B. Foundations of Language · Sounds, Letters and Reading Words

Listening and Talking Together

B1.1 B1.2 B1.3About 30 minutes

Learning goals

I can listen with my whole body.
I can think before, during and after I listen, so I understand.
I can ask a question that stays on the topic.
I can take turns when I talk and say just enough.

Words to know

listen
To pay attention to the sounds and words someone is saying, so you understand them.

speaker
The person who is talking.

audience
The person or people who are listening to you.

purpose
The reason you are talking, like to tell, to ask, or to explain.

on topic
About the same thing everyone is talking about.

retell
To tell a story or message again in your own words, in the right order.

Shhh... listen!

Close your eyes. Be very still. What can you hear? Maybe a fridge humming, a car outside, or a bird?

You just used your listening skills! Good listeners notice sounds and words. Today you will learn how to be a great listener and a great talker.

Listen with your whole body

When someone is talking, a good listener uses their whole body, not just their ears.

Body part	What it does when I listen
👀 Eyes	Look at the person who is talking.
👂 Ears	Hear every word.
🤐 Mouth	Stays quiet while the other person talks.
🙌 Hands and feet	Stay still and calm.
🧠 Brain	Thinks about what the words mean.

Whole-body listening

Whole-body listening: eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet and brain all help you listen.

Before, during and after

Good listeners do something before, during and after they listen.

Before: Think about what it might be about. If the story is called The Big Snowstorm, think about what you know about snow.
During: Make a picture in your head. Listen for who, where and what happens.
After: Retell it in your own words. Ask a question if you are not sure about something.

Stay on topic

A good question is about the same thing the speaker was talking about.

If your friend tells you about her new kitten, a question on topic is: "What colour is your kitten?"

A question off topic is: "Do you like hockey?" That question is about something else.

Worked example

Let's listen and ask a good question

A grown-up reads this short story out loud. The title is Skating Day.

On Saturday, Nia and her dad went skating at the outdoor rink. Nia fell down once, but she got back up. After skating, they drank hot chocolate.

Before: The title is Skating Day. I think about skates, ice and cold weather.
During: I make a picture in my head. I see Nia and her dad on the ice.
After, retell: Who? Nia and her dad. Where? The outdoor rink. What happened? Nia fell once and got back up. Then they drank hot chocolate.
Ask an on-topic question: "Did Nia get hurt when she fell?" This question is about the story, so it is on topic.

I listened, made a picture in my head, retold the story in order, and asked a question about the story.

Being a good talker

When you talk, think about two things:

Purpose: Why am I talking? To tell something, to ask something, or to explain how to do something?
Audience: Who is listening? You talk differently to your teacher, to your baby cousin, and to your whole class.

Good talkers also:

Take turns. Wait until the other person is finished.
Know when to speak. If someone is talking, wait. You can raise your hand at school.
Say just enough. Not too little, not too much. Stay on the topic.

Just for fun

Why are elephants such great listeners?

Because they have such BIG ears! 🐘 (But you can be a great listener with your regular-sized ears, too.)

🗣️👂👂👂

One person talks. The others listen. Then you switch turns.

Worked example

Let's say just enough

Your teacher asks, "What did you do on the weekend?" Which answer says just enough?

A: "Stuff."
B: "I went sledding with my cousin. We went down the big hill ten times!"
C: A very long story about every single thing you did, all weekend, for ten minutes.

A is too little. The listener does not learn anything.
C is too much. The listener gets tired and other people do not get a turn.
B tells who, what and one interesting thing. It is just enough.

Answer B says just enough.

Hands-on activity

Talking spoon at dinner

You need: a spoon (or any small object) and your family at a meal.

Only the person holding the spoon may talk.
Pass the spoon around. Each person tells one thing about their day.
When you are not holding the spoon, use whole-body listening.
When you get the spoon, first ask the person before you one on-topic question about what they said. Then share your own thing.

Talk about it: "Was it hard to wait for your turn? What question did you ask?"

Your turn

Name 3 body parts that help you listen, and say what each one does.

Your grandpa tells you he went ice fishing. Ask him one on-topic question.

Is this question on topic or off topic? Your friend talks about her birthday party. You ask, "What is your dog's name?"

A story is called Lost Mitten. What could you think about before you listen?

Your friend is talking. You think of something you want to say. What should you do?

Who is your audience if you tell your class about your pet?

A grown-up says: "Tomás went to the library. He found a book about bears. He took it home and read it with his sister." Retell it: who, where, what happened?

More practice: warm-up

When you listen, where should your eyes look?

Should your mouth be talking or quiet when someone else is talking?

What is the word for the people who listen to you?

True or false: Good talkers take turns.

What does retell mean?

More practice: on your own

Your teacher reads a book about maple syrup. Which question is on topic: "How do they get sap from the tree?" or "Can we go to recess?"

What is your purpose if you say, "First put on your boots, then your coat, then your mitts"?

Your baby cousin is 2 years old. How might you talk to them differently than to your teacher?

You are not sure what a word in the story meant. What can you do after listening?

Why is it a problem to talk for a very long time when it is your turn?

Challenge

A grown-up says: "Ava planted bean seeds in a cup. She watered them every day. After one week, a little green sprout came up." Retell it in 3 parts: first, next, last.

Make up 2 on-topic questions you could ask a firefighter who visits your class.

Your friend is sad and is telling you about it. Is this a time to tell a funny joke, or to listen? Why?

Check your understanding

Quiz

Your friend is telling you about her new puppy. Which question is on topic?

When should you start talking?

What should your eyes do when you listen?

You tell your class about your trip. Who is your audience?

A story is called The Big Snowstorm. What is a good thing to do before you listen?

Your teacher asks what you ate for lunch. Which answer says just enough?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Listening is a skill that can be taught. Grade 1 students learn to listen attentively, use strategies before, during and after listening, ask relevant questions, and take turns when speaking.

How to help at home:

Read aloud every day. Before reading, look at the title and ask, "What do you think it's about?" After reading, ask your child to retell it: who, where, what happened first, next, last.
Model on-topic questions. If your child asks an off-topic question, gently say: "That's a different topic. What could you ask about this?"
Use a "talking object" at meals so everyone gets a turn.

Common difficulties:

Interrupting. This is very normal at age 6. Teach a quiet signal (hand on your arm) that means "I have something to say" and honour it once you finish.
Retelling only the ending, or every detail. Ask for just three parts: beginning, middle, end.
Off-topic stories. Children often connect a topic to their own experience ("My cousin has a dog too!"). That's a good start; help them turn it into a question for the speaker.

If your child often seems not to hear or follow spoken directions, mention it to the teacher. A hearing check can rule out a physical cause.