K2 · English · Language
Speaking and listening
Taking turns in conversation, asking and answering simple questions and sharing ideas in clear spoken sentences.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to Singapore levels by age (Primary 1 is the first year of primary school). They are not aligned to MOE syllabuses or the PSLE, so check them against the syllabus your child is working towards.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Take turns to speak and listen in a conversation.
- Ask and answer simple who, what, where and when questions.
- Share an idea or experience in a clear spoken sentence.
Success looks like
- I can wait for my turn to talk.
- I can show I am listening with my body and my face.
- I can answer a question with a whole sentence.
The big idea
Speaking and listening are the foundation of reading and writing. Children who can listen carefully and share their ideas in clear sentences find it easier to understand stories and later to write them down.
Good conversations need taking turns. One person speaks while the other listens, then they swap. A 'talking object' can help: only the person holding it talks, then it is passed on.
Good listeners show they are listening:
- Turn your body towards the person talking.
- Keep your hands and feet still.
- Think about what the person is saying.
- Wait until they have finished before you speak.
Questions help us find out more. Question words tell us what kind of answer is needed: who asks about a person, what asks about a thing or action, where asks about a place and when asks about a time. When answering, encourage a whole sentence: 'Where did you go?' 'I went to the park.'
Worked examples
Answering in a sentence
Your child is asked, 'What did you have for lunch?'
- Listen to the question word: 'what' asks about a thing.
- Think of the answer: a cheese sandwich.
- Use some of the question's words in the answer: 'I had a cheese sandwich for lunch.'
Answer: 'I had a cheese sandwich for lunch.'
Asking a question
Your child wants to know where Grandpa's dog sleeps.
- Choose the question word for a place: 'where'.
- Start the question with it: 'Where does your dog sleep?'
- Use a questioning voice that goes up a little at the end, then wait and listen to the answer.
Answer: 'Where does your dog sleep?'
Show and tell
Your child shares a favourite toy with the family.
- Say what it is: 'This is my toy truck.'
- Say something about it: 'It has big wheels and a tipping tray.'
- Invite a question: 'Does anyone have a question?' Then listen to each person in turn.
Answer: Two or three clear sentences, then listening to and answering questions.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
When someone else is talking, what should you do?
Listen and wait for your turn. — Good listeners wait until the speaker has finished.
Which one is a question?
Do you like dogs? — 'Do you like dogs?' asks something and needs an answer.
Which shows that you are listening?
Turning towards the speaker and keeping still. — Turning towards the speaker and keeping still shows you are paying attention.
Which is the best answer to 'What did you have for lunch?'
I had a cheese sandwich. — It answers the question in a whole sentence.
Which question word asks about a time?
when — 'When' asks about a time, such as 'When is lunch?'
Which question word asks about a person? Type the word.
who — 'Who' asks about a person: 'Who is at the door?'
Which question word asks about a place? Type the word.
where — 'Where' asks about a place: 'Where is the park?'
Fill the gap: 'When someone talks to me, I use my ears to ___.'
listen — We use our ears to listen.
Watch out for
- Thinking listening just means being quiet. Explain that listening also means thinking about what the person says, so you can answer.
- Answering a question with a single word every time. Model a whole-sentence answer and invite your child to copy it.
- Expecting a young child to sit still and listen for a long time. Keep conversations short and lively, and build up slowly.
Tips for parents
- Mealtimes are a perfect time to practise taking turns. Try a 'talking spoon' for one meal.
- Ask open questions such as 'What was the best part of your day?' rather than questions with a yes or no answer.
- Get down to your child's level, listen closely and repeat back what they said. You are modelling good listening.
Go further
- Play 'Twenty questions': think of an animal and let your child ask questions to guess it.
- Hold a mini 'show and tell' each week with a different object or drawing.
- Play a listening game: give a two-step instruction ('Touch your nose, then jump') and build up to three steps.
About 20 minutes
You'll need
- A 'talking object' such as a soft toy or spoon (only the person holding it talks)
- A bag of interesting objects or photos to talk about
- Picture cards showing who, what, where and when (a face, an object, a house, a clock)
Key words
- listen
- To pay attention to what someone is saying.
- take turns
- To speak one at a time, waiting until the other person has finished.
- question
- Something we ask to find out information, such as 'Where is my hat?'
- answer
- What we say back when someone asks us a question.
Still tricky?
For parents
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Next steps (Primary 1)