While Listening: Who Said What?

Worked classroom example

Humanities

Worked example

Match two speakers’ views about a local planning decision to their reasons.

Use this example to make the language move visible. Select subject content appropriate to the class’s age and prior knowledge.

Teaching sequence

1. Prepare a two-column speaker grid and one key question.
2. Listen once to identify who is speaking and the topic.
3. Listen again to match each claim to its speaker and note the supporting phrase.

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Prepare

Use a dialogue or two short viewpoints. Choose a second example that checks the same language move without repeating the original answer.

Classroom task

Learners match claims to speakers and mark one phrase that reveals each viewpoint.

Check independent transfer

Listen again to match each claim to its speaker and note the supporting phrase.

Collect a response on fresh content. Note what was achieved without the model, partner or teacher prompt, then choose one next teaching step.

Teacher language

Teacher language

Which phrase helped you identify the speaker’s position?

Respond to the learner

Identify one successful meaning or language choice. Ask about one gap, allow thinking time, then invite a revision. Check the revised move again on a fresh example.

Adjust support and challenge

Offer a brief model, useful vocabulary and partner rehearsal where needed. Keep the subject goal; reduce one prompt on fresh content and record what was independent.

Teaching this skill → · Age and language support →

More support

Use shorter chunks, purposeful replay and keyword notes. Retain captions, transcripts or other required access arrangements. Allow familiar-language notes or another response mode when checking subject understanding.

Greater independence

Change the content, evidence or audience. Remove the completed model and ask learners to explain a choice. Increase subject complexity only when it fits the curriculum and prior knowledge.

Choose the next step

If subject meaning is insecure, reteach the concept. If the concept is understood but the English is unclear, model one useful language relationship and invite a fresh response.