Overcoming Obstacles
Listening
Young scholars boost communication skills with a lesson plan that explores what it looks like to listen with the whole body. Through modeling and practice, pupils observe what it looks like and then practice. A friendly game of "Simon...
Endowment of United States Institute of Peace
Active Listening
Ensure that your pupils listen to one another in constructive ways by introducing them to active listening skills through discussion, role playing, and partner work.
US Institute of Peace
Responding to Conflict: Active Listening
Did I hear you right? You need a great lesson on active listening? Through large- and small-group activities, learners differentiate between poor and excellent listening skills. The resource, 7th in a series of 15, focuses on active...
Curated OER
"Meet and Greet"
Learners demonstrate communication skills in speaking and listening by introducing another student to the class. Working in pairs, classmates interview each other. During the 10-minute sessions, they listen, take notes on an index card,...
EngageNY
Speaking and Listening Skills: Practice
After reviewing their resources from the unit, scholars participate in multiple group discussions with a World Café activity. During the discussions, they share ideas about their focus questions pertaining to Canada's natural resources...
TESOL
Are You a Good Listener?
Your learners talk to each other every day, but are they really listening? Use a lesson based on listening skills to ensure that class members feel heard and respected. It includes games, discussion topics, and self-assessment tools that...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit 3 Assessments, Part 1: Summarizing, Analyzing and Discussing Research
Speak up and listen up. Scholars participate in a speaking and listening mid-unit oral assessment. They discuss whether their rules to live by should be a personal choice or made into a law, and then they complete an exit ticket to...
EngageNY
Final Performance Task: Fishbowl Discussion about Editorial Essay
Using the resource, learners share their essay revisions with a partner. Afterward, they participate in a Fishbowl discussion, receiving peer feedback about their editorial essays.
EngageNY
Practicing Listening and Reading Closely: The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address
Thanksgiving doesn't occur only once a year for the Haudenosaunee. Weave an instructional activity about reading closely with an inspiring message about eternal gratitude for all of the elements of creation into a unit on Native American...
Health Smart Virginia
Social Emotional Skills
A list of seven ideas designed to boost social-emotional learning provides ample opportunity for identifying and expressing feelings. Activities include ice-breakers, role-playing, thoughtful discussions, and more.
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Talking Feather
Pupils use the feather when they want to talk and the rest of the class listens. In this listening lesson plan, students practice good manners by respecting the student with the feather.
Columbus City Schools
Poetry Speaking and Listening Standards
Celebrate April's National Poetry Month or enrich a poetry unit with a wealth of language arts material. Class members develop an oral interpretation of a poem and/or develop a podcast interview with a poet.
British Council
Card Games
Oh, snap! Learners practice conversational English by learning the rules of the card game Snap. Then, they play the game in small groups before writing out instructions for another card game of their choosing.
Curated OER
Phineas Gage: Four Corners Discussion Strategy
How far do your pupils think we should go in the name of science? Class members respond to questions relating to chapter three of Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science and then participate in a four corners...
Curated OER
Promoting Fluency and Accuracy Through Planning, Telling, Transcribing and Noticing
Students promote fluency through planning and noticing language through transcribing and correcting recorded anecdotes. They provide opportunities for long turns in speaking and give intensive listening practice.
Curated OER
Persona Interests, Likes, and Dislikes
Young scholars practice listening to and discussing their personal interests and opinions. In this communication instructional activity, students listen as the teacher talks about his/her personal interest. They work with a partner to...
Curated OER
Inner Circle/Outer Circle Debate Strategy
Arranged in facing concentric circles, half the class discusses an issue. The other half of the class takes notes which are then used to fuel a class discussion and to prepare editorial opinions on the topic at hand. So much emphasis is...
Curated OER
ESL Grammar Lessons
Practice makes perfect when it comes to learning grammar with this ESL resource. Offering a great way to teach about relative clauses, this lesson engages students with a series of partner, small group, and whole class speaking and...
Curated OER
Structured Academic Controversy (SAC) in the History Classroom
SAC is a specific approach to discussing history and controversial issues. Rather than adhering to an either/or debate-style paradigm, it fosters speaking and constructivist listening to enable learners to build consensus through...
EngageNY
End of Unit 2 Assessment: A Hosted Gallery Walk
Speak your mind. Scholars present their claims in groups of three. They use a presentation checklist as each member takes a turn. At the end of the lesson plan, pupils complete an End of Unit 2 Assessment: Presenting a Claim and Findings...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Sally’s Super Day
After having a bad day, Sally took scholars' suggestions and had a super day. Pupils listen to her newest short story then discuss the events that occurred. They sort each event by what was in her control and what was not. Participants...
British Council
Forced to Wear a Skirt
What's the dress code? Scholars read brief texts about school uniforms and discuss opinions for and against them. Pupils then work with a partner to role play a conversation about school uniforms.
Missouri Department of Elementary
Don’t Tease Me!
A whole-class discussion sheds light on school bullying and ways to prevent it. Scholars share a moment when they observed or experienced some sort of teasing. Pupils brainstorm ways such behavior can be stopped or prevented.
Curated OER
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: Fishbowl Discussion Instructional Routine Guide
What exactly does make life worth living? In preparation for a fishbowl discussion of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, readers of Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel highlight sections that show a character grieving, coping, or suffering...