B. Foundations of Language · Reading Words: Sounds, Patterns and MeaningListening and Speaking in Conversations
B1.1 B1.2 B1.3About 35 minutes
Learning goals- I can show I am interested when someone is talking.
- I can ask questions that stay on topic.
- I can restate, or say back in my own words, what I heard.
- I can use listening strategies before, during and after I listen.
- I can tell when a message is hard to understand, and do something about it.
- I can think about my purpose and my audience, take turns and stay on topic when I speak.
Words to know
restate
To say back what you heard, in your own words.
relevant question
A question that is about the topic you are talking about. It stays on topic.
purpose
The reason you are talking or listening. For example, to learn, to explain, or to have fun.
audience
The people who are listening to you.
formal
A more careful way of talking, used with people you don't know well or in important moments, like a class presentation.
informal
A relaxed, everyday way of talking, like chatting with a friend or family.
Remember from Grade 1
In Grade 1 you learned to listen with your whole body: eyes looking, ears hearing, mouth quiet, hands still and brain thinking.
In Grade 2, you will become an even better listener and talker. You will learn how to show you are interested, restate what you heard, ask good questions, and fix it when you don't understand.
Show you are interested
When your friend tells you about their weekend, how do they know you care? You can show it!
- Look at the speaker (or turn your body toward them).
- Nod your head.
- Make your face match the story: smile at a funny part, look surprised at a surprise.
- Say small words like "Wow!", "Really?" or "Then what happened?"
| Interested listener | Not-interested listener |
|---|
| 👀 Looks at the speaker | 🙄 Looks around the room |
| 🙂 Nods and smiles | 😐 No face at all |
| 🗣️ "Really? Then what?" | 🗣️ Starts talking about something else |
| 🧠 Thinks about the words | 📱 Plays with a toy or a screen |
Restate: say it back
To restate means to say back what you heard, in your own words. You don't need every word. You just need the important parts.
Restating shows the speaker you really listened. It also helps you remember.
Worked exampleLet's restate together
Grandpa says: "On Saturday morning we're going to the farmers' market to buy apples and maple syrup. After that, we'll visit Aunt Rosa."
How can you restate it?
- Find the important parts. When? Saturday morning. Where? The farmers' market, then Aunt Rosa's. What? Buy apples and maple syrup.
- Put them in your own words, in the same order.
- Check: Did I keep the important parts? Did I leave out anything that matters?
"So on Saturday morning, we're getting apples and maple syrup at the market, and then we're going to Aunt Rosa's."
Asking relevant questions
A relevant question is about the topic. It helps you learn more about what the speaker said.
If the topic is beavers, a relevant question is "What do beavers eat?" A question like "Can we have pizza tonight?" is not relevant, because it is about something else.
Worked exampleLet's sort the questions
Your friend Noah tells the class about his trip to see the CN Tower in Toronto. Which questions are relevant?
- How tall is the CN Tower?
- Do you like hockey?
- Did you go up to the top?
- What is your favourite colour?
- Think: What is the topic? Noah's trip to the CN Tower.
- Question 1 is about the tower. Relevant.
- Question 2 is about hockey. Not relevant.
- Question 3 is about his trip. Relevant.
- Question 4 is about colours. Not relevant.
Questions 1 and 3 are relevant. They stay on the topic of Noah's trip.
Before, during and after listening
Good listeners use strategies, or tricks, that help them understand.
- Before: Think about the topic. What do I already know? What do I want to find out?
- During: Make a picture in your mind. Listen for key words like first, next, because and the most important thing. Watch the speaker's face and hands too.
- After: Restate the main idea. Ask a question about anything you missed.
When a message is hard to understand
Sometimes you can't understand a message. Maybe it was too fast, too quiet, there was a loud noise, or there was a word you didn't know. That's okay! Good listeners notice and do something:
- "Can you please say that again?"
- "Can you please speak a little louder?"
- "What does the word ___ mean?"
- "Did you mean ___?" (restate and check)
When you are the speaker
Before you talk, think about two things:
- My purpose: Why am I talking? To tell news? To explain how to do something? To ask for help?
- My audience: Who is listening? A friend, my class, the principal, a baby cousin?
With friends and family we can use informal talk: "Hey, wanna play?" In a class presentation, or when talking to an adult we don't know well, we use more formal talk: "Good morning. Today I will tell you about my trip."
In every conversation: take turns and stay on topic.
Talking circles
Some classes use a talking circle. Talking circles are a tradition in many First Nations communities. People sit in a circle and pass a talking piece, such as a feather or a stone. Only the person holding it speaks. Everyone else listens with respect. It is a strong way to take turns and make sure every voice is heard.
Just for funRiddle: What has lots of ears but can't hear a single word?
A field of corn! 🌽 (Good thing you are a better listener than a cornfield.)
Hands-on activityDinner-table talk show
You need: a spoon or small toy to be the "microphone" or talking piece.
- At a meal, pick a topic, like "the best thing about winter".
- Only the person holding the talking piece speaks. Then they pass it on.
- After each person speaks, the next person restates what they heard ("You said the best thing is sledding at the big hill.") and asks one relevant question.
- Grown-up challenge: speak a little too fast or too quietly once. Can your child notice and ask you to repeat?
What to look for: your child waits for a turn, restates the main idea, and asks a question about the same topic.
Your turn
1Name two ways to show the speaker you are interested.
Any two: look at the speaker, nod, smile or make a face that matches the story, say "Wow!" or "Then what happened?", keep your body calm and turned toward them.
2Your mom says: "Put on your boots and your mittens. We're going to the park to build a snowman." Restate it.
Model answer: "We're going to the park to build a snowman, so I need boots and mittens."
3The topic is maple syrup. Is this question relevant? "How do people get syrup from a tree?"
Yes. It is about maple syrup, so it stays on topic.
4The topic is maple syrup. Is this question relevant? "What time is recess?"
No. Recess is a different topic.
5A fire truck goes by just as your teacher says the homework. What should you do?
Ask politely: "Can you please say that again? I couldn't hear because of the fire truck."
6Should you use formal or informal talk when you tell the whole school a message on the announcements?
Formal. The audience is the whole school, and it is an important message, so you speak clearly and carefully.
7Name one thing a good listener does before listening.
Any one: think about the topic, think about what you already know, or think about what you want to find out.
More practice: warm-up
To say back what you heard, in your own words.
2True or false: A good listener plays with a toy while a friend is talking.
False. A good listener looks at the speaker and thinks about the words.
3Who is your audience when you talk to your class?
Your classmates and your teacher.
4What can you say if someone talks too quietly?
"Can you please speak a little louder?"
5Two people talk at the same time. What speaking rule did they forget?
Take turns. One person talks, then the other.
More practice: on your own
1Your friend says: "At the rink, I fell down three times, but then I skated all the way around without falling!" Restate it.
Model answer: "You fell a few times, but then you skated the whole way around." It keeps the important parts: falling at first, then success.
2The topic is a class trip to the farm. Write one relevant question.
Answers will vary. Example: "What animals will we see at the farm?" It is relevant because it is about the farm trip.
3Mia is telling about her new puppy. Leo says: "I got new shoes!" What should Leo do instead?
Leo should stay on topic. He could ask about the puppy, like "What is your puppy's name?" and share his shoe news later.
4Your teacher uses the word hibernate and you don't know it. What could you ask?
"What does hibernate mean?" Asking about a new word helps you understand the message.
5Which is more formal: "Hey! Gimme the ball!" or "May I please have the ball?" Who might you say the formal one to?
"May I please have the ball?" is more formal. You might say it to a coach, a teacher, or a grown-up you don't know well. (It is polite with friends too!)
Challenge
1Your coach says: "Practice is on Tuesday, not Monday this week, because the arena is closed for repairs. Bring your water bottle." Restate it, and ask one relevant question.
Model restatement: "This week practice is Tuesday instead of Monday because the arena is being fixed, and I need my water bottle." Relevant question example: "What time is practice on Tuesday?" Both stay on the topic of practice.
2Explain why a talking piece helps a group conversation.
Only the person holding the talking piece speaks, so people take turns, no one talks over anyone, and everyone gets a chance to be heard.
3You are telling your class how to make a paper snowflake. What is your purpose? Who is your audience? Name one thing you will do so they understand.
Purpose: to explain how to make a paper snowflake. Audience: your classmates and teacher. Ideas: speak loudly and clearly, use steps like first, next, last, show it with your hands, stay on topic.
Quiz
1. What does it mean to restate what you heard?
2. The topic is owls. Which question is relevant?
3. Which one shows you are interested in what a speaker says?
4. You didn't hear the instructions because of a loud noise. What is the best thing to do?
5. Which is a strategy to use before you listen?
6. You are giving a speech at a school assembly. Which way of talking fits best?
Big idea: In Grade 2, listening goes beyond sitting still. Children learn to show interest, ask relevant questions, restate what they heard, use strategies before, during and after listening, and notice when a message is hard to understand (B1.1, B1.2). As speakers they think about purpose and audience, take turns and stay on topic (B1.3).
How to help at home:
- Play "say it back": after you give a two-step instruction, ask your child to restate it before starting.
- When your child asks an off-topic question, gently name the topic: "We're talking about the trip. What could you ask about the trip?"
- Model fix-up phrases yourself: "Sorry, I missed that. Can you say it again?" Children learn it is okay not to understand the first time.
Common difficulties:
- Restating word for word (or every detail). Ask, "What are the two most important things?"
- Pretending to understand. Praise your child when they ask for help: "Great listening, you noticed you were confused!"
- Interrupting. Still common at 7. A talking piece at dinner makes turn-taking concrete.
If your child often misses spoken directions, mention it to the teacher; a hearing check can rule out a physical cause.