C. Listening Skills
Skills practiced: concentration, discerning differences in sounds (needed in learning to read), taking turns.
#C1: Telephone
Needed: Nothing
Activity:
Variations:
Needed: Nothing
Activity:
- Everyone sits down in a circle.
- Whisper a word in one person’s ear.
- They whisper the word in the next person’s ear, all the way around the circle.
- When the word comes to the last person, they say it out loud. Is it the same word?
Variations:
- Write the first word on a piece of paper or blackboard.
Don’t let anyone see it.
When the last person says the word out loud, show the class the word you wrote down.
Write down the word the last person said. Is it the same? - Increase difficulty by whispering a phrase rather than just one word (for example, “a big dog” or “free french fries”).
- Increase difficulty by whispering a whole sentence.
Optional Worksheet #C1a: The Same Sound
#C2a: The Same Sound
Needed: Nothing.
Activity: Everyone sits down in a circle. The first person says a word out loud. The next person must say a different word which starts with the same sound. Do this all the way around the circle or until the students run out of words.
Switch to a different starting sound and repeat.
Variations:
#C2b: Two Different Sounds
Activity: Divide the students into two groups. Choose two sounds in the students’ language which are similar (an English example: “ch” and “sh”). One group will stand up or raise their hands each time you say a word which begins with (for example) “ch”; the other group will stand up or raise their hands each time you say a word which begins with (for example) “sh”. (English examples: chair, share; shin, chin; chain, shame . . .)
Keep it fun. If this is too difficult, switch to words beginning with two very different sounds (English example: “b” and “s” as in bin, sin; sun, bun . . .). Also, be sure to focus on sounds and not spelling (English example: “circus” and “sea” start with the same sound; “eagle” and “egg” do not.)
Repeat with two different starting sounds (English example: “t” and “d”).
Variations:
Worksheet: The Same Sound #C1
Tip to teacher: have the students exchange worksheets and discuss with each other whether or not they agree
that the things drawn begin with the same sounds.)
Needed: Nothing.
Activity: Everyone sits down in a circle. The first person says a word out loud. The next person must say a different word which starts with the same sound. Do this all the way around the circle or until the students run out of words.
Switch to a different starting sound and repeat.
Variations:
- Every fourth person (or third person) may change the starting sound.
- Instead of starting with the same sound, the words need to rhyme (end with the same sound).
#C2b: Two Different Sounds
Activity: Divide the students into two groups. Choose two sounds in the students’ language which are similar (an English example: “ch” and “sh”). One group will stand up or raise their hands each time you say a word which begins with (for example) “ch”; the other group will stand up or raise their hands each time you say a word which begins with (for example) “sh”. (English examples: chair, share; shin, chin; chain, shame . . .)
Keep it fun. If this is too difficult, switch to words beginning with two very different sounds (English example: “b” and “s” as in bin, sin; sun, bun . . .). Also, be sure to focus on sounds and not spelling (English example: “circus” and “sea” start with the same sound; “eagle” and “egg” do not.)
Repeat with two different starting sounds (English example: “t” and “d”).
Variations:
- Sometimes include a word which does not start with either sound (ship, chip, sip).
- Have a student be the leader and thinking up the words.
Worksheet: The Same Sound #C1
Tip to teacher: have the students exchange worksheets and discuss with each other whether or not they agree
that the things drawn begin with the same sounds.)
C3: Repeat the Rhythm
Needed: Things to play rhythms with (sticks, bottles, cans, pans, blocks of wood, empty boxes . . .).
Activity:
Needed: Things to play rhythms with (sticks, bottles, cans, pans, blocks of wood, empty boxes . . .).
Activity:
- Tell the students to listen closely. Clap a rhythm. Have the students repeat it.
- Switch and have a student clap or tap a rhythm. Have the class repeat after the student.
- Practice several different rhythms.
- Play them on several different “instruments” like clapping, tapping feet, using two sticks, sticks on bottles, sticks on cans or pans . . . .
C4: Finish the Rhythm.
Needed: Nothing
Activity:
Variation: Play rhythms on "instruments" like tapping feet, using two sticks, sticks on bottles, sticks on cans or pans . . . .
Needed: Nothing
Activity:
- Clap a rhythm and let someone make up a second rhythm that goes with the first. Add more rhythms.
- Switch and have a student clap or tap a rhythm. Have the class repeat after the student.
Variation: Play rhythms on "instruments" like tapping feet, using two sticks, sticks on bottles, sticks on cans or pans . . . .
C5 Guess What I Say
Needed: Nothing.
Activity: Have students guess the familiar object from your description of it.
Begin with descriptions that are very general (it is square, for example).
Then make the descriptions more specific (it is red with green dots and a blue top and is right behind me on the desk).
When the students guess correctly, show the object.
Give a few students a turn at describing something.
Needed: Nothing.
Activity: Have students guess the familiar object from your description of it.
Begin with descriptions that are very general (it is square, for example).
Then make the descriptions more specific (it is red with green dots and a blue top and is right behind me on the desk).
When the students guess correctly, show the object.
Give a few students a turn at describing something.
C6 Guess What I Do
Activity: A student will act out the name of an object; the other students guess the name of the object.
Whisper the name of an object in a student’s ear or show the name written on a slip of paper.
This student may not say anything but must act out, through motions, the name of the object, its use, etc., until the other students guess what it is.
The “actor” may only respond to guesses by nodding his or her head “yes” or “no”. He can talk again once it is guessed.
Activity: A student will act out the name of an object; the other students guess the name of the object.
Whisper the name of an object in a student’s ear or show the name written on a slip of paper.
This student may not say anything but must act out, through motions, the name of the object, its use, etc., until the other students guess what it is.
The “actor” may only respond to guesses by nodding his or her head “yes” or “no”. He can talk again once it is guessed.