GIVE ME FIVE for LISTENING

Give Me Five addresses listening versus hearing, use of body posture and key phrases to signal the need to listen. The focus of this idea is to give students a strategy that helps them be prepared and attentive for the task of listening.

Every one “zones out” at times when we are listening and if we don’t return to the conversation we lose track of what is being said. The Give Me Five strategy can be used by teachers to encourage students to attend to the listening situation.

Please be aware that the expectations for listening can vary across different cultures.

Goal 1: To improve listening skills

Task – Give Me Five. From Language Strategies For Children: Keys to Classroom Success by V. Prouty and M. Fagan

Activity – 1. What does “give me five mean” e.g. slapping hands 2. We are going to use “give me five” in a different way. We are going to use it to remind us about listening. 3. Why do we need to listen? E.g. for safety, gathering information, playing games, enjoying music, telling jokes, knowing the rules. 4. What happens if we don’t listen? E.g. not understand joke, not know the rules of a game, get in trouble. 5. Discuss difference between hearing and listening. 6. We don’t always listen to the sounds around us. The sounds are still there but our brains aren’t listening. Sit quietly for ~2 minutes and listen for three noises. 7. Talk about what their bodies did when they were listening. 8. Show the Give Me Five poster. Discuss what each finger means. 9. Children to draw in part of the body that are required for whole body listening.. Role play someone not looking, fidgeting, talking e.t.c.