oral language TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking -- oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion.

This SE lends itself to cross curricular alignment as it can be assessed in all areas of instruction. Have students observe a presentation. Instruct students to listen actively and pay attention to verbal and non-verbal messages. During the presentation, observe and note whether students ask questions and share comments that are specific to the message. After the presentation has concluded, ask students questions to determine their understanding of what they heard and observed.

Questions to ask:

  • What was the speaker's purpose?
  • What details did the speaker give?
  • What non-verbal messages did they see and how did those messages impact the presentation?

  • Did they add to or detract from the message?
     

Further Explanation

For this assessment, students are required to show evidence of active listening and understanding as they make comments and ask questions. Students’ comments and questions should directly link to the presentation. If they are off topic, this may indicate that students misinterpreted the concepts discussed.

Students listen actively when they ask questions that are focused on the topic under discussion and designed to further the student's knowledge. When students ask questions about what they are listening to, they deepen their own understanding by making connections and inquiring about related concepts and ideas. Active listening requires that the listener know when and how to ask questions.
The active listener considers both verbal and nonverbal communication when listening to a speaker. It is important that students learn to consider both verbal and nonverbal messages in order to understand the meaning of what they hear. Students should understand that non-verbal messages can complement verbal messages by helping the speaker emphasize ideas (e.g., increasing volume to emphasize certain words, raising eyebrows to suggest disbelief). They can also reveal a speaker's true attitude toward a subject by contradicting what the speaker is saying (e.g., rolling eyes or grimacing).
Active listening requires students to be engaged with the speaker they are listening to and the topic being discussed. A student who is listening actively listens with a purpose, engages with the speaker by asking questions and making comments, and demonstrates attentive and appropriate nonverbal behavior such as making eye contact and nodding one's head.
In addition to asking questions, active listeners contribute to the discussion by making relevant comments directly related to the topic being discussed. Relevant comments indicate that a student is involved in the discussion and in learning. Pertinent comments are usually the result of a more in-depth reflection or careful consideration. For example, a student listening actively to a discussion about the difference between primary and secondary sources might make pertinent comments by identifying examples of primary sources with which the student is familiar.

Research

1. Bulut, B., & Karasakaloglu, N. (2017). Benefiting from listening in vocabulary development. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(12), 99–109. doi:10.11114/jets.v5i12.2688

Summary: This study reveals that students gain vocabulary development and  improve their ability to comprehend new words when they are active listeners. In this study, the researchers used a control group and an experimental group. Both groups completed a pre- and post-test as the benchmark and final indication in the research model.

2. Richards, J.C. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: From theory to practice.  New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://www.professorjackrichards.com/wp-content/uploads/teaching-listening-and-speaking-from-theory-to-practice.pdf

Summary: This booklet addresses two perspectives related to listening—comprehension and acquisition.