Activities to evaluate Listening skills

Here is a list of activities that you can use to evaluate your very young learners listening skills:

·         Storytelling with Props:

o   Use visual aids or props while telling a story and ask children simple questions about what they heard.

·         Sound Identification Game:

o   Play different sounds (like animal noises or environmental sounds) and have the children identify them.

·         Follow the Leader:

o   Give simple verbal instructions for actions (e.g., clap your hands, touch your toes) and see if the children can follow them.

·         Musical Statues:

o   Play music and stop it intermittently. When the music stops, children must freeze. Add simple instructions to follow when the music plays.

·         Simon Says:

o   A classic game where children must only follow instructions that begin with "Simon says". Great for assessing listening and understanding.

·         Matching Sounds to Pictures:

o   Show pictures of animals or objects and play corresponding sounds, asking children to match the sound to the correct picture.

·         Listening and Drawing:

o   Give verbal instructions for drawing something simple (like a house or a face) and see how well the children can listen and execute the task.

·         Interactive Songs:

o   Use songs with actions (like "If You're Happy and You Know It") and see if the children can correctly follow along.

·         Question and Answer Stories:

o   Tell a short story and then ask the children questions about it to gauge their listening comprehension.

·         Rhyme Recognition:

o   Play or say a series of rhymes and ask children to identify the words that rhyme.

·         Listening Bingo:

o   Create bingo cards with pictures and play sounds or say words that match those pictures.

·         Find the Object:

o   Give verbal clues to find a hidden object in the classroom.

·         Sequence Steps:

o   Give a series of simple instructions (like getting ready for recess) and have the children perform them in the correct order.

·         Guess the Sound Game:

o   Play a series of different sounds (like a doorbell or a car horn) and have the children guess what they are.

·         Story Sequencing:

o   After telling a story, present pictures of key events and ask children to sequence them based on what they heard.

These activities are not only fun but also effective in evaluating the listening skills of very young learners, ensuring that assessment is integrated seamlessly into their learning experience. Which of these have you tried recently?