Focus, confirm, respond.  Middle schoolers engage in a series of activities designed to help them improve their listening skills. They listen to and try to solve a riddle and play a version of the telephone game. Participants learn that the key to active listening is to focus, confirm, and respond to a speaker.

Concepts

social-emotional learning, communication, active listening, listening, riddles, social skills

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Instructional Ideas

• Have class members don blindfolds, identify a series of sounds, and then discuss the connection between sound and sight

Classroom Considerations

• Participants with awareness of different family structures may have another answer to the included riddle
• Second of five lessons in the Overcoming Obstacles Communication module

Pros

• An assessment asks participants to define the difference between listening and hearing and to list three things they can do to become an active listener
• A link to an overview of the entire module is provided

Cons

• None