Listening is perhaps the most neglected language art but also the most used. Children need to learn how to listen effectively and for a variety of reasons. In many ways, listening and reading are similar processes. Visualizing and note taking, for example, are strategies that work effectively when listening but can also be applied to reading. However there are important listening skills that generally are not emphasized in schools but which might help students immensely not only in language arts but across the curriculum.

Listening Inventory | Listening Strategies | Teaching Listening

Listening Inventory	Yes	No	Sometimes
Learning How to Listen Do I pay attention? Do noises in the room interrupt my careful listening? Am I willing to judge the speaker's ideas without letting my own ideas get in the way? Do I find the speaker's personal habits distracting (e.g., clearing the throat constantly?)
Listening for Information Can I organize in my mind what I hear so that I can remember it? Can I think up questions to ask the speaker about ideas that I don't understand? Do I understand the meaning of unknown words from the rest of what the speaker says?
Listening Carefully Can I separate facts from explanations or from opinions? Can I tell the difference between important and unimportant details? Can I pick out unsupported points that a speaker makes? Am I able to accept points of view that differ from my own?
Listening Creatively Am I able to identify specific words or phrases that impress me as I listen? Do I get caught up in the poem, story, or play so that I believe the action is truly taking place? Am I able to put what I hear into my own words so that I can describe it to others?
Comments:

Adapted from Mowbray & George, 1992

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2. When I have difficulty understanding what a speaker means I

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3. When I agree with a speaker's message I usually

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4. When I disagree with a speaker's message I usually

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5. My responsibility as a listener in any situation is

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 6. As I listen to someone speak I do the following things to help myself understand the message

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7. The most important thing that I know about listening is

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	value listening as a means of learning and enjoyment
	determine their own purpose(s) for listening
	recognize their responsibility to the speaker and listen without distracting the speaker
	concentrate and not become distracted
	send appropriate feedback to the speaker (e.g., restate directions and explanations, ask questions)
	prepare to react or respond to what the speaker says
	make connections between their prior knowledge and the information presented by the speaker
	evaluate the speaker's message and motive
	try to predict the speaker's purpose and determine the speaker's plan of organization
	identify transitional/signal words and phrases, and follow the sequence of ideas spoken
	observe and interpret the speaker's nonverbal cues (e.g., smiles, frowns, body movements) and use them to enhance their understanding of the speaker's message
	recognize the speaker's main point(s) or idea(s) and identify the supporting details and examples
	distinguish fact from opinion
	determine bias, stereotyping, and propaganda.

Some ways that teachers can promote effective listening and help students develop as mature, active listeners include the following:

	model effective and active listening
	regard what the student has to say as important
	integrate listening into daily speaking, writing, reading, representing, and viewing experiences
	plan opportunities for students to practice active listening for a variety of purposes in a variety of contexts (e.g., face-to-face, social situations, formal situations)
	adjust the length of listening time to the maturity of the students
	emphasize and explain effective, active listening behaviors using lists of specific criteria relevant to the situation
	plan for listening by using pre-listening, listening, and post-listening activities
	assess listening as a process within daily language experiences.

The following should be observed in the classroom on a day-to-day basis:

	the teacher modeling effective listening behaviors for students
	the teacher using brief mini-lessons to instruct students about effective listening practices and behaviors for a variety of situations and purposes
	the students listening in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes (e.g., one-on-one conversations, group discussions, formal speeches, oral reading, student presentations)
	the students developing their social skills through listening (e.g., attending to speaker, questioning for clarification, using and interpreting nonverbals, summarizing, and paraphrasing to demonstrate understanding)
	the students using listening effectively as a means of learning and connecting to prior knowledge
	the students and the teacher assessing listening practices and behaviors using checklists or anecdotal notes.