A Simple Guide to Increase Your Child’s Active Listening Skills

Listening comprehension entails more than just hearing what is said. It entails the ability to take in information, respond to instructions, and share ideas, thoughts, and opinions.

Overall, listening comprehension refers to the ability to comprehend the meaning of words heard and then relate to them in some way. When your child hears a story, listening comprehension enables them to comprehend, recall, discuss, and even retell it in their own words.

Children who listen well often grow up to be good communicators. It's an important skill to cultivate at a young age, and it, like any muscle, requires regular exercise to grow stronger. Here are eight simple ways you can help your child improve his or her listening comprehension skills at home.

  1. Obtain their undivided attention

Encourage your child to look at you while he or she is listening. Their full attention is important, and doing so trains them to pay attention to what is being said.

  1. Make reading an interactive experience

Before turning the page while reading aloud, ask, "What do you think will happen next?" To determine how well your child has been listening, ask them to explain their response. If they haven't been listening, instead of criticising, try to get them into the fun habit of predicting what will happen next.

  1. Participate in listening games

Simon Says games help your child develop listening comprehension skills in a fun and rewarding way. At home, you can even make up your own listening games. For example, give your child twopart verbal instructions to find objects around the house, then gradually progress to three-part, four-part, and so on.

  1. Perform "story chain"

This is a fun activity that the entire family can participate in. Begin an original story by having one person say one line (for example, "Once upon a time, there was a bear who lived in a cave"). Then, in a circle, have each person contribute a sentence to the story.

  1. Emphasize commonly used speech signals

When you talk, emphasize common speech signals to help your child listen for important cues. Words like 'now,' 'next,' and 'finally' could be examples.

  1. Assist your child in expanding their vocabulary

Children can become fixated on a word they don't understand and miss the rest of what is being said. Build your child's vocabulary with books, games, flashcards, charts, and online programmes like Reading Eggs, and don't forget to read together on a regular basis.

  1. Be a good listener as well

Avoid interrupting your child while they are speaking, and show them that you are paying attention to what they are saying. Show interest by nodding, smiling, saying encouraging words, and following up with questions or elaborating on what they have said.

  1. Keep in mind that the majority of young children have short attention spans

Expect your child to process information that is too long, out of context, or otherwise uninteresting to them. Focus on developing learning comprehension skills in a fun and supportive environment, and remember to be patient at all times.

So, how do we speak to children in such a way that they will listen to us?

There are a few things you should remember.

  • To begin, remember to always address your child by name. It's also important to remember that when you ask them to do something, you must address them as if they were an equal adult.
  • Use polite words such as "please" and "thank you."

Overall, the most important thing to remember when it comes to improving your child's listening skills is that communication with your child is a two-way street.

When it comes to communication, you must always treat your child with the same level of respect, consideration, and understanding that you would show an adult your age.