B. Foundations of Language · Foundations of Language: Listening, Speaking, Words, Fluency and Conventions

Listening That Moves a Discussion Forward: Paraphrase, Question, Build and Reflect

B1.1 A1.1 A1.2About 65 minutes

Learning goals

I can paraphrase what a speaker said before I respond to it.
I can ask open-ended questions that push a discussion deeper.
I can make relevant responses that build on or respectfully challenge an idea.
I can reflect on what has been said and sum up where a group agrees and disagrees.
I can evaluate which listening skills I use well and set a goal for the ones I need to practise.

Words to know

active listening
Listening with full attention and showing it: you track the ideas, check your understanding, and respond to what was actually said.

paraphrase
To restate someone's idea in your own words, keeping their meaning, so you both know you understood.

open-ended question
A question that cannot be answered with yes, no or one fact. It invites explanation: "How...?", "Why...?", "What if...?"

relevant response
A reply that connects to the question being discussed and adds something new: a reason, an example, a question or a different view.

seminar
A structured discussion where students talk about a text or issue, usually with turn-taking rules, and are often assessed on their listening as well as their speaking.

synthesize
To pull several people's ideas together into one clear statement.

formal context
A setting with expectations for careful, respectful, precise communication, such as a seminar, an interview or a meeting.

Remember from Grade 8

In Grade 8 you turned closed questions into open-ended ones, reflected both the ideas and the feelings you heard, made relevant responses (ones that connect to the question and add something), and used a rubric to evaluate your own listening. In Grade 9 you use these skills in high school settings: graded seminars, group projects in other courses, and conversations where people disagree. The new challenge is to use listening to move a discussion forward, not just to take part in it.

Let's start with two discussions

A Grade 9 class is discussing this question: Should our school replace plastic cutlery in the cafeteria with washable metal cutlery?

Discussion A

Priya: I think we should switch. The garbage bins are full of plastic forks every day.
Marcus: I play hockey on Tuesdays.
Leah: Yeah, plastic is bad.
Sam: Can we talk about the field trip?

Discussion B

Priya: I think we should switch. The garbage bins are full of plastic forks every day.
Marcus: So you're saying the main problem is the amount of waste? I agree it's a lot, but who would wash the metal cutlery?
Leah: Building on Marcus's question, the cafeteria already has a dishwasher for the trays. Could it handle cutlery too?
Sam: So far we agree the waste is a problem. We still need to find out whether washing is possible and what it would cost.

In Discussion A, people talk at the same time as each other but not with each other. In Discussion B, each person listened first. Marcus paraphrased and asked a question, Leah built on his question, and Sam summed up. The discussion moved forward.

Four talk moves that show you listened

Good listeners use a few moves over and over. Each one proves you heard the last speaker.

Paraphrase. Restate the idea in your own words: "So you're saying..." This checks your understanding and shows respect. A good paraphrase keeps the meaning but changes the words. It is usually shorter than the original.
Ask an open-ended question. Push the idea further: "What makes you think that?", "What would happen if...?", "How does that connect to...?"
Build on or challenge. Add a reason or example that supports the idea, or offer a different view politely: "I see it differently, because..." A challenge is aimed at the idea, never at the person.
Reflect and sum up. Every so often, pull the threads together: "So far we agree that... but we still disagree about..." This is called synthesizing.

Each move starts from what the last speaker said. A discussion moves forward when people paraphrase, question, build or challenge, and sum up, instead of just waiting for their turn.

Listening to understand, not just to reply

Many people listen while planning what they will say next. Then they miss the speaker's actual point. Try this instead:

While the speaker talks, listen for their main point and one reason. Jot two or three words if you need to.
When they finish, pause for a second. That pause is not awkward; it shows you are thinking.
Then paraphrase or ask, before you add your own idea.

If you notice you have stopped listening (you were thinking about your own point, or you got distracted), it is fine to say, "Sorry, could you repeat the last part?" That is a listening skill, not a weakness.

Formal and informal contexts

The same skills look a little different depending on the context.

In an informal context, such as chatting with friends at lunch, people interrupt more, use slang and react quickly. Paraphrasing might be as short as "Wait, so you mean...?"
In a formal context, such as a graded seminar, a job interview or a student council meeting, people take turns clearly, use precise words, and are expected to paraphrase, refer to evidence and stay on the question.

Part of being a skilled listener is noticing the context and adjusting.

Contexts range from informal to formal. The further right you go, the more people expect clear turn-taking, precise words, careful paraphrasing and evidence.

Worked example

Let's paraphrase and respond together

In a seminar about a short story, Jordan says: "I don't think the main character is really brave. She only goes into the storm because her brother dared her, and at the end she says she was terrified the whole time." Write a paraphrase and a relevant response.

Find the main point. Jordan's claim: the character is not truly brave.
Find the reasons. Two reasons: she acted because of a dare, and she admits she was terrified.
Paraphrase in new words, keeping the meaning: "So you're saying her actions don't count as brave because she was pushed into them and she felt scared the whole time?"
Check: the paraphrase keeps both reasons and does not add anything Jordan didn't say. It is phrased as a question so Jordan can correct it.
Respond relevantly. Choose one move. A challenge: "I see it differently. I think being terrified and doing it anyway is what bravery means." Or an open-ended question: "What would she have to do for you to call her brave?"

Paraphrase: "So you're saying her actions don't count as brave because she was pushed into them and was scared the whole time?" Relevant response: a challenge or an open-ended question that connects directly to Jordan's claim about bravery.

Worked example

Let's evaluate a listener

Here is a short exchange in a group project meeting for geography. Ana: "I think our poster should focus on bike lanes, because more people in our town are cycling to work." Ben: "Cool. Anyway, I made a slideshow about parks." Evaluate Ben's listening and rewrite his response.

Did Ben paraphrase or check understanding? No.
Is his response relevant? No. It does not connect to Ana's suggestion or add to it; it changes the topic.
What would a stronger response do? Paraphrase Ana's idea, then connect his own work to it or ask a question.
Rewrite: "So you want the poster to be about bike lanes because more people are cycling. Could my slideshow about parks fit in, since some of the new bike routes go through parks?"

Ben's response was not relevant and showed no sign he had listened. The rewrite paraphrases Ana's idea and builds on it with a connected question.

Evaluate your own listening

After a discussion, ask yourself three questions: Did I paraphrase at least once? Did I ask at least one open-ended question? Did my responses connect to what was said just before? Pick one skill to work on next time and write it down. Setting a small, specific goal is how listening improves.

Hands-on activity

Talk-move tally at the dinner table

You need: paper, a pen, and a family member or friend.

Choose a question with more than one good answer, for example "Should our town add more outdoor rinks in winter?" or "What is the best season in Ontario, and why?"
Write the four talk moves across the top of your paper: Paraphrase, Open question, Build/Challenge, Sum up.
Talk for 5 minutes. Each time you use a move, put a tally mark under it.
At the end, sum up the discussion in one sentence: "We agreed that... but disagreed about..."
Look at your tallies. Which move did you use least? Write one goal: "Next time I will..."

Just for fun

Why did the student bring a ladder to the seminar?

Because the teacher said to take the discussion to the next level.

Your turn

Paraphrase this statement: "Homework on weekends should be banned, because students need time for sports, jobs and family."

Turn this closed question into an open-ended one: "Did you like the ending of the novel?"

A classmate says, "School should start at 9:30 instead of 8:30." Write a response that builds on the idea.

Same statement. Write a response that respectfully challenges it.

Is this response relevant? The question is "Should cellphones be allowed in class?" A student says, "My phone has a really good camera."

Write a one-sentence summary (sum-up move) for a discussion where everyone agreed the school needs more recycling bins, but people disagreed about where to put them.

Name one difference between how you would paraphrase in an informal chat and in a graded seminar.

More practice: warm-up

What are the four talk moves in this lesson?

Is "What year was the novel published?" open-ended or closed?

Finish the starter so it paraphrases: "So you're saying..." (The speaker said: "The park needs more lights because people feel unsafe walking there at night.")

True or false: pausing for a second before you respond is a sign you weren't listening.

Give one example of a formal listening context.

More practice: on your own

A speaker says, "I think the town should turn the empty lot on King Street into a community garden. It would give people fresh vegetables and a place to meet neighbours." Write a paraphrase that is shorter than the original.

Why is "That's a dumb idea" not a respectful challenge? Rewrite it.

In a seminar, you realize you missed what the last speaker said because you were planning your own point. What should you do?

Write an open-ended question that would push this idea deeper: "Social media makes people less kind."

Your group has discussed for 10 minutes. Two people want to make a video, one wants a poster, and everyone agrees the topic is local wildlife. Write a sum-up statement and a next-step question.

Challenge

Evaluate this paraphrase. Original: "The novel's ending is hopeful, even though the family loses their farm, because they decide to stay together." Paraphrase: "So you're saying the ending is sad because they lose the farm."

Explain how the same listening skill (asking open-ended questions) helps in two different courses you take in Grade 9.

Write a short self-evaluation (3 sentences) of your listening in a recent discussion: one strength, one weakness, one specific goal.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which response paraphrases the statement "We should hold the dance in the gym because the cafeteria is too small"?

Which is an open-ended question?

A respectful challenge should be aimed at:

What does the sum-up (synthesizing) move do?

Which setting is the most formal context?

You lost track of what a speaker said. The best listening move is to:

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Ontario's Grade 9 expectation B1.1 asks students to evaluate and use effective listening skills, including paraphrasing, asking open-ended questions, making relevant responses in group discussions, and reflecting on what has been said, in formal and informal contexts.

How to help at home: Have short, real discussions (news stories, a family decision, a show you watched) and model the moves yourself: "So you're saying...", "What makes you think that?" Praise your teen when they paraphrase or ask a question rather than only giving their own opinion.

Common difficulties:

Paraphrases that change the meaning, or that just repeat the exact words. Ask: "Would the speaker agree that's what they meant?"
Responses that are on topic but not relevant (they mention the subject but don't connect to the last point).
Challenging the person instead of the idea. Model polite disagreement with a reason.
Silence in formal settings. Some students listen well but rarely speak. A good first goal is one paraphrase or one question per discussion.