Improving Listening and Speaking Skills
Improving Listening and Speaking Skills Objective: Students will practice active listening and clear speaking by participating in a structured group discussion, focusing on understanding and responding to others’ ideas.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the importance of listening carefully to others during conversations.
- Practice speaking clearly and respectfully in a group setting.
- Respond appropriately to ideas shared by classmates.
Materials Needed
- A short story or poem (printed or digital)
- Paper and pencil for note-taking
- Timer or clock
Key Vocabulary
- Active Listening
- Paying close attention to the speaker, understanding their message, and responding thoughtfully.
- Discussion
- A conversation where people share ideas and listen to others.
- Response
- What you say or do after hearing someone else’s idea.
Detailed Activities
Group Listening and Speaking Exercise
- Read a short story or poem aloud to your child.
- Ask your child to listen carefully without interrupting.
- After reading, ask your child to tell you what they heard and what they think about the story.
- Encourage your child to ask you questions about the story.
- Take turns sharing ideas and responding to each other, modeling respectful listening and speaking.
- Use a timer to ensure each person has equal time to speak.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- Encourage your child to make eye contact and not interrupt while listening.
- Model active listening and respectful responses during the activity.
- Keep the tone positive and supportive to build confidence in speaking.
Assessment Questions
- Can your child retell the main points of the story or poem?
- Does your child wait their turn to speak during the discussion?
- Can your child respond to questions or ideas shared by you or others?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child record themselves retelling the story and listen to it together.
- Create a small family discussion where everyone shares something about their day, practicing the same listening and speaking skills.
- Introduce simple note-taking to help your child organize their thoughts before speaking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with short listening sessions and gradually increase the time. Praise your child for small improvements and gently remind them to pay attention.
Encourage your child to speak slowly and use full sentences. Model clear speech and give positive feedback when they do well.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may think listening only means hearing words, not understanding them.
- Some children may feel that speaking quickly shows confidence, but clear speech is more important.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts or stories for listening practice.
- Allow breaks during the discussion and offer prompts to help with responses.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage your child to summarize others’ ideas before sharing their own.
- Introduce more complex topics or texts for discussion.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Allow extra time for younger or less experienced children to process and respond.
- Keep activities between 10-15 minutes with breaks to maintain focus.
Standards
- 6.SL.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Printable Worksheet
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