EQ Kids Workbook: Listening                                                6 - 8

                  "Go ahead. I'm listening.'

 1. Pair off with a partner. Each of you should decide on a topic that you, yourself, want to talk

to the other person about. Let the person whose birthday comes earlier in the year be Person # 1.

        Part 1. Person # 1 goes first. He/she should spend about three minutes (time this, using your watch) talking about his or her topic. The other person, Person #2, should simply listen.

After those three minutes, it is Person B's turn to talk about his or her desired topic.

     After each of you have taken a turn at being the listener, discuss the following:

     a) How long were you able to listen to the other person without getting distracted?

       b) How often did you think about things you wanted to say in response to the other

person?

     c) How much of what the person said can you remember?

       d) What most interfered with your listening to the other person-the noise around you,

boredom, thinking about what you wanted to say, etc.?

        Part 2. Now, take turns again talking, for about three minutes, about the same topic each of you chose earlier. Again, Person #1 goes first. However, this time, the person listening (first,Person #2) should use some of the listening techniques discussed in class-saying "uh, huh" or making some other verbal acknowledgement, asking questions of the speaker, and so forth.

       After each of you have taken a turn as speaker, discuss the same questions as before (except for question d):

     a) How long were you able to listen to the other person without getting distracted?

       b) How often did you think about things you wanted to say in response to the other

person?

     c) How much of what the person said can you remember?

     d) Do you think you were able to listen better this time? Why or why not?

 2. Get into pairs. Role play a parent talking to a child about getting poor grades. The child should show very poor listening skills. Each person should take a mm being the parent and being the child.

       What did it feel like to be the parent? How could you, as the parent, tell that your child was not listening to you? How could the child have shown better listening skills?