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7th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 18 of 20

Listening & Discussion

Listen well, ask good questions and speak respectfully

What your child practices

Children practice skills for classroom talk: paraphrasing, asking and clarifying, respectful non-verbal cues, and matching language and tone to the audience.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 7SL1 · listening, paraphrasing and disagreeing respectfully in discussions

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Agree on norms, like one person speaks at a time.
  2. Paraphrase to check understanding, and ask questions to clarify.
  3. Listen critically: what evidence supports this? Disagree respectfully: “I see it a different way. Here is why.”

Example: Which is respectful when you disagree: “That’s wrong.” or “I see it a different way. Here is why.”? Respect means valuing the other person’s idea. Give your view with a reason. Answer: I see it a different way. Here is why.

Listening & Discussion in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 18 of 20 in 7th grade English Language Arts, after Posters & Presentations and before Texts, Versions and Judging Quality.

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

    Which phrase builds on another’s idea?

    • I wasn’t listening.
    • Anyway, my idea is better.
    • To add to what Sam said, we could also…
    • That’s all wrong.

  2. Question 2

    If a speaker uses too much slang with a new audience, you might adjust by…

    • speaking faster
    • using more slang
    • speaking quietly
    • choosing words everyone understands

  3. Question 3

    Which non-verbal cue shows you are listening?

    • rolling your eyes
    • looking at your phone
    • turning away
    • facing the speaker and nodding

  4. Question 4

    A person who listens critically asks themselves…

    • What time is it?
    • What evidence supports this idea?
    • How tall is the speaker?
    • What is for lunch?

  5. Question 5

    For a speech to a school assembly, the best language is…

    • clear and respectful, with a suitable tone
    • very casual slang
    • rude jokes
    • mumbling

  6. Question 6

    A classmate speaks slowly because they are learning English. A good response is to…

    • give them time and listen patiently
    • tell them to hurry
    • leave
    • finish their sentences for them

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