Whole Body Listening Grades 1-2 Class Lesson

Estimated Time 30 Minutes

(You can also apply to older ASD or other RCR older kids with Listening Issues)

Purpose: Teach children more concrete way to demonstrate appropriate effective listening skills, in the classroom.

Target Audience: Good for entire class to have “Common Language,” but ideal for students with auditory processing, language impaired, pragmatic issues

Materials: Poster Board top Write Key components, and illustrations as visual reminder for reference later, red and green playdough, paper plate, a ball, students at desks

Based on Michelle Garcia Winner’s May 2010 Presentation at WCSLA

  1. Teach students key components for what a body that is listening looks like.
  • Shoulders, hips, knees, and toes face speaker
  • Body stays still

(Use a student to demonstrate, show how key components can be used no matter where/or how you are sitting/standing)

  1. Give each student small piece of red playdough and have them roll into a ball
  • Explain to them how this represents their body, and it is red “just like a stop sign or a red light.”
  • Have them roll it into a ball and place near the top of their desk
  1. Teach students key components of what a brain that is listening looks like
  2. Their brain/mind thinks about what it hears/sees: Have a few illustration to show a person talking and the other person creating a mental image of what is being said to them
  • Eyes watch the speaker: I move around the room at this time and compliment the kids whose body “listens” and eyes “listen”
  1. Give each student small piece of green playdough and have them roll into a ball
  • Explain to them how this represents their brain, and it is green “just like a stop light,. Because green means go,” and their brain should always think about what it is seeing/hearing
  • Have them roll into a small ball
  1. Students Connect Body and Brain Playdough: Have students take their playdough ‘body’ and ‘brain’ and push together
  • Emphasize how ‘Whole body Listening’ means the body and brain works together. I usually walk the room again, and comment on students who demonstrate the skill, and emphasize that even though they have playdough in front of them, their body/brain is still listening
  1. Teach how Whole Body Listening in class makes them part of the Group/Class/Team: I use several of these words, and encourage how we all should want to be part of the team
  • Tell students that if their playdough brain body is hooked up, then they are part of the ‘Group’
  • Use paperplate, and have them put their playdough body/brain on the plate to show they are part of the group (I also have one larger Playdough body/brain to represent the teacher on the plate)
  • Tell class you will leave this in a safe place in their room to remind them.
  • Let teacher and students know that the teacher may move a ‘body/brain off of the plate’ as a cue to let someone in the class know they are not part of the group. Once they regain their body or brain they can be put back on the plate)
  1. Practice Whole Body Listening with Ball Activity
  • Toss the ball to a student and say an item in a category (Sometimes I will whisper in one students ear what to do and toss the ball to them first) Even numbers, months of year, teachers at the school, colors, etc…
  • Have students toss ball and follow pattern : remind them how they are listening, and are able to figure out what the other person is saying because their brains are thinking about them
  • Remind students only to toss ball to those with quiet body and quiet brain

Beyond Lesson: I also use red and green Unifix Cubes for students who need specific reminders. I have placed near students desk, or strategically in room to serve as a reminder to them. The teacher may break it apart as a cue to remind them they are not using ‘Whole Body Listening’