Life Skills & Leadership: Unit 1, Session 1: Me and My Assets | Page 8 of 128
- Walk around and observe the participants. After five minutes, have a short discussion:
Which cards were most difficult to act out?
Which were the easiest?
What are the most comfortable ways for you to show someone that you are listening?
What else can you do that we have not talked about to show you are listening?
- Encourage participants to practice identifying verbal techniques that show someone is listening.
a. Say:
“You did really well without using words. Now I’d like to give you a chance to identify the types of things
you can say that show you are listening. I’ll say something as if I were listening to one of my friends. I’d
like you and your partner to decide which method I am using to show I am listening. You can use your
handout ‘Show You Are Listening.’ If you know the answer, just shout it out.”
b. Use these steps:
o Read a statement from the following list in any order.
o Wait for participants to tell you the answer, then ask one or two participant volunteers to
make up a similar statement of their own. Encourage them to refer to their handout or consult
a friend if they wish.
o Continue reading statements to give examples and then asking volunteers to make their own
statements. You do not need to use all the statements, but use enough to demonstrate and
practice a variety of listening responses.
I appreciate hearing what you have to say. (Encourage)
You seem to be going through a lot. I’d like to hear more. (Encourage)
What’s been on your mind lately? (Encourage)
You must be angry. (Feelings)
That probably made you upset, right? (Feelings)
It sounds like you’re feeling a little depressed. (Feelings)
Can you explain more of what you meant by ... (Clarify)
Are you saying it didn’t really upset you very much? (Clarify)
I’m not sure I understood that; can you say it again? (Clarify)
What were you thinking when ... (Questions)
What was it like when ... (Questions)
How did you respond to what she told you about ... (Questions)
So you are thinking that your mother, sisters, and your grandmother are all against you on this.
(Summarize)
After all that happened, you couldn’t think of anything else to say and that’s why she’s so angry
with you. (Summarize)
So because you tried many different things during the past week that didn’t work out as you
planned, you’ve been feeling very frustrated. (Summarize)
