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2nd grade · English Language Arts · Unit 15 of 17

Listening, Asking and Polite Talk

Show you are listening, ask for more, and talk in the right way.

What your child practices

Using non-verbal cues to show listening, asking questions to learn more, adding to others' ideas and changing how you talk for different people.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 2SL1; 2SL3; 2SL6 · listening, asking questions to learn more and choosing polite or casual words

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Show you are listening: look at the speaker and stay quiet.
  2. Ask questions to learn more: “What happened next?”
  3. Use polite words when you talk.

Example: Which question helps you learn more about a friend's trip? Ask about what happened on the trip. An open question invites more. Answer: What did you do on your trip?

Listening, Asking and Polite Talk in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 15 of 17 in 2nd grade English Language Arts, after Plan, Write and Make It Better and before Main Topic and Reasons.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Your friend finishes talking. What is a kind thing to say next?

    • I was not listening.
    • That's interesting! Can you tell me more?
    • Be quiet.

  2. Question 2

    You are not sure what a word means. What can you ask?

    • What does that word mean?
    • I do not like this.
    • Why are you talking?

  3. Question 3

    Which greeting is more informal, for a friend?

    • Dear Principal Smith,
    • Hi, Sam!
    • Good afternoon, ma'am.

  4. Question 4

    Which question is more specific?

    • Birds?
    • Tell me stuff.
    • What color was the bird's tail?

  5. Question 5

    Which is an informal way to talk with a friend?

    • Wanna play?
    • May I address the committee?
    • Would you care to join us, sir?

  6. Question 6

    Which shows you care what the group says?

    • calling out over others
    • waiting for your turn to speak
    • walking away

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