understanding and clear communication.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the importance of listening carefully when someone is speaking.
- Practice speaking clearly to share information with others.
- Retell a story using complete sentences and details from the original story.
Materials Needed
- A short, age-appropriate storybook or printed story (3-5 sentences)
- Paper and crayons or markers
- Timer or clock
Key Vocabulary
- Listening
- Paying close attention to sounds or words so you can understand them.
- Speaking
- Using your voice to say words so others can hear and understand you.
- Retell
- To tell a story again in your own words.
Detailed Activities
Story Listening and Retelling
- Read the short story aloud to your child slowly and clearly. Make sure they are paying attention.
- Ask your child to listen carefully because they will tell the story back to you.
- After reading, encourage your child to retell the story in their own words. Prompt them gently if needed with questions like ‘What happened first?’ or ‘Who was in the story?’
- If your child wants, they can draw a picture about the story and then explain their drawing as part of their retelling.
- Praise your child for their effort and gently correct any major misunderstandings.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This activity helps develop your child’s ability to listen and speak clearly, which are important skills for school and everyday communication.
- Be patient and encouraging; the goal is to build confidence and enjoyment in sharing ideas.
- Keep the story simple and relevant to your child’s interests to maintain engagement.
Assessment Questions
- Can your child retell the story in the correct order?
- Does your child use complete sentences when speaking?
- Is your child able to identify main characters or events from the story?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child listen to a short story from an audiobook and then retell it to you.
- Encourage your child to create their own short story and tell it to a family member.
- Play a ‘telephone’ game where your child listens to a sentence and repeats it to another person to practice listening and speaking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with short retellings and praise their efforts. You can also retell the story together at first to build confidence.
Ask simple questions about the story after reading or have them retell parts to check their understanding.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may focus on memorizing words instead of understanding the story.
- Some students may speak in incomplete sentences or leave out important details.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter stories or sentences to reduce cognitive load.
- Allow drawing or acting out parts of the story to support verbal expression.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage adding more details or personal opinions when retelling.
- Ask your child to connect the story to their own experiences or other books.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Plan about 10 minutes for story reading and listening.
- Allow 15-20 minutes for retelling and discussion.
- Use the remaining time for drawing, questions, and praise.
Standards
- 3.SL.1 — undefined
Printable Worksheet
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