As an educator, teaching young students to listen and follow directions is essential for their growth and development. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity that fosters these essential skills, as well as discussion questions and related skills to help you incorporate principles of Social-Emotional Learning into your classroom.

Introduction

Teaching PreK students to listen and follow directions is a crucial part of their learning experience. By developing these skills, students are better equipped to follow classroom rules, engage in cooperative learning activities, and demonstrate respect for their peers and teachers. This blog post will provide a no-prep activity to help teach these essential skills, along with discussion questions and related skills to further enhance your students’ Social-Emotional Learning.

No-Prep Activity: The Listening Game

This simple, yet effective activity requires no preparation or materials and encourages students to practice their listening and direction-following skills. Here’s how it works:

1. Have your students sit in a circle, either on the floor or in their chairs.
2. Explain to the students that you will be giving them a series of directions, and their task is to listen carefully and follow each direction as you say it.
3. Begin by giving a simple direction, such as “touch your nose” or “clap your hands.”
4. Gradually increase the complexity of the directions, incorporating multiple steps or actions, such as “stand up, spin around, and sit back down.”
5. As students become more comfortable with the activity, you can also incorporate directions that involve interacting with their peers, such as “give a high-five to the person on your right.”

The Listening Game not only helps students practice their listening and following directions skills but also promotes a sense of community and cooperation within the classroom.

Discussion Questions

After completing the Listening Game, use the following discussion questions to further explore the importance of listening and following directions:

1. Why is it important to listen carefully when someone is giving directions?
2. How does following directions help us in the classroom?
3. Can you think of a time when you didn’t follow directions, and it caused a problem? What happened, and what did you learn from the experience?
4. What strategies can you use to help you remember and follow directions more easily?
5. How does following directions show respect for your teacher and classmates?

Related Skills

In addition to listening and following directions, there are several other related skills that contribute to a student’s Social-Emotional Learning. These skills include:

• Active listening: Encouraging students to focus on the speaker, make eye contact, and provide nonverbal feedback, such as nodding or smiling.
• Communication: Teaching students how to express their thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully, both verbally and nonverbally.
• Cooperation: Fostering a sense of teamwork and collaboration among students, both in group activities and in the classroom environment as a whole.
• Self-regulation: Helping students develop strategies to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in response to various situations.

Next Steps

By incorporating the Listening Game and the discussion questions provided in this blog post, you can effectively teach your PreK students the valuable skills of listening and following directions. To further enhance your students’ Social-Emotional Learning, we encourage you to explore a variety of additional resources and activities. To get started, sign up for free samples of skill-building materials at Everyday Speech.