You will learn
- Show active listening with your body.
- Listen for key words and main points.
- Remember what a speaker said.
- Respond to a speaker with a fitting comment.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Face the speaker and stay still.
- Listen for key words.
- Think about what you hear.
- Respond when it is your turn.
Words to know
using effort and attention
an important word that carries the meaning
the person who is talking
answer or reply
1. Discover: The market story
Ayo’s aunt tells the class about her day at the market. “I bought three mangoes, a bag of rice and some blue cloth,” she says. Ama keeps her eyes on the speaker and listens for the key words. Later she says, “You bought mangoes, rice and cloth!” Kofi was looking out of the window and cannot remember a thing.
Think: Why could Ama remember and Kofi could not?
2. Understand: How to listen actively
Idea 1: Listen with your body
Face the speaker, keep your hands and feet still, and look at them. This shows respect and helps you focus.
Idea 2: Listen for key words
A key word carries the main meaning, such as mangoes, rice and cloth. Listen for them and keep them in your mind.
Idea 3: Respond well
When the speaker has finished, respond. You can say what you heard, ask a question or share a fitting comment. Do not interrupt.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Key words
Ama said she bought three mangoes and some rice. What are the key words?
- Ignore small words like “the”.
- Pick the words that carry the meaning.
Answer: three, mangoes, rice
Example 2 (We do it together): Body
Name two ways your body shows you are listening.
- Think about your eyes.
- Think about your hands and feet.
Answer: look at the speaker; keep still
Example 3 (You try): Respond
The speaker finishes. What is a good response?
Show the steps and answer
- Wait for the end.
- Say what you heard.
Answer: You said you bought mangoes and rice.
Did you know?
We can listen much faster than a person can talk, so our minds can wander. Active listening keeps them on track.
Why this matters
Good listeners learn more, make friends easily and follow instructions correctly.
4. Explore: Listen and tell
Listen to a short message and tell a partner what you heard.
- Choose a partner.
- One partner reads a short message twice.
- The other says the key words.
- Swap roles.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Active listening helps you remember.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I look at the ___.
- I listen for key ___.
- I wait until the speaker has ___.
- I can say, “You said ___.”
Guided practice
Question 1. A speaker says: “I have a red kite and a blue ball.” Say the key words.
red kite, blue ball
Question 2. Ayo taps his pencil while you talk. Is he listening actively?
no
Question 3. What is a good thing to say after a speaker finishes?
You said … or I have a question.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- We face the ___.
- A key ___ carries the main meaning.
- We keep our hands and feet ___.
- We do not ___ while someone is speaking.
- After listening, we can ___ to the speaker.
Level 2: Grow
- Listen: “Tolu has two cats and one dog.” What are the key words?
- Say one way to show you are listening.
- Repeat this message: “Bring a pencil and a book.”
Level 3: Stretch
- Why is it unkind to interrupt?
- Kofi looks out of the window. What happens?
- How do key words help you remember?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Ask a family member to tell you about their day. Listen and say two key things you heard.
Show a sample answer
You went to the shop and you cooked rice.
Another one. Listen to a short story and retell it in two sentences.
Show a sample answer
A retelling in your own words.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Face the speaker.
Fix: Wait until they finish.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can show active listening with my body.
- I can listen for key words.
- I can remember what I hear.
- I can respond to a speaker.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Face the speaker and stay still.
- Listen for key words.
- Think about what you hear.
- Respond when it is your turn.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Following multistep instructions. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name two ways your body shows you are listening. [2 marks]
- What is a key word? [1 mark]
- Write the key words from: “I bought a blue hat and a red scarf.” [2 marks]
- Why should you not interrupt? [1 mark]
- Explain how to be an active listener. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- face/look at the speaker [1]; keep hands and feet still [1]
- an important word that carries the meaning [1]
- blue hat [1]; red scarf [1]
- it is rude/ you will miss information [1]
- face the speaker [1]; listen for key words [1]; respond after they finish [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- We face the ___.
- A key ___ carries the main meaning.
- Hands and feet should be ___.
- We do not ___.
- True or false: listening needs your eyes.
- True or false: it is fine to talk while someone speaks.
- Key words in “two cats and a dog”:
- Say one thing to respond to a speaker.
- Write what a good listener does.
- Listen to someone read and tell the key words.
Homework
Ask an adult to tell you something and tell them the key words you heard.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. We face the ___. | speaker | 1 |
| 2. A key ___ carries the main meaning. | word | 1 |
| 3. Hands and feet should be ___. | still | 1 |
| 4. We do not ___. | interrupt | 1 |
| 5. True or false: listening needs your eyes. | true | 1 |
| 6. True or false: it is fine to talk while someone speaks. | false | 1 |
| 7. Key words in “two cats and a dog”: | two cats, dog | 1 |
| 8. Say one thing to respond to a speaker. | You said … | 1 |
| 9. Write what a good listener does. | looks, stays still, listens | 1 |
| 10. Listen to someone read and tell the key words. | the key words | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 speaker; 2 word; 3 still; 4 interrupt; 5 respond. Level 2: 1 two cats, one dog; 2 look at the speaker; 3 Bring a pencil and a book.. Level 3: 1 it shows the speaker you do not value what they say; 2 he misses the message; 3 they carry the main meaning.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Show active listening with your body | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Listen for key words and main points | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Remember what a speaker said | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Respond to a speaker with a fitting comment | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Looking away while someone speaks. Face the speaker.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Practise with one short sentence and underline the key word.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises listening carefully and remembering key words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Take turns telling and listening.
- Praise careful listening.
- Ask your child to retell what you said.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: show active listening with your body; listen for key words and main points; remember what a speaker said; respond to a speaker with a fitting comment.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 listening and speaking skills.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Model active listening with a volunteer.
Explanation (10 min). Teach body, key words and response.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise listening in pairs.
Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding by retelling.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What did you hear? What are the key words? How did you show you were listening?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use short messages and pictures. Extension. Listen to a longer message with several facts.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Looking away while someone speaks. Face the speaker.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Practise with one short sentence and underline the key word. Enrichment. Listen to a two-minute story and retell it. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 2 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core SL.2.1 and SL.2.2 (participate in collaborative conversations; recount key ideas from information presented orally); Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (speaking and listening). These sources informed the lesson.