The Value of Speaking and Listening In the Classroom

Speaking and listening are the foundation of good communication and gainful interaction. Children learn to speak and listen first at home, and these skills are further honed and built upon in school. Effective communication helps children express their thoughts openly and with confidence while also making them more accepting of differing worldviews. With this in mind, teachers at OWIS always try to help young learners improve their speaking and listening skills in the classroom and beyond.

Must-Have Qualities of Good Speakers

Teachers should teach by example and display the following communicative qualities to make young learners better speakers and listeners –

• Concise

Effective communication means passing information clearly and concisely. A teacher needs to succinctly give points without confusing young learners.

• Confidence

Speakers need to connect with the audience when presenting and showing their expertise in the topic they are discussing. For example, at OWIS primary school in Singapore, teachers help students understand their strengths which helps build confidence through the time they spend in IB PYP classrooms. 

• Enthusiasm

A good speaker should be enthusiastic about the information they are presenting and how it will excite young learners.

• Authenticity

A good speaker should tell credible stories so that students can verify their authenticity. 

• Storyteller

A speaker with great storytelling skills will always engage and connect with listeners. This way, listeners also retain information better.

Must-Have Qualities of Good Listeners

Listening is a quality that goes hand in hand with being a good speaker, check out the key points of being a good listener –

• Curiosity

Curiosity shows that a listener is actively involved in a topic and interested to learn more through asking questions.

• Interest

A good listener will show interest in what the speaker is saying by asking questions, maintaining eye contact and actively participating.

• Attentiveness

A great listener should know how to avoid distraction and focus on the information the speaker is passing.

• Empathy

An empathetic listener will listen to a speaker’s point of view without misunderstandings.

• Open Mindedness

When a listener is open-minded, they let a speaker talk without interrupting them.

Value of speaking and listening in the classroom

Know how good speaking and listening skills create a fruitful learning environment for young learners –

Simplifies Communication

When students hone their speaking and learning skills, they learn ways to communicate in simple terms when discussing complex subjects. Relaying complex information this way keeps students engaged and attentive. 

Influences Learning

Listening and speaking skills directly influence a learner’s knowledge and beliefs. Through listening and speaking in class, young learners can improve their conversation skills. This way, they will be more interested and responsive to questions. 

Speaking and listening skills are valuable for expressing opinions in class and finding solutions to problems. Open communication also encourages young learners to engage with their peers and gain input while working on class projects.

Builds Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills help students interact efficiently with others in various social settings, not just at school. As students socialise, they create and build interpersonal skills that foster teamwork. This way, they understand how to communicate without interrupting others. For instance, they speak once a classmate has already explained their points on a particular topic.

Improves Critical Thinking

Listening and speaking activities are integral for developing critical thinking skills. When young learners prepare to speak, they put much thought into what to say and how to give points. Critical thinking ensures the information they share is of interest to other students and answers their questions.

Improves Learner’s Confidence

As young learners improve their listening and speaking skills, they find a way to face their fears. Repeatedly speaking in a classroom full of students gives them the confidence to speak in public. Over time, these skills help them become confident and authoritative when presenting to others.

Enhances Classroom Interactions

Through listening and speaking, young learners improve engagement in class. And these interactions make them approachable so fellow students can ask them questions. From such questions, young learners exchange ideas and give their opinions about information presented in class.

Better Understanding of Formal and Informal Communication

In a school setup, formal and informal speeches are cornerstones of communication. Students can discern whether the information is formal or informal through listening and speaking. In addition, they learn appropriate ways to communicate with teachers and other students. 

Tips for Improving Effective Speaking and Listening Skill

Communication is key to the growth of students. It forms the most significant part of school life and largely determines how students experience school overall. By working on their speaking and listening skills, young learners can improve how they express themselves.

Effective Ways To Improve Speaking Skills

Maintaining Eye Contact

Maintaining eye contact with listeners gets their attention. By speaking louder, organising their speech and tuning their body language, students can communicate better. Conversely, avoiding eye contact shows a need for more confidence and understanding of the topic.

Encouraging Conversation

Interaction in the classroom allows students to practise their speaking and listening skills. Building speaking skills by encouraging conversation through presentations is a good idea. To avoid listeners getting bored, asking or answering questions is ideal for sparking interaction. When students answer questions, rephrasing their feedback ensures the continuity of conversations.

Proper Pronunciation

There are numerous English words that people mispronounce. Pronouncing these words incorrectly can be embarrassing and confusing to young learners. Better pronunciation also increases confidence since young learners do not worry about saying the wrong words when presenting their ideas.

Telling Stories

One of the most effective ways of improving speaking skills is through storytelling. By telling stories, teachers can show students how to bring personal perspectives into play while discussing things in class. 

Understanding the Audience

Before presenting anything in class, teachers should take time to understand who they are speaking to. In the case of young learners, it is best to consider their interests and deliver information with respect to that. 

Effective Ways To Improve Listening Skills

Eye Contact with the speaker

Improved listening begins with minimising distractions. Teachers should always give young speakers their undivided attention.  

Visualising Information

Teachers should present information using images and videos. This always helps learners register details better and lets them understand the topic clearly. This is ideal for improving memory skills and for preparing students to respond to questions that come their way.

Minimising Interruption

Every speaker has their way of relaying information, and interrupting a speaker is not a good idea. Interrupting a student makes them feel that the teacher is not really concerned about the conversation. It sends the wrong message and may affect the delivery of information. Always give young speakers time to finish what they are saying. 

Asking Questions

Asking the speaker questions is among the best tips for improving listening skills. It maintains engagement and builds conversations around the topic. 

Reading Non-Verbal Cues

Body language is also part of communication; a great listener should know how to translate non-verbal cues. Body language and tone of voice clearly show the enthusiasm and adeptness of the speaker on a certain topic. Paying attention to a speaker’s hand gestures, eyes, shoulder position, etc., signals a speaker’s comfort with the listener.

Why incorporate listening and speaking activities in the classroom?

• For teachers, speaking and listening are both active processes. And they always need to merge these two to convey information effectively to young learners. 
• To improve understanding in class, teachers need to improvise and adapt different ways of conveying information and instructions to students. These strategies can help young learners grasp concepts and lessons better.  
• The value of listening is important since communication relies entirely on it. With better listening skills, young learners can also understand how to improve their communication skills. 
•  When teachers are attentive, young learners feel confident and respected among their peers. As a result, they connect better with students who answer questions correctly since they are more involved in the topic.
• Speaking and listening improve academic performance since learners adequately understand the information a teacher is passing. By concentrating on the speaker, they improve their attention spans and memory. Concentration further develops knowledge of subjects and class projects that require these skills.
•  Good listeners are adept at minimising distractions. This is why teachers spend a good amount of time minimizing distractions in the classroom. 

OWIS values listening and speaking skills and offer Chinese-English bilingual programs to young learners. As a result, children develop fluency in two languages to expand their potential even after school. OWIS stands out in language programs, and the inquiry-based learning methodology sets students on a journey where they discover their strengths and talents through better interaction with others. 

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