Listening for Meanings: A Powerful Learning Skill

Carmen Y. Reyes Blog http://thepsychoeducationalteacher.blogspot.com/ Teaching Methods for Disruptive Students http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/2670165 Alternative Teaching Techniques and Methods for Low-Achieving Students http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/2676769 How Children Learn http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/2776296 Face oo! http://www.faceboo .com/profile.php!id"100000#$7%5#629 Twitter http://twitter.com/psychoeducation

&'ost&people&belie(e&that&listening&is&a&process&that&comes&naturally&to&all&of&us)&li e&learning&to& wal )&or&e(en&breathing.&*istening&is&often&confused&with&hearing)&or&the&process&of&the&reception& of&sounds)&and&some&teachers&feel&that&listening&is&not&a&sub+ect&matter&that&we&need&to&teach&to& our&students&the&same&way&we&teach&reading&or&computation.&,ontrary&to&hearing)&listening&is&a& sophisticated&learning&process&that&in(ol(es&attaching meaning&to&simple&-e.g.&sounds.&and& comple/&-e.g.&sentences&and&lectures.&auditory&information.&0tudents&spend&from&fifty&to&se(enty1

fi(e&percent&of&their&school&day&listening&to&others1&either&their&teachers&or&their&peers&present& orally&much&of&what&students&need&to&learn&in&school1&ma ing&listening&for&meanings&a& ey& learning&strategy&for&children.&&*istening&for&meanings&or&acti(e&listening&is&a&(ery&large&part&of& children2s&school&learning)&and&students&that& now&how&to&listen&for&meaning&learn&more.& 0tudents&with&good&listening&comprehension&generally&use&active listening strategies&that&help& them&follow&directions&better)&spend&more&time&on&tas )&and&use&their&time&more&wisely3&all& academic&beha(iors&that&help&children&become&more&successful&in&school.&*istening&for&meanings& means&that&the&child&is&able&to&focus&attention&on&the&oral&message)&distinguish&what&is&important& information&from&what&is&irrele(ant)&and&to&retrie(e&the&important&information&when&she&needs&to& use&it.&,ontrary&to&common&belief)&listening&for&meanings&is&a&s ill&that&we&can&teach)&and&we& should&teach&e/plicitly&acti(e&listening&strategies&to&all&children)&particularly&children&with& learning&difficulties&and/or&low&academic&s ills.&4n&this&article)&4&discuss&acti(ities&that&classroom& teachers&can&do&to&de(elop&acti(e&listening&s ills&in&differently&able&learners.

Activities to Develop Listening for Meanings

'a e&your&students&aware&that&they&do&not&need&to&understand&and&remember&e(ery&word&that& they&hear&in&the&classroom&-word1for1word&repetition&and&memori5ation.)&but&they&need&to&get&at& least&a&general&impression&or&a&general&idea&of&what&they&hear)&and&they&should&be&able&to&identify& at&least&three&details&that&support&the&most&important&idea.&4n&addition)&e/plain&to&children&that& their&listening&comprehension&will&impro(e&when&they&use&strategies. 6/plain&to&children&that&listening&is active and&has&a purpose.&7hat&is)&when&we&listen&to&a& spea er)&we&ha(e&a&goal&or&intention)&we&pay&attention&to&the&spea er2s&most&important&points& -main&ideas.)&we&pay&attention&to&details)&and&we&follow&the&se8uence&-order.&of&those&details. 9o&literal comprehension exercises&where&you&as &8uestions&about&factual&details&and&8uestions& that&children&can&answer&with&yes/no.&:ith&factual&comprehension&8uestions)&students&identify& the&facts&in&the&paragraph&or&passage&answering&who)&what)&where)&and&when&-;wh18uestions<..& 6/plain&to&children&that&factual&8uestions&help&identify&the&details in&the&paragraph&or&passage. &=or&e/ample)&on&the&chal board&or&a&chart)&write: :>?&-@eople.:

:>A7&-:hat&>appened.: :>6B6&-@lace.: :>6C&-7ime.: Defore&you&read&orally)&spend&time&identifying&e/amples&of&each& ind&of&factual&8uestion.&7hen)& read&the&paragraph&or&passage&aloud)&and&tell&the&students&to&listen&for&a&:>6B6&or&a&@*A,6.& :hen&they&hear&the&information&that&answers&where&or&place)&they&must&raise&their&hands&and&tell& the&place.&Bepeat&this&procedure&to&find&;who)<&;what)<&and&;when<&facts&or&details.&?n&the& chal board&or&chart)&you&fill1in&the& ey&words)&for&e/ample:&:>?:&Andrew&Eac son. :ith&students&with&low&academic&s ills)&you&may&need&to&scaffold&this&listening&acti(ity)&using& (erbal&prompts&li e)&;4&hear&a&who<&-Andrew&Eac son.&or&;4&heard&a&where<&-Bichmond)& Firginia..& 9o&this& ind&of&oral&e/ercise&daily)&until&the&class&automatically&identifies&details&in&the&paragraph& or&passage.&4n&addition)&train&children&in&summarizing&the&paragraph&or&passage&orally&following& the&;who1what1where1when<&outline. 7each&paraphrasing -putting&the&information&in&their&own&words.&to&chec &comprehension&of&the& details&children&belie(e&they&heard.&=or&e/ample)&you&can&say)&;'elanie)&you&be&the&teacher&and& tell&us&the&story&you&+ust&heard&in&your&own&words.< ?nce&students&can&summari5e&orally)&gi(e&training&in&ta ing&written&notes&following&the&;wh1 8uestions<&outline.&:hen&they&ta e&notes)&children&write&phrases&or& ey&words&only.&Cotes&should& not&include&complete&sentences)&and&do&not&need&punctuation&mar s&or&correct&spelling3&words& partially&written&-e.g.&the&first&three&or&four&letters&of&a&long&word&or&words&that&include&the& consonants&but&not&the&(owels.&are&acceptable.&Cotes&are&personal)&and&they&need&to&ma e&sense& to&the&writer&only.&:hat&matters&is&that&children&are&able&to&grasp&the&meaning&of&the&oral& message)&without&ha(ing&to&worry&about&the&mechanics&of&writing. >elp&low1achie(ing&students&in&recogni5ing& ey&words&and& ey&information&by&emphasi5ing&the& ey&information&while&you&spea )&e.g.&change&the&inflection)&pitch)&spea ing&rate)&or&(olume&of&

your&(oice&while&saying&the& ey&word&or& ey&phrase.&4n&addition)&ma e&the&habit&of&writing&the& ey&words&on&the&chal board&or&a&chart. Always&pre(iew&the& ey&ideas&and&concepts&that&you&are&going&to&discuss&so&that&children& now& in&ad(ance&what&to&listen&for. >elp&the&students&focus&in&the& ey&information&by&gi(ing&an&advanced warning)&for&e/ample)& saying)&;*isten&now)&this&is&importantG<&Arrange&your&lessons&ma ing&sure&that&you&pro(ide& proper&cues&for&attention)&in&other&words)&directly&and&e/plicitly&direct&students2&attention&to&the& important&information. 9o&paragraph restatements)&that&is)&for&each&paragraph)&students&identify&the&name&of&the&most& important&person&and&the&most&important&e(ent&that&too &place. >a(e&the&children&predict&a&story&line&using& ey&words&and/or&phrases&that&you&ta e&directly&from& the&story&or&passage.&Arrange&the& ey&words&and& ey&concepts&in&order)&read&aloud&each&one)&and& ha(e&children&de(elop&a&general&impression&from&the& ey&words&and&phrases.&7hen)&the&class& creates&a&prediction&based&on&the& ey&concepts)&and&uses&the&prediction&as&a&blueprint&that&they& will&confirm&or&modify&after&the&lesson.&7his&e/ercise&helps&children&understand&how&important& ey&words&are&in&understanding&the&information)&and&in&recalling. :hen&children&predict)&ha(e&them&e/plore&more&than&one&possibility.&=or&e/ample)&after&the&first& prediction)&you&as )&;:hat&is&another&possibility!<&;:ho&has&a&different&idea!<&or&;:hat&else& may&happen!<&7hese& inds&of&8uestions&help&in&de(eloping&di(ergent&thin ing. Hi(e&your&students&a&structure&for&organi5ing&ideas&and&concepts&while&ta ing&notes.&,hildren&can& draw&bullets&or&chec &mar s)&they&can&write&a&list&with&numbers)&or&they&can&complete&an&outline.& =or&e/ample)&tell&children&to&write&si/&bullets)&one&for&each&important&fact.&Iou&pro(ide&the&facts& for&two&of&the&bullets)&and&children&must&listen&attenti(ely&to&find&four&facts.&Hradually)&gi(e& children&less&and&less&scaffold)&and&do&not&tell&children&the&number&of&important&facts&that&they& need&to&listen&for.&7o&wrap&up&your&lesson)&spend&fi(e&minutes&discussing&the&notes&that&children& wrote. 9o&main idea exercises&to&train&students&in&how&to&identify&the&main point,&the&most important point, or&the&most important sentence in&the&paragraph&or&passage.&6/plain&what&a&main&idea&is)&

and&what&a&main&idea&is&not)&and&gi(e&e/amples.&9istinguishing&between&main&ideas&and&details)& an&area&of&great&difficulty&for&most&children&with&learning&problems)&is&the& ey&for&de(eloping& listening&for&meanings)&so&ta e&the&time&to&help&students&understand&the&difference.&7ell&children& they&can&find&details&by&simply&filling1in&a&;wh18uestions<&outline)&but&to&identify&main&ideas)& they&must&loo &for&the&sentence&in&the&paragraph&that&best&tells&about&the&paragraph.&:hen& loo ing&for&main&ideas)&the&8uestion&to&answer&is)&;:hat&is&this&paragraph&or&passage&mostly& about&or&mainly&about!<& 7each&children&that&the&main&idea&holds&the&paragraph&together.&=rom&sample&paragraphs)&delete& or&co(er&the&main&idea&sentence&to&show&children&how&the&paragraph&loses&its&meaning.&?n&the& same&sample&paragraphs)&you&can&delete&and/or&add&detail&sentences&to&show&children&how&the& paragraphs&do&not&change&meaning. 7o&help&children&understand&the&concept&of&a&main&idea)&you&can&use&pictures&or&ma e&drawings)& for&e/ample)&shoe)&hat)&panca e)&wristwatch)&bicycle)&and&shirt.&As )&;:hat&are&these&pictures& mostly&about!<&-7hings&we&wear.&9raw&a&line&around&the&items&that&are&related)&so&that&children& see&the&connection.&Alternati(ely)&you&can&show&one&picture&or&drawing&representing&the&main& idea&followed&by&pictures&that&relate&to&the&main&idea&combined&with&one&or&two&that&do&not& relate.&As )&;:hich&of&these&tell&about&the&big&picture!<&,onnect&the&detail&pictures&with&the&main& idea&picture)&or&draw&arrows&from&the&main&idea&to&the&details. 9uring&your&lessons)&ma e&the&habit&of&stopping&periodically&to&as )&;:hat&is&my&main&point!<& and&;9id&you&hear&any&supporting&details&to&my&main&point!<&4f&children&gi(e&details&for&main& ideas)&you&8uestion&further&as ing)&;4s&this&a&detail&or&a&main&idea!<&and&;:hy&this&sentence&is& not&my&main&point!<&&:hen&children&can&do&this&ade8uately)&ha(e&them&summari5e&orally&short& paragraphs&and/or&passages&following&both&the&;wh18uestions<&outline&and&telling&the&main&idea& or&main&point&in&the&story. :ith&children&with&low&academic&s ills)&you&can&gi(e&e/tra&support&by&as ing&the&child&the&main& idea&8uestion&with&three&possible&answers.&=or&e/ample: :hat&was&the&main&e(ent!&_____&or&_____&or&_____ :hat&was&my&main&point!&_____&or&_____&or&_____

:hat&was&the&main&point&in&this&story!&_____&or&_____&or&_____

7he& ey&here&is&that&you&are&leading&the&children&in&identifying&the&main&e(ents)&but&without& gi(ing&the&answer.&7he&multiple1choice&format&helps&children&in&identifying&the&most&important& points.&Hradually&remo(e&this&e/tra&support. 7o&reinforce&understanding&of&main&ideas)&prior&to&gi(ing&a&lesson)&on&the&chal board)&write&the& lesson2s&most&important&points.&=or&e/ample)&tell&children)&;7hese&are&the&three&most&important& points&in&today2s&lesson)<&and&read&aloud.&At&the&end&of&the&lesson)&re(iew&the&ma+or&points)&and& as &students&to&supply&the&supporting&details&for&each&ma+or&point.&7his&is&an&e/cellent&e/ercise&to& help&children&recogni5e&and&retain&important&information. Jse&verbal organizational cues li e)&;first)<&;second)<&;third)<&;and&now&the&most&important& point.<&:hen&children&summari5e&the&information&orally)&ma e&sure&that&they&use&the&same&(erbal& organi5ational&cues. Beinforce&note&ta ing)&gi(ing&children&a&listening guide&that&you&complete&partially&until&they&are& able&to&write&notes&independently.&=or&e/ample)&you&write&the&main&idea&and&one&important&detail& and&the&children&fill1in&three&more&details.&Alternati(ely)&you&include&two&details&in&the&listening& guide&and&children&fill1in&the&main&idea&and&two&additional&details. An&inno(ati(e&way&to&chec &children2s&comprehension&and&to&help&children&with&attention& problems&focus&on&the&lesson&is&to&tell&the&class&to&pull&out&a&sheet&of&paper)&and&on&bold&letters)& write&the&numbers&1)&2)&and&%&-aligned&(ertically..&:hile&you&deli(er&the&lesson)&each&child&must& write&three&questions&about&the&lesson.&0pend&fi(e1to1ten&minutes&daily&listening&to&children2s& 8uestions&and&clarifying&the&oral&information. As &students&to&expand&on&the&information&that&they&+ust&heard.&=or&e/ample)&you&as )&;Hregory)& can&you&thin &of&another&e/ample&ofG!<&or&;9enise)&how&would&you&ha(e&done&things& differently&thanG!< As &students&to&gi(e&their&opinions about&the&material)&for&e/ample)&;Eason)&what&do&you&thin &of& that!<&;0ergei)&what&you&did&not&li e&about&this&story!<&or&;?scar)&what&was&your&fa(orite&thing& about&the&lesson&we&+ust&did!<

>a(e&students&create&meaning&of&the&oral&information&using&drawings&or&s etching.&Dy&drawing&a& personal interpretation&of&the&story&or&passage)&students&mo(e&beyond&the&literal&or&factual&le(el& straight&into&the&inferential&le(el.&:hen&children&discuss&and&compare&the&drawings)&they&reali5e& that&people&ha(e&different&reactions&and&different&interpretations&to&the&same&story&or&passage.& 'a e&children&aware&that&they&can&organi5e&the&same&information&in&different&ways)&and&they&can& organi5e&information&from&different&sources&the&same&way.&4n&addition)&they&can&organi5e& different&content&differently.& 6/plicitly&teach&organization patterns)&so&that&children&learn&how&to&organi5e&the&information&in&a& meaningful&way.&@ro(ide&plenty&oral&and&written&practice&in&organi5ing&the&information:&

9escripti(ely&-A&topic&sentence&and&description&of&attributes. Dy&,ategories&-:hich&items&belong&in&the&category)&e.g.&colors:&amber)&tur8uoise)&orange. 'ain&4dea&and&0upporti(e&9etails 7ime&?rder&or&0e8uence&-:hat&happened&first)&ne/tG. ,ause&and&6ffect&-Antecedent&and&Besult. 0ame/9ifferent&-,omparison&and&,ontrast. @roblem&and&0olution&-e.g.&;:hat&is&the&basic&problem&or&conflict!<&and&;>ow&do&the& characters&sol(e&this&problem!<.

>a(e&children&write&their&notes&using&the&organi5ation&pattern&that&best&fits&the&oral&information& that&you&are&presenting.&=or&e/ample)&say)&;?n&your&noteboo s)&you&are&going&to&write&-draw&or& s etch.&the&cause&and&three&effects.<&Alternati(ely)&say)&;7oday)&you&are&going&to&organi5e&your& notes&in&se8uence&-1)&2)&%)&and&#&or&=irst)&0econd)&7hird)&and&=ourth..< 9irectly&spea &about&good&listening&beha(iors&or&acti(e&listening&with&your&students.&7ell& children&that&they&can&self1monitor&their&listening&beha(ior&by&mentally&as ing: Am&4&loo ing&at&the&spea er!

9o&4&as &8uestions! Am&4&ta ing&notes! Am&4&paying&attention&to&the&spea er2s&facial&e/pression&and&gestures&to&get&clues! Am&4&paying&attention&to&the&spea er2s&tone&of&(oice&to&identify&important&information!

Alternati(ely)&you&can&gi(e&your&students&a&self1monitoring&chec list&for&them&to&complete&with& Ies/Co&or&by&drawing&chec mar s. @ro(ide&structured&opportunities&for&children&to&transfer&listening&s ills&and&to&use&them& throughout&the&day&in&different&sub+ects&and&situations.

About the Author

,armen&I.&Beyes)&'06)&has&more&than&twenty&years&of&e/perience&as&a&self1contained&special& education&teacher)&resource&room&teacher)&and&educational&diagnostician.&,armen&has&taught&at& all&grade&le(els)&from& indergarten&to&post&secondary.&,armen&is&an&e/pert&in&the&application&of& beha(ior&management&strategies)&and&in&teaching&students&with&learning&or&beha(ior&problems.& >er&classroom&bac ground)&in&Cew&Ior &,ity&and&her&nati(e&@uerto&Bico)&includes&ten&years& teaching&emotionally&disturbed/beha(iorally&disordered&children&and&four&years&teaching&students& with&a&learning&disability&or&low&cogniti(e&functioning.&,armen&has&a&bachelor2s&degree&in& psychology&-Jni(ersity&of&@uerto&Bico.&and&a&master2s&degree&in&special&education&with&a& speciali5ation&in&emotional&disorders&-*ong&4sland&Jni(ersity)&Droo lyn:&CI..&0he&also&has& e/tensi(e&graduate&training&in&psychology&-%0K&credits..&,armen&is&the&author&of&#0K&boo s&and& articles&in&psycho1education&and&in&alternati(e&teaching&techni8ues&for&students&with&low& academic&s ills.&Iou&can&read&the&complete&collection&of&articles&on&0cribd&or&her&blog)&The Psycho-Educational Teacher. 7o&pre(iew&her&boo s&and&download&the&free eguide)& "#ersuasive Discipline$ %sing #ower Messages and Suggestions to &nfluence Children Toward #ositive Behavior'( (isit&,armen2s&blog.