Lesson Plan

Session 1 Plan

Introduce active listening by guiding students through warm-up prompts and partner activities to identify and recall key sounds and details, building foundational skills for effective communication.

Active listening improves comprehension and social communication, especially for special education students; this lesson boosts engagement, attention to auditory cues, and supports IEP goals related to listening skills.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Quick Draw

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduction: What Is Active Listening?

5 minutes

Step 3

Guided Practice: Sound Sequence

10 minutes

Step 4

Game: Listening Memory

5 minutes

Step 5

Cool-Down: Reflection

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Active Listening: Eyes On, Ears Open

What Is Active Listening?

Why Active Listening Matters

Modeling Active Listening

Your Turn: Keyword Challenge

Active Listening Checklist

Worksheet

Warm Up

Game

Activity

Cool Down

Lesson Plan

Session 2 Plan

Teach students how to paraphrase spoken information by listening carefully and restating in their own words to confirm understanding.

Paraphrasing helps check comprehension, reduces misunderstandings, and builds communication confidence—key skills for special education learners.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Echo Chain

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduction: What Is Paraphrasing?

5 minutes

Step 3

Activity: Partner Paraphrase Role-Play

10 minutes

Step 4

Game: Paraphrase Matching

5 minutes

Step 5

Cool-Down: Reflection

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Paraphrasing: Making Meaning Your Own

Why Paraphrasing Matters

Paraphrasing Checklist

Example: Original vs. Paraphrase

Your Turn: Practice Paraphrasing

Worksheet

Warm Up

Game

Activity

Cool Down

Lesson Plan

Session 3 Plan

Help students recognize and interpret emotion and tone in spoken language by practicing identification and response skills.

Understanding tone and emotion boosts social communication, empathy, and prevents misunderstandings—critical for special education learners’ classroom engagement and relationships.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Emotion Sound Guess

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduction: What Is Tone & Emotion?

5 minutes

Step 3

Guided Practice: Tone Detection Worksheet

10 minutes

Step 4

Game: Tone Matching Memory

5 minutes

Step 5

Cool-Down: Reflection

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Tone & Emotion in Listening

Why Tone Matters

Tone Detection Checklist

Example: Happy vs. Angry

Your Turn: Listen & Identify

Worksheet

Warm Up

Game

Activity

Cool Down

Lesson Plan

Session 4 Plan

Build students’ ability to listen to and follow multi-step oral directions by practicing sequencing, note-taking, and checking for accuracy.

Following multi-step instructions is essential for classroom tasks and daily routines. This lesson strengthens auditory processing, working memory, and independence for special education learners.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Simon Says Sequence

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduction: Multi-Step Directions

5 minutes

Step 3

Guided Practice: Worksheet Sequencing

8 minutes

Step 4

Game: Direction Matching

5 minutes

Step 5

Activity: Partner Role-Play

5 minutes

Step 6

Cool-Down: Reflection

2 minutes

Slide Deck

Following Multi-Step Directions

Why It Matters

Directions Checklist

Example: Open Your Locker

Your Turn: Practice Sequencing

Worksheet

Warm Up

Game

Activity

Cool Down

Lesson Plan

Session 5 Plan

Culminate and integrate listening skills through collaborative stations, a fun review game, and reflective practice to reinforce active listening, paraphrasing, tone detection, and following directions.

Bringing all skills together helps students see their progress, apply strategies in realistic settings, and build confidence for classroom and everyday listening tasks.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

20 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Telephone Challenge

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduction: Unit Culmination

5 minutes

Step 3

Activity: Listening Stations

15 minutes

Step 4

Game: Listening Olympics Quiz

3 minutes

Step 5

Cool-Down: Unit Reflection

2 minutes

Slide Deck

Welcome to the Listening Challenge!