Introduction to Listening with Understanding and Empathy

Objective: SWBAT explain what Listening with Understanding and Empathy looks like and sounds
like; practice the verbal and nonverbal skills required to Listen with Understanding and Empathy;
reflect on the effects Listening with Understanding and Empathy has on a class/school community.

Lesson Cycle Notes

Do now
1. What does it mean to put yourself in Teacher will activate prior knowledge by
someone else’s shoes? reminding students about empathy and
respectful listening.
2. When you have to present in front of the
class, how does your audience show respectful
listening?

Introduction to New Material

Vocabulary Putting ourselves in another person’s shoes
helps us to be more sensitive to what that
Empathy (noun) the ability to understand or
person is experiencing and less likely to judge,
identify with how another person is feeling
tease, or bully them. Being more conscious of
Listening with understanding and empathy other people’s feelings can help us create a
looks like/sounds like: more accepting and respectful school
community.
SLANT position, sitting up straight, listen,
asking questions related to the instruction,
nodding your head to show you are engaged,
and track the speaker.

Guided Practice
Body language that indicates engaged listening: Class will complete Listening with
Understanding and Empathy Student Self
- head turned toward the speaker
Assessment to determine how often they are
- eye contact - nodding – good posture displaying important verbal and non-verbal
behaviors. We will then discuss the results
- facial expressions in line with speaker's words whole group.
2. Paraphrasing to put the speaker's thoughts
into the listener's own words.
3. Asking probing questions to clarify meaning.
4. Empathizing by relating to the feelings, ideas
and perspectives of the speaker.
5. Asking the speaker to repeat something
when the listener's mind wanders.
6. Not interrupting the speaker
Independent Practice
Students will role-play Listening with
Understanding and Empathy by discussing
what they did over the weekend with a partner.
They will then assess their partner using the
Checklist of Good Listening Skills Behavior.
We will then discuss whole group, reflecting on
Listening with Understanding and Empathy.
What was difficult about the exercise, what was
easy?

Closing
1. What is Listening with Understanding and Class discussion.
Empathy?
2. After assessing your ability to Listen with
Understanding and Empathy, and role-playing
using those skills with a partner. What
indicator do you most need to improve upon?
What is one time during the school day that you
practice that indicator?