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Listening activities
LISTENING - Home Practice
Good listening skills are very important, especially at school.
Suggested Activities to Improve Listening Skills (Auditory Processing)
* Record everyday sounds and ask your child to identify them.
* Have your child close his/her eyes while someone creates a sound somewhere in the room, and have him/her identify the location and direction of the sound. Then, have the child open his/her eyes to check accuracy.
* Have your child be as quiet as possible and tune into the subtle sound of his/her environment (e.g., traffic, clock
ticking, heater buzzing, etc.).
* Put different items in a container, have your child shake it, and identify what an item is by its sound.
* Play simple tunes and have the child identify each song.
* Have your child follow directions by using song games (i.e., instruct your child to listen for specific words or phrases).
* Repeat rhymes and occasionally leave out a word or phrase. Have your child complete the missing word or phrase. Songs, tongue twisters, and finger plays are often enjoyable as well.
* Songs and finger plays that incorporate auditory memory and sequencing skills are helpful because of their repetition (i.e., Old MacDonald, etc.).
* Tell a poem or short story and have your child retell the poem/story. Also, have your child orally answer questions about the poem/story.
* Start a sentence or story and have your child finish it.
* Create sound patterns by clapping hands, using an instrument, and/or making body movements. Have the child repeat these sequences. Then leave out a certain sound and have your child tell what the missing sound was.
* Send your child on errands with an oral message to relay. Encourage your child to repeat the message aloud to
himself/herself before passing on the message. Gradually increase the number of verbal directions.
* Have your child pretend he/she is a telephone operator or waiter/waitress and must remember specific messages or orders.
* Face away from your child and make specific requests. Then have your child repeat what he/she heard.
