Are You Really Listening? The 5 Levels

Heidi Moore

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Are You Really Listening? The 5 Levels

Students will demonstrate the difference between 'pretend listening' and 'attentive listening' in a role-play and identify how different levels of listening impact communication.

Effective listening is a critical life skill. Understanding different levels of listening helps students become better communicators, build stronger relationships, and show respect to others. It teaches them empathy and awareness of how their listening affects others.

Audience

2nd Grade

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Interactive skit, direct instruction, role-play, discussion, and an engaging game.

Materials

Slide Deck: Are You Really Listening?, - Script: Role-Play Scenario Cards, - Activity: '5 Levels of Listening' Poster, and - Game: Levels of Listening Charades

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

Review the Lesson Plan: Are You Really Listening? The 5 Levels and all linked materials.
- Print and cut out the Script: Role-Play Scenario Cards.
- Prepare the Activity: '5 Levels of Listening' Poster by drawing or printing a large poster board with five distinct sections for each listening level. Have markers or sticky notes ready.
- Ensure the Slide Deck: Are You Really Listening? is ready for display.
- Prepare the Game: Levels of Listening Charades cards (can be based on the different listening levels).

Step 1

Warm-Up: A 'Bad Listening' Skit

10 minutes

Teacher performs a short, exaggerated skit demonstrating 'bad listening' (e.g., looking at phone, interrupting, daydreaming, making irrelevant comments).
2. Ask students: "What did you notice about my listening? How did it make the speaker feel?"
3. Introduce the idea that there are different ways we listen, and some are better than others.

Step 2

Introduce the 5 Levels of Listening

15 minutes

Display Slide Deck: Are You Really Listening? (Slides 1-6).
2. Explain each of the '5 Levels of Listening' using the Slide Deck: Are You Really Listening? and the Activity: '5 Levels of Listening' Poster.
* Ignoring: Not listening at all.
* Pretend Listening: Acting like you're listening but not really.
* Selective Listening: Only hearing what you want to hear.
* Attentive Listening: Focusing on words, but not fully understanding feelings.
* Empathetic Listening: Listening with your ears, eyes, and heart to truly understand both words and feelings.
3. Engage students by asking for examples of each level they've seen or experienced.

Step 3

Role-Playing Each Level of Listening

20 minutes

Divide students into small groups. Provide each group with a few Script: Role-Play Scenario Cards.
2. Instruct groups to choose a scenario and act it out, demonstrating each of the 5 levels of listening for that scenario.
3. Circulate and provide support. Encourage students to use body language and verbal cues specific to each listening level.

Step 4

Discussion: How Does Each Level Feel?

10 minutes

Bring the class back together.
2. Facilitate a discussion: "How did it feel to be the speaker when someone was ignoring you? Pretending to listen? Attentively listening? Empathetically listening?"
3. Emphasize the positive impact of attentive and empathetic listening on friendships and understanding.

Step 5

Commit to Empathetic Listening & Game

5 minutes

Lead a quick commitment exercise: Ask students to share one way they will try to be a more empathetic listener this week.
2. Play Game: Levels of Listening Charades: Have students act out different listening levels and have the class guess which level it is. This serves as a fun and reinforcing cool-down activity.

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Slide Deck

Are You Really Listening?

What does it mean to truly listen?

Greet students and start with the warm-up skit mentioned in the lesson plan before moving to this slide. This slide sets the stage for thinking about listening.

More Than Just Hearing

Sometimes we hear words, but we don't really listen.
There are different ways we listen. Let's explore them!

Explain that not all listening is the same. Introduce the idea of 'levels' of listening, just like there are different levels in a game or a building.

Level 1: Ignoring

You're not listening at all. Your ears hear sounds, but your brain isn't paying attention.
Example: Someone is talking to you, but you are completely focused on something else.

Explain 'Ignoring.' Give an example: A teacher is talking, but a student is looking out the window, completely lost in thought and not even processing the sounds.

Level 2: Pretend Listening

You act like you're listening (nodding, saying "mm-hmm"), but you're not actually taking in the words or ideas.
Example: You look at the person talking, but you're thinking about your favorite video game.

Explain 'Pretend Listening.' Give an example: A student nods and says "uh-huh" but is actually thinking about what they're doing after school. Ask students if they've ever done this or seen it.

Level 3: Selective Listening

You only hear the parts of what someone is saying that you want to hear.
Example: Your friend tells you about their day, but you only remember the part about going to the park, not the part about their missing dog.

Explain 'Selective Listening.' Give an example: A parent tells a child to clean their room and put away their toys. The child only hears 'put away toys.'

Level 4: Attentive Listening

You pay close attention to the words someone is saying. You understand the message.
Example: You listen carefully to your teacher explain a math problem and you understand how to solve it.

Explain 'Attentive Listening.' This is better, but still not the best. Emphasize hearing the words clearly. Example: A student listens carefully to the teacher's instructions for a craft, understanding each step, but not noticing the teacher seems frustrated.

Level 5: Empathetic Listening

You listen with your ears (to the words), your eyes (to body language), and your heart (to feelings). You try to understand exactly what they're saying and how they feel.
Example: Your friend tells you they fell and hurt their knee. You listen to their words, see their tears, and feel concern for them.

Explain 'Empathetic Listening.' This is the highest level. Emphasize listening with ears, eyes, and heart. Example: A friend tells you they're sad about losing their toy. You listen to their words, see their sad face, and feel sad for them.

The 5 Levels of Listening

Ignoring
2. Pretend Listening
3. Selective Listening
4. Attentive Listening
5. Empathetic Listening

Which level helps us connect best with others?

Review all levels quickly. Reinforce that empathetic listening is the goal.

Practice Time: Role-Playing

Now, let's practice these listening levels!
We'll use Role-Play Scenario Cards to show how each level looks and feels.

Transition to the role-play activity. Remind students to think about how each level feels.

Be a Super Listener!

Empathetic listening helps us understand others and build great friendships.
Try to be an empathetic listener every day!

Concluding slide. Encourage students to think about applying empathetic listening in their daily lives.

Activity

The 5 Levels of Listening

Instructions for Teacher: Create a large poster board (or use a digital whiteboard) divided into five sections, one for each level of listening. As you introduce each level using the Slide Deck: Are You Really Listening?, fill in the details for each section with keywords, small drawings, or student examples. This poster will serve as a visual anchor throughout the lesson.

Level 1: Ignoring

What it looks like: Looking away, busy with something else, no eye contact.
What it sounds like: No response, irrelevant comments, talking over someone.
What it feels like (for the speaker): Unimportant, ignored, unheard.

Level 2: Pretend Listening

What it looks like: Nodding head, saying "uh-huh" or "hmm," looking at the speaker but not truly engaged.
What it sounds like: Generic responses, not remembering details later.
What it feels like (for the speaker): Annoying, like they don't care, fake.

Level 3: Selective Listening

What it looks like: Only reacting to parts of the conversation, looking interested only when their favorite topic is mentioned.
What it sounds like: Responding only to specific words or phrases they wanted to hear.
What it feels like (for the speaker): Frustrating, like they're only half-heard, not fully understood.

Level 4: Attentive Listening

What it looks like: Eye contact, facing the speaker, nodding in understanding.
What it sounds like: Asking clarifying questions, summarizing what was said.
What it feels like (for the speaker): Heard, understood, respected.

Level 5: Empathetic Listening

What it looks like: Eye contact, open body language, showing care and concern on their face.
What it sounds like: Asking about feelings, reflecting emotions, validating their experience.
What it feels like (for the speaker): Truly understood, cared for, supported, safe.

Script

Role-Play Scenario Cards

Instructions for Teacher: Print these cards and cut them out. Divide students into small groups and provide each group with a few cards. Instruct groups to choose a scenario and act it out, demonstrating each of the 5 levels of listening for that scenario. Encourage students to use body language and verbal cues specific to each listening level.