Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan
Students will learn and practice key speaking and active listening skills—effective body language, paraphrasing, and thoughtful questioning—to enhance participation and collaboration across academic and real-life contexts.
Strong speaking and listening skills build confidence, improve group work outcomes, deepen understanding, and foster respectful, productive conversations.
Audience
10th Grade
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive mini-lesson, partner practice, and group role-play
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Speaking and Listening Slides to familiarize yourself with key points and examples.
- Print enough copies of the Active Listening Worksheet for each pair.
- Print the Body Language Examples Handout for small groups.
- Prepare sets of Paraphrasing Practice Cards and Thoughtful Questions Prompt Cards.
- Arrange the classroom seating in pairs and small groups for easy interaction.
Step 1
Warm-Up Discussion
10 minutes
- Greet students and introduce today’s focus on speaking and listening skills.
- Pose questions: “Describe a time when someone truly listened to you” and “When did you feel unheard?”
- Students share briefly with a partner, noting body language cues and responses.
- Invite 2–3 volunteers to share observations with the whole class.
Step 2
Mini-Lesson Presentation
15 minutes
- Use the Speaking and Listening Slides to define active listening and key speaking skills.
- Highlight three pillars: effective body language, paraphrasing, and thoughtful questioning.
- Demonstrate positive vs. negative body language using the Body Language Examples Handout.
- Model paraphrasing and question techniques on slide examples.
Step 3
Partner Practice: Active Listening
15 minutes
- Students pair up; assign A and B roles.
- Distribute the Active Listening Worksheet.
- Round 1: A speaks on a prompt; B listens, paraphrases, and asks 2 thoughtful questions using the Thoughtful Questions Prompt Cards.
- Swap roles for Round 2.
- Monitor pairs, offering feedback on posture, eye contact, and paraphrase accuracy.
Step 4
Group Role-Play
15 minutes
- Form groups of 3–4 and assign each a scenario (team project conflict, interview, debate prep).
- Provide each group with the Paraphrasing Practice Cards and Thoughtful Questions Prompt Cards.
- Students take turns speaking while others practice active listening and paraphrasing.
- Encourage use of open body language and follow-up questions.
- Circulate to observe and coach groups on clarity and engagement.
Step 5
Reflection and Wrap-Up
5 minutes
- Reconvene whole class and ask: “Which skill will you apply most in your next discussion?”
- Quick round-robin sharing (one sentence each).
- Collect exit tickets: one personal goal for improving speaking or listening this week.
- Thank students and encourage application in upcoming assignments.
Slide Deck
Speak Up, Listen Well
An interactive session on:
- Effective Speaking
- Active Listening
- Body Language, Paraphrasing, and Questioning
Welcome students. Introduce today’s session: "Speak Up, Listen Well." Explain we’ll explore speaking and active listening skills to improve class discussions, group work, and everyday conversations.
Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Identify key elements of active listening and effective speaking.
- Demonstrate positive body language.
- Practice paraphrasing accurately.
- Craft and ask thoughtful questions.
Review objectives aloud. Emphasize why each skill matters for collaboration and confidence.
What Is Active Listening?
- Fully focusing on the speaker
- Showing understanding through paraphrasing
- Asking follow-up questions to clarify
- Using nonverbal cues: eye contact, nods
Define active listening. Ask students for quick examples of when they felt truly heard.
What Is Effective Speaking?
- Clearly sharing your ideas
- Organizing thoughts before speaking
- Using confident body language
- Engaging listeners with questions or examples
Contrast with passive hearing. Then define effective speaking.
Pillar 1: Body Language
Positive Signals:
• Open posture, relaxed shoulders
• Eye contact and nodding
• Leaning slightly forward
Negative Signals:
• Arms crossed, slouching
• Looking away or checking phone
Show examples handout. Ask volunteers to model positive vs. negative postures.
Pillar 2: Paraphrasing
- Restate the speaker’s message in your own words
- Check for accuracy: “So what I hear is…”
- Avoid adding new ideas or judgments
Practice with Paraphrasing Practice Cards
Demonstrate paraphrasing on a sample statement. Then guide students to paraphrase in pairs.
Pillar 3: Thoughtful Questioning
- Ask open-ended questions: “How…?”, “Why…?”, “What happened next…?”
- Invite deeper thinking and elaboration
- Avoid leading or yes/no questions
Explain open vs closed questions. Encourage students to transform yes/no questions into open ones.
Partner Practice: Active Listening
- Pair up and label yourselves A/B.
- A speaks on a prompt for 2 minutes; B listens actively.
- B paraphrases and asks 2 thoughtful questions.
- Swap roles.
Materials:
Walk through partner practice steps. Distribute the worksheet and prompt cards.
Group Role-Play
- Form groups of 3–4 and choose a scenario:
• Team project conflict
• Job interview
• Debate prep - Take turns speaking and listening.
- Practice body language, paraphrasing, questions.
Use:
Explain group role-play. Assign scenarios and circulate to coach.
Reflection & Next Steps
- Which skill will you apply most this week?
- Share one personal goal:
• Improve posture
• Practice paraphrasing
• Ask open questions
Submit your exit ticket before you leave.
Lead a quick round-robin. Collect exit tickets.
Worksheet
Active Listening Worksheet
Your Name: ___________ Partner’s Name: ___________
Topic of Conversation:
1. Key Points
List three main ideas you heard:
2. Paraphrase
In 1–2 sentences, restate the speaker’s message in your own words:
3. Thoughtful Questions
Using your Thoughtful Questions Prompt Cards, write two open-ended follow-up questions:
4. Self-Assessment
Circle your listening rating:
1 (Needs improvement) 2 3 4 5 (Excellent)
What is one specific action you will take next time to improve your listening skills?
Reading
Body Language Examples Handout
Understanding nonverbal cues can boost your communication skills. This handout highlights positive and negative body language signals to help you become a more effective speaker and listener.
Positive Body Language Signals
• Open Posture: Keep your shoulders relaxed, arms at your sides or gently open.
(Shows you’re approachable and ready to engage.)
• Eye Contact: Look at the speaker’s eyes about 60–70% of the time, nodding occasionally.
(Conveys attention and respect.)
• Leaning Forward: A slight forward lean indicates interest and engagement.
(Signals you’re invested in the conversation.)
• Facial Expressions: Smile or show concern appropriately to match the speaker’s tone.
(Reinforces empathy and understanding.)
• Open Palms: Displaying open hands (not clenched fists) suggests honesty and openness.
(Encourages trust.)
Negative Body Language Signals
• Arms Crossed: Crossing arms can appear defensive or closed off.
(May discourage open dialogue.)
• Slouching: Leaning back or slumping suggests boredom or disengagement.
(Undermines your credibility.)
• Avoiding Eye Contact: Looking away or down too often can signal disinterest or dishonesty.
(Creates a barrier to connection.)
• Fidgeting: Tapping feet, drumming fingers, or shifting weight distracts the speaker.
(Shows impatience or nervousness.)
• Checking Phone/Watch: Glancing at devices mid-conversation is disrespectful.
(Implies the speaker isn’t your priority.)
Try It Yourself: Mirror Activity
- Pair up with a partner and take turns speaking about a favorite hobby for 1 minute.
- The listener practices positive body language signals above.
- Afterward, the speaker gives feedback: Which signals felt most supportive? - Swap roles and repeat.
Reflection
Which positive signal will you focus on improving this week? Write a quick action plan:
• Signal to work on: _______________________________
• How I’ll practice it: ____________________________________________________
• When/where I’ll apply it next: ___________________________________________
Activity
Paraphrasing Practice Cards
Use these cards to practice restating someone’s message in your own words. Take turns with a partner: one person reads the original statement aloud, and the other begins their response with “So what I hear is…” before paraphrasing. After paraphrasing, switch roles or move to the next card.
Card 1
Original Statement:
"I’m feeling really overwhelmed by how many deadlines are coming up in my other classes, and it’s stressing me out."
Card 2
Original Statement:
"Our group kept talking over each other during the project, so we never really decided on a clear plan."
Card 3
Original Statement:
"I enjoy public speaking, but I always get nervous when I don’t know exactly what questions the audience might ask."
Card 4
Original Statement:
"When we meet after school, I get distracted by my phone notifications and lose focus on our discussion."
Card 5
Original Statement:
"I think we should divide the research tasks evenly, so no one person ends up doing all the work."
Card 6
Original Statement:
"I felt frustrated in the debate because I couldn’t find the right words to express my main point clearly."
After practicing these six, feel free to create your own statements based on real conversations you’ve had this week.
Activity
Thoughtful Questions Prompt Cards
Use these cards to practice crafting open-ended follow-up questions. Draw a card, read the prompt starter aloud, and complete it based on your partner’s last statement. Aim to deepen understanding and encourage elaboration.
Card 1
How did you feel when…?
Card 2
What influenced you to…?
Card 3
Can you describe a time when…?
Card 4
What was going through your mind as…?
Card 5
Why do you think…?
Card 6
What happened next after…?
Card 7
How does this compare to…?
Card 8
What challenges did you face when…?
Card 9
What do you hope will change because of…?
Card 10
What advice would you give someone who…?
After practicing these ten, create your own prompt starters to suit real conversations you have this week.
Cool Down
Reflection and Exit Ticket
1. Reflection Questions
- Which of today’s three pillars—Body Language, Paraphrasing, or Thoughtful Questioning—will you focus on improving? Why?
- How will you apply this skill in your next class discussion or group project? Describe a specific situation.
- What potential obstacles might you face when practicing this skill, and what strategy will you use to overcome them?
2. Exit Ticket
Name: ________________________ Date: ____________
My Personal Goal for This Week:
- I will work on _______________________________
One Action I Will Take to Achieve This Goal:
- I will ________________________________________
How I’ll Know I’ve Improved (Evidence):
- I will notice ________________________________
Discussion
Video Discussion Guide
This guide helps students critically engage with our curated TED-Ed video on active listening and public speaking. Use it to spark prediction, focused watching, rich discussion, and personal reflection.
1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)
- Quick Write (2 min):
- Describe one situation when you felt someone really listened to you.
- Describe one situation when you felt someone really listened to you.
- Pair Share (3 min):
- Turn to a partner and compare your experiences.
- Note one common element that made you feel heard.
2. While-Watching (10 minutes)
Provide each student with a chart to fill in while viewing:
| Strategy Observed | Timestamp | Your Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Body Language | ||
| Paraphrasing | ||
| Thoughtful Questioning | ||
| Other Insight |
- Watch the TED-Ed video on active listening and public speaking.
- Pause briefly at any example that stands out and jot the timestamp and what you observed.
3. Post-Viewing Discussion (15 minutes)
A. Small-Group Discussion (8 min)
In groups of 3–4, discuss:
- Which example of body language from the video was most impactful? Why?
- How did the speaker model effective paraphrasing? Share the exact words they used.
- Identify one open-ended question the speaker asked. How did it deepen the conversation?
- What surprised you or challenged your assumptions about speaking or listening?
Rotate roles so each student leads one question.
B. Whole-Class Debrief (7 min)
Invite groups to share highlights:
- Group 1: Body language takeaway
- Group 2: Paraphrasing insight
- Group 3: Questioning technique
- Group 4: Personal surprise or challenge
---
4. Reflection & Application (5 minutes)
Individual Reflection (Write your answers below):
- Which one strategy (body language, paraphrasing, or questioning) will you practice first, and how will you do it?
- Describe a real situation this week where you’ll use that strategy.
- What obstacle might you face, and what’s your plan to overcome it?
Collect reflections or use them as exit tickets to track student goals for speaking and listening.
Materials:
- Active Listening Worksheet for deeper note-taking
- Personal journals or reflective notebooks
Feel free to adapt timing or add prompts based on student needs!
Quiz
Speaking and Listening Quiz