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How to Listen

Four short lessons on listening well: hearing the whole thing before answering, asking a real question, saying it back, and listening when you disagree.

For grown-ups, from what SpeakForge teaches children at Spark & Anvil.

  1. Lesson 1Wait for the end
  2. Lesson 2Ask a real question
  3. Lesson 3Say it back
  4. Lesson 4Listening when you disagree
At the table · 2 or more, any ages

The say-it-back table

You'll need: A few light topics (a favourite meal, a good day).

  1. One person talks for about a minute about something small.
  2. The listener says back what they heard, in their own words, before asking anything.
  3. The speaker says how close it was. Then the listener asks one real, open question.
  4. Swap roles. Talk afterwards about what was easy, and what was hard.

Print the guidebook (all lessons + the table activity) →