Personhood Curriculum 6th Grade

 

Good Listening Habits

Lesson Plan

aphg5-10

(Time estimate: TBD minutes)

1. Expand the Student's Self-Interest Horizon to include Good Habits for listening. Tie-in their Life-Goals.
2. Explicit teachings about what is respectful to other people, and what is not.
3. Explicit teaching about gaining respect by having good listening skills.
4. Install a "Listening Monitor" in students' minds.
5. Some instruction on taking notes.
6. Practice taking notes.

Print instructions to project. - - - listenin.htm - - - listenin.rtf

Print out the essay "listening." - - - listen!.htm - - - listen!.rtf

(Teacher's version, with emphasis-formatting.) You will read from this. You will mark this with items "noted" by the students.

 

Print out a copy of listen-s.htm - - - listen-s.rtf

Student's copy, without emphasis markings. Make copies for all students. They will mark notes on these.

 

Print out a copy of "Listening Grading Key" - - - listen-k.htm - - - listen-k.rtf

Make double-sided copies for each student, to do their own grading.

OR, make transparencies for projection.

Keep a copy for yourself.

 

Print out the test.

Make double-sided copies for each student. listentst.rtf

(Note: There is no HTML version of this file.)

 

Print the Grading Sheet, double sided. listenans.rtf

Trim sheet just to the left of the answers, on each side of the sheet.

(Note: There is no HTML version of this file.)

Introduction

We are going to study listening skills. You will have a test next class time. It will have True-False, multiple choice, and essay questions. Therefore, keep and study the essay.

Relevancy

We all want to grow our minds, be better, more capable, and highly respected. Reaching these Life-Goals takes effort. It takes time. How can you advance rapidly in your abilities if you habitually don't listen, or listen with poor skills? You can't! Listening well helps us reach these Life-Goals faster and with less effort.

Good listening skills mark us as a high quality person. They earn us respect. Being respected is a good Life-Goal.

Presentation

I am going to read an essay to you. Follow along on your own copy. As I read it, take notes, using underlines or a highlighter.

• Mark the key ideas. (Listen to my voice for clues!) (Look for lists, and how many items might be in them.)
• Mark those things you think are important for you to know.
• Mark what you guess I might think are important.

When I am finished with the first two pages, I will ask you what you marked.

Read to the class the essay, "Listening" Stop after the second table. Read slowly. Emphasize words marked with emphasis.

In the following exchanges, look for opportunity to use active listening or feedback. If you find any such, tell them you are about to use feedback, then do it. This is the good example that follows the teaching!

Ask a student for the 1st item they marked. Continue through the class, asking for the next item in the essay they marked. Teacher marks a copy with the items given. If you run out of essay before asking all students, start over at the beginning of the essay. If it does not seem like a good answer, ask why they marked it. They might have a good answer!

 

Then ask if anyone can summarize what the essay said. If no takers, call on a good student.

• Ask how many agree/disagree with that summary.
• Ask why they disagree (if any).
• Ask if anyone can add to that summary.
• If it is not a significant point, ask the student why it should be part of the summary.

Now read the second half of the essay. When done, go through the same exercise, as done for the first half.

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Periodically

Teacher Follow-up

 

Get in the habit of using feed back on what a student has just said. Again, these are the examples that lock in a teaching.

Get in the habit of asking students to feed back what you just said. Concentrate on students who in the past seem to have a problem listening. This will help them stay focused on what you say. It would be a very good idea to speak with these students privately, and tell them you will be doing this. Tell them you are not trying to embarrass them, but to give them special attention to help them stay focused to learn to listen carefully. Indicate listening carefully saves the student's time and increases student's ability to reach their Life-Goals. When you ask for their feedback, ask with the utmost respect, and respond with the utmost respect!

 

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As of: 17 Aug '03