Listen and Understand

This week’s focus is the foundation for talking – listening, paying attention and understanding what is said to you. As you spend more time in a close environment, it is likely that you will give more directions and instructions to your child. It’s also likely that they will be more distracted by their environment, and more stressed, bored, annoyed or otherwise emotionally dysregulated (starting to lose control). This makes it very difficult for them to listen, and also to understand, even things they would normally be able to do.

If you have time, pick one or two of the activities below – don’t try to do them all! Choose something that your child can do in normal circumstances and give it a go. Things that you do and your child just listens to are just as valid as filling out a worksheet or doing a structured activity.

• Listen and Do: All of these games are excellent for listening and attention skills, and most are suitable for a wide range of ages or abilities, or can be easily adapted. Have a look through the following documents, and choose a couple to do with your family. Listen and Do Activities; Listening and Memory Games; Listening – Games

• Asking the Right Questions: The Blank language model categorises questions into 4 levels, from hard to easy. Asking a child a level 4 question when they are more comfortable at level 2 is sure to make them frustrated and less talkative! Blank Language for Learning Model gives you the basics for how this model works. You can use the guidance to find out what level your child is at, by asking them some questions and finding out which they can confidently answer. Watch the videos to learn more about levels 1 and 2.

• Story Time: We have lots of stories, pictures and texts, for all ages and abilities. Most of these stories have associated questions, at each of the 4 Blank levels. Here are some tips on how to use the prompts

• Choose a picture scene and see what your child notices about it. Ask them to point to different things or actions, especially things they haven’t notice

• Take turns asking questions about the picture/prompt

• Ask your child to read you the story, then ask them the questions. You don’t have to do them all at once! It could be fun to read it once a day and notice different things each time

• If you know which level your child is at, ask some questions one or two levels below to start your child confidently. So, if your child is sometimes answering Why questions, you should start by asking “what happens next?” or “what is happening”

• To work on level 1, ask the question, leave a pause of 10 seconds and then answer. “Point to the ball” *Wait 10 seconds* “There’s the ball! I’m pointing to the ball”

Non-fiction texts: The Blog; Magazine, Newspaper; Giant rats and sinister spiders; Plus question documents for each text

Pictures and questions: Scene pictures, questions and practical activities