Writers choice listening and speaking activities grade 11

Listening and Speaking
Activities
Grade 11

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Contents
Teacher Notes 1–4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Teacher Notes 5–9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Teacher Notes 10–14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Teacher Notes 15–19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Teacher Notes 20–24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Listening Actively I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Listening Actively II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Listening Critically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Nonverbal Communication I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Nonverbal Communication II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Telephone Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Interviewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Job Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Brainstorming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Roles in Group Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Participating in Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Personal Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Impromptu Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Demonstration Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Speaking to Inform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Speaking to Persuade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Storytelling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Oral Interpretation of Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Oral Interpretation of Drama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Reader’s Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Debate I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Debate II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Parliamentary Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24


Listening and Speaking Activities
Teacher Notes

Listening and speaking skills require practice, stimulation, direction, and application. The activities, tips,
and questions work together to bring about learning
through a variety of creative, interactive experiences.
Students may reflect on these challenges through discussion in class, in small groups, or through writing.
Students learn from one another through cooperative
learning activities that connect both to real-world
experiences and across the curriculum to other areas
of knowledge and interest.
Activity 1—Listening Actively I
Objective: To compare the merits of taking notes versus listening closely without writing.
Suggestion: Try to ensure that there is ample space
between the groups. For this activity to work effectively, students must be relatively free of distractions.

1. Answers should indicate that the experience of listening is not a constant. Students’ preferences will vary.
2. Answers should suggest that taking notes is an aid in
retaining facts and key ideas.
3. Answers should reflect an understanding that the
role of the listener will vary with the task at hand
and the material presented.
Activity 2—Listening Actively II
Objective: To listen to instructions and retell them
accurately.
Suggestion: Invite students to compare their listening
experiences by reading to the class their original
instructions and describing how these changed from
person to person. Discuss the skills involved in accurate listening.

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Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

1. Answers should indicate an awareness of the importance of listening skills.
2. Answers should reflect the differing learning styles of
individual students.
3. Answers should include specific techniques for
understanding and retaining oral instructions.
Activity 3—Listening Critically
Objective: To distinguish opinionated and persuasive
language from fact.
Suggestion: Lead students to understand that facts
sometimes create only partial truths and can be as misleading as the wildest advertising claim. Brainstorm
with the class to write a list of unreliable facts.

1. Answers should acknowledge the complexity of
persuasive writing.
2. Answers should reflect the ambiguity of certain
statements.
3. Answers should refer to specific areas in which
persuasive language is used, such as advertising,
politics, entertainment, morality, and education.
Activity 4—Nonverbal Communication I
Objective: To create and perform simple, nonverbal
statements and questions.
Suggestion: Introduce this activity by asking for
volunteers to perform nonverbally a few simple
statements or questions that you have prepared in
advance.

1. Answers should indicate that certain nonverbal

expressions are more frequently used than others.
2. Answers should reflect an understanding that some
individuals communicate nonverbally more freely
than others.
3. Answers should acknowledge that nonverbal communication is in use at all times. Exclusively nonverbal communication might be employed when
one is in a foreign country, when there is a need to
be silent, or when one is addressing someone with
hearing loss.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The Listening and Speaking Activities booklet provides
five pages of teacher notes and twenty-four diverse
classroom activities. Teacher notes explain the listening and speaking skills that each activity is meant to
develop. Guidelines for facilitating discussion are
included. The numbered items below answer the
worksheet questions. Activity pages give students
directions for completing the activity, suggestions for
mastering the skills, and questions that help students
learn from their individual and group efforts.


Listening and Speaking Activities
Teacher Notes
Activity 5—Nonverbal Communication II
Objective: To interpret a film or television excerpt
played without sound.
Suggestion: Choose a scene of three to five minutes
involving emotion and physical activity. (Actual fighting may be too obvious.) Students may need to see it
twice before writing their summaries.

Activity 8—The Job Interview
Objective: To take both sides in a mock job interview.
Suggestion: Make sure that students appreciate the
importance of first impressions at a job interview.
Invite them to share experiences they have had in
making quick judgments—or in being judged by
others.

1. Answers should reflect an understanding that some
nonverbal signals are universally understood, while
others are less easy to read.
2. Answers should indicate that body language and
facial expressions are often open to a range of
interpretation.
3. Answers should reflect an awareness that body
language is often an unconscious form of communication and, as such, may reveal a person’s true
feelings more accurately than words.

1. Answers should acknowledge that acting natural in a
formal interview may require preparation and
rehearsal.
2. Answers should show that such qualities as confidence and enthusiasm make a good impression.
3. Answers should focus on skills that demonstrate
politeness, self-confidence, and preparedness.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Activity 6—Telephone Communication
Objective: To practice the skills necessary for a successful conference telephone call.

Suggestion: Introduce this activity by asking students
how telephone communication differs from faceto-face conversation. Lead them to understand that
words and tone of voice take on increased importance
on the telephone.

1. Answers should indicate that tone of voice and word
choice are central to telephone communication.
2. Answers should reflect the need for courtesy, selfdiscipline, and organization as the number of
participants increases.
3. Answers should include some of the benefits and
restrictions of voice-only communication.

Activity 9—Brainstorming
Objective: To brainstorm as a group on a variety of
subjects.
Suggestion: This activity can be linked to a single
theme and serve as an effective review session. Each
station, for example, could have as its heading a
character in a novel or an act of a play.

1. Answers should indicate an understanding that
brainstorming as a group generates many more ideas
than attempting the same task alone.
2. Answers should acknowledge that there are individual approaches to brainstorming activities.
3. Answers should reflect an awareness that brainstorming is an effective tool in all creative and
problem-solving endeavors. Students may propose
rules that allow all group participants a chance to
voice their opinions without fear of criticism.

Activity 7—Interviewing

Objective: To take both sides in an interview with a
fictional character.
Suggestion: After everyone has had a chance to
participate, ask for volunteers, who had not been
matched before, to conduct an interview in front of
the class. Discuss points of interest arising from this
performance.

1. Answers should point to open-ended questions,
which encourage a wide variety of responses.
2. Answers should reflect an awareness that there is no
formula for conducting an interview.
3. Answers should indicate that skilled interviewers
can create spontaneity with their questions.
Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

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Listening and Speaking Activities
Teacher Notes
Activity 10—Roles in Group Meetings
Objective: To participate in a semiformal group
meeting.
Suggestion: Although these groups are not operating
under formal rules, make sure that students understand the responsibilities of the leader and recorder
and that all participants agree to respect the need for
order.

Activity 13—The Personal Narrative

Objective: To tell a story about a turning point in
one’s life.
Suggestion: Reassure students that you are not
looking for a life-changing moment so much as an
experience that affected their lives in some definable
manner. Modeling an incident from your own life will
give them a sense of what this exercise requires.

1. Answers should indicate students’ ability to offer
suggestions, listen courteously, and accept criticism.
2. Answers should indicate an understanding that
groups rarely reflect the will of the individual.
3. Answers should acknowledge the responsibility of
a group to focus on its goal and achieve its task.

1. Answers should indicate that students understand
the skills involved in crafting an effective personal
narrative.
2. Answers should indicate that students have thoughtfully assimilated feedback from their peers.
3. Answers should reflect an understanding of what
constitutes a good story and what speaking techniques can make an anecdote more interesting.

1. Answers should indicate an understanding that groups
have strengths or weaknesses determined by their individual members and collective self-discipline.
2. Answers should reflect students’ capacity for analysis
and self-evaluation.
3. Answers should reflect an awareness that an
unmoderated group can foster wide-ranging
discussion but may become ineffective if members
do not abide by the rules.

Activity 12—Introductions
Objective: To introduce a historical character to an
audience.
Suggestion: Students who feel that their knowledge
of history is weak may appreciate a brainstorming session. This exercise also works well with characters
from literature.

1. Answers should suggest that a good introduction is
based on a solid groundwork of information.
2. Answers should reflect an awareness of what makes
an introduction effective.
3. Answers should reflect an awareness that an introduction may provide an audience with its first
impression of both the speaker and the person
begin introduced.
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Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Activity 14—Impromptu Speech
Objective: To make an impromptu response to a
challenging question.
Suggestion: Point out that the tall tale is a timehonored form of humor. This is a literary activity, not
one designed to encourage lying!

1. Answers should acknowledge that impromptu
speech involves temperament as well as skill.
2. Answers should indicate that students were listening
actively to the content and delivery of their fellow
students.
3. Answers should reflect an awareness that

impromptu speaking is a useful skill in group
discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and
debates.

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Activity 11—Participating in Groups
Objective: To participate in and to observe a discussion conducted without a chairperson.
Suggestion: Instead of dealing with current affairs,
choose a subject based on students’ reading. This type
of discussion adapts effectively as a means of reviewing issues encountered in literature.


Listening and Speaking Activities
Teacher Notes
Activity 15—The Demonstration Speech
Objective: To give a demonstration speech performing
and explaining a magic trick.
Suggestion: Ask students who own a book of tricks if
they would lend their copies for classroom reference.

1. Answers should reflect the students’ capacity to evaluate their performances and the audience’s reaction.
2. Answers should indicate the importance of practicing with props.
3. Answers should reflect an understanding that
visual aids are most effective when used to illustrate a process that would be difficult to visualize
through speech alone.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Activity 16—Speaking to Inform

Objective: To research, organize, and present a speech
describing cause and effect.
Suggestion: Make sure that students understand
the many degrees of certainty covered by the causeand-effect model. Point out that some theses
(the moon influences the tides) are much more
certain than others (school uniforms increase
student morale).

1. Answers should acknowledge the range of opinion
encompassed by many cause-and-effect statements.
2. Answers should reflect an understanding that delivering an informative speech from notes requires
rehearsal and improvisational skills.
3. Answers should focus on good organization, clear
explanations, and effective delivery.

Activity 18—Storytelling
Objective: To adapt and tell a frightening story.
Suggestion: Remind students that some of the most
frightening stories achieve their effects with subtle
images, description, and suspense. Violence is generally not an ingredient.

1. Answers should reflect an understanding that an
audience’s age and experience will affect all aspects
of storytelling.
2. Answers should reflect an understanding of dramatic
storytelling techniques.
3. Answers should reflect an understanding of the
choices a storyteller must make when adapting a
written story.
Activity 19—Oral Interpretation of Poetry

Objective: To analyze and practice reciting a poem.
Suggestion: Select poems with powerful emotions or
dramatic narratives that will benefit from oral interpretation. Look for interesting rhythms or rhyme patterns and imagery that appeals to the senses.

1. Answers should indicate students’ capacity for selfevaluation and an appreciation of the skills involved
in the recitation of poetry.
2. Answers should suggest that a poem’s effect can be
enhanced by a thoughtful, rehearsed performance.
3. Answers should point out that both the speaker
and the listener can gain greater insight into the
poem when it is interpreted orally.

Activity 17—Speaking to Persuade
Objective: To prepare a persuasive speech and to
perform it on videotape.
Suggestion: Point out that to perform effectively in
front of a camera requires polish. Hesitations,
fumbling with notes, or loss of eye contact are all
unacceptable in a television presentation.

1. Answers should suggest that the on-camera
performances require rehearsal and careful selfassessment.
2. Answers should indicate that students can evaluate
their own performances and assess the elements
contributing to an effective persuasive speech.
3. Answers should focus on the importance of careful
preparation, sound supporting evidence, vivid use
of language, and effective delivery.
Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

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Listening and Speaking Activities
Teacher Notes

1. Answers should reveal an understanding of characterization and some of the skills necessary to create a
believable character on stage.
2. Answers should reflect a capacity for honest
self-evaluation.
3. Answers should reflect an awareness that an oral
interpretation helps bring the selection to life.
Activity 21—Reader’s Theater
Objective: To create and perform an impressionistic
theatrical presentation based on a work of literature.
Suggestion: Encourage students to use all available
space for this activity. Invite them to rearrange seating
in order to facilitate their production.

1. Answers should cast light on the creative process that
shaped students’ productions.
2. Answers should reflect an awareness that oral interpretations provide listeners with new insights.
3. Answers may include such considerations as
expressive reading, creative staging, thoughtfully
chosen excerpts, and careful rehearsing.
Activity 22—Debate I
Objective: To debate the guilt or innocence of a character from literature.
Suggestion: Based on the characters and issues of a
single book, this debating activity can serve as a useful
and entertaining unit review.

1. Answers should suggest that good literature presents
issues and characters that are thought provoking and
relevant to students’ experiences.
2. Answers should establish that students are able to
evaluate their performances with knowledge and
detachment.
3. Answers should reflect an understanding that participating in a debate helps a speaker think and
speak logically and listen critically.

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Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Activity 23—Debate II
Objective: To debate an issue of current affairs.
Suggestion: Have a number of debate topics at hand
to supplement the list that students compile. Discuss
the kinds of evidence students must gather and use to
support their arguments.

1. Answers should indicate an understanding that
debaters must remain emotionally detached when
preparing for and during the debate.
2. Answers should reflect students’ ability to evaluate
the logic of their own arguments.
3. Answers should establish that students are able to
assess their performances with knowledge and
detachment.
Activity 24—Parliamentary Procedure

Objective: To research proposals and to present them
as motions at a parliamentary-style meeting.
Suggestion: This exercise will work best if students
take their proposals seriously. Encourage them to come
up with ideas—social, political, or environmental—
that they sincerely believe will benefit the quality of
life on Earth.

1. Answers should focus on the rewards and challenges
of researching and defending a motion.
2. Answers should reflect an understanding that participants in democratic assemblies must often settle
for less than total satisfaction on the part of each
individual.
3. Answers should indicate that parliamentary procedure is useful for large meetings with a wide range
of opinions. Such rules do not serve much purpose
in small, informal gatherings.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Activity 20—Oral Interpretation of Drama
Objective: To rehearse and perform a dramatic
excerpt.
Suggestion: Make sure students understand that they
won’t be able to interpret their assigned section adequately if they have not read and understood the
entire play.


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

Listening Actively I
Activity
From a textbook or work of literature, choose an interesting excerpt that takes two to three minutes to read
aloud. In a group of three, take turns reading your chosen passages aloud. While one person reads, another
should take notes, and the third person should listen closely without taking notes. Each member will have one
opportunity to read and two opportunities to listen. Each member should take notes on one listening occasion;
on the other, he or she should simply listen.

After each person has finished reading, ask the listeners questions about the excerpt. Did they retain the important facts or message? Discuss the pros and cons of taking notes versus close listening.
Tips
• Read at a natural pace. Emphasize important points with your voice but don’t slow
down to help the person taking notes.

•

When taking notes, write key words or phrases and abbreviate spelling. Writing whole
sentences will prevent you from keeping up with the speaker.

•

Prepare to listen by clearing your mind of other thoughts and by eliminating physical
distractions.

•
•

Shut your eyes while listening if doing so aids concentration.
Whether listening or taking notes, focus on what the reader is saying. Don’t get distracted by nearby groups.

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Questions for Response or Discussion
1. Which form of listening did you prefer? Why was this the case?

2. How did the listeners fare against those taking notes in recalling the material?

3. What would you conclude about the benefits of taking notes versus close listening?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

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Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

Listening Actively II
Activity
Work in a group of five or six students to compose a set of instructions for finding a treasure chest. Include six
to eight detailed steps and feel free to be imaginative. (“In order to find the treasure, climb out your bedroom
window on a nylon rope, hop on your left foot to the old cemetery . . .”) Write your instructions and exchange
them with another group. Appoint one member of your group to be a reader. He or she should read the instructions quietly to another member, who then must repeat them as exactly as possible to a third person. When
everyone has heard the instructions, ask the last person in line to give his or her version to the group. Compare
this with the original, and discuss any steps that were altered or left out along the way. Would you have found
the treasure on the basis of the last version?
Tips
• Make your instructions detailed enough to encourage close and active listening.

•

Use your voice to emphasize key words: Go through the green door. Choose the shovel
with the wooden handle.

•

Give your instructions at a natural pace. Do not stop, repeat yourself, or make up a
new step when you forget one.

•

Visualize the steps as you hear them. When your turn to speak comes, describe the
mental images you created while listening.

2. What did you find most difficult to recall when it was your turn to repeat the instructions?

3. What listening techniques did you find most effective in helping you repeat the instructions?

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Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

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Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How did the final version of your instructions compare with the original? Were you surprised by the outcome? Explain.


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

Listening Critically
Activity
In a group of three or four, think of a product or enterprise that you would like to promote (lipstick, a gas station, or private math tutoring, for example). Write ten promotional statements about your choice. Five of these
should be provable. The other five can be a mixture of opinion and persuasive techniques, such as bandwagon
appeal, loaded language, faulty reasoning, or exaggeration. Write your list and identify each item as follows:

•
•

The students I tutor will score 800 on their SATs. (exaggeration)
I charge $50 an hour. (fact)

Read your list to the class and ask students to identify the types of statements you have made. Did their identification agree with yours? After each group has had a turn, discuss the difficulties involved in evaluating persuasive messages.
Tips
• When composing your claims, recall some of the persuasive techniques advertisers
employ.

•
•

Remember that opinions are often worded to sound like factual statements.

•
•

Numbers or statistics generally indicate that the claim has a factual content.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

•

Listen for generalizations. Everyone drinks
indicate exaggeration rather than fact.

or America’s finest golfers use

Ask this question of every statement: Could you prove that? If the answer is no, the
statement is not a fact.
Some statements may be both factually accurate and misleading. Identify these as
facts, followed by a question mark.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How successful was your group in devising and identifying claims for your product?

2. Were there any disagreements among listeners about how to identify a statement? How were these resolved?

3. Under what circumstances is critical listening a valuable skill?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

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Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

Nonverbal Communication I
Activity
Form a small group and imagine yourselves in the following situation: You have just landed on Mars and have
no way of communicating with the highly intelligent Martians except by means of sign and body language.

Devise a brief introduction, giving the Martians information about human beings and life on Earth. Then think
of a few questions or requests you might make. Rehearse your wordless communication, giving each member
something to say. (Remember to use gestures only.)

Perform your skit for the other students. They should write down what they think you are communicating.
Afterwards, ask them for their translations. Did they understand what you were saying?

•

Remember that in the absence of words, visual signals must be easy to understand.
Exaggerate normal actions, gestures, and facial expressions.

•

As a performer, you may find it easier to use the appropriate movements if you
pretend to be speaking the words you are miming.

•

As an audience member, keep the context in mind. Even if you don’t understand all
the gestures, make educated guesses concerning what these Earthlings might be trying
to communicate.

•

As you observe the performances, try to imagine yourself using the same gestures
or expressions. Putting yourself in another character’s position often increases your
understanding of his or her situation.

Questions for Response or Discussion

1. Which of your statements or questions were the easiest for your audience to interpret? Why do you think this
was the case?

2. Did you enjoy performing without words? Was everyone in your group equally comfortable communicating
nonverbally?

3. Under what circumstances might one need to communicate nonverbally?

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Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Tips
• Create simple, reasonable statements and questions. Don’t confuse the audience with
too much detail.


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

Nonverbal Communication II
Activity
With a partner, watch a brief scene from a movie or television program selected by your teacher. This selection
will be shown to you without sound. Your job will be to guess what the actors are saying by reading their body
language and facial expressions. After watching, exchange ideas with your partner and work together to write a
paragraph summarizing the action as precisely as you can.

Share your summaries with the other students. After everyone has had a turn, watch the same excerpt with the

sound turned up. How many of you guessed correctly? Discuss the skills involved in interpreting body language.
Tips
• Watch the actors’ mouths to detect whether they are speaking slowly or rapidly, loudly
or softly. These details may help you understand their emotions.

•

Some messages are conveyed very simply: hands on hips may represent anger; a
bowed head may signify guilt.

•

Don’t overlook the importance of facial expression in communication. Our faces generally reinforce our words.

•

Look for even the slightest gesture—the flick of a head or the movement of a hand—
as a key to what is occurring.

•

In your summaries, first describe what you are fairly certain is happening. Then make
some educated guesses concerning the details.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How well did you and your partner interpret the scene? What did you find easiest? What was most
challenging?

2. What were the principal differences between the summaries each pair presented? Why did these differences
occur?

3. Why is it important to be attuned to people’s nonverbal communication? How can nonverbal communication sometimes be more honest than verbal communication?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

5


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

Telephone Communication
Activity
With three or four other students, think of a suitable subject for a conference telephone call in which you could
all participate. Ideas might include the following:

•
•
•

friends trying to agree upon a weekend activity
students making arrangements for a school dance
classmates organizing a community service project for Town Pride Day

Spend a few minutes discussing the issues or ideas your call will involve. If necessary, assign roles. (Who is initiating
this call? Is one of the speakers indecisive? Is one of the speakers backing an unpopular course of action?)
Perform your conference call for the class. Sit in a circle facing outwards so that you cannot see each others’
faces. Listeners should take mental note of how the conversation is conducted. Did all the callers participate?

Were there awkward pauses or misunderstandings? After each group has had a chance to perform, discuss the
specific skills involved in telephone communication.
Tips
• Speak clearly, so that your partners and observers can hear you.

•

Remember that the people you are speaking to cannot see your face. Your tone of
voice and choice of words are crucial in making a good impression.

•
•

Take turns. Two people speaking at one time causes confusion.

If one person has been silent, invite him or her to contribute.
Try to reach some consensus. At the end of the conversation, make sure all callers are
on the same wavelength. (“So we’re all agreed that . . .”)

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. What challenges were involved in talking to people you couldn’t see? How did you deal with them?

2. How did speaking on a conference call compare to a telephone call with a single person?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of communicating only by telephone?

6

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

•
•

If you feel that someone else is dominating the conversation, politely interrupt.
(“Excuse me, may I add something here?”)


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

Interviewing
Activity
As a class, choose two fictional characters from a novel, short story, or play that you have read and know well.
Then divide the class into an even number of small groups. Half of the groups should adopt one character to
focus on, and the other half of the groups should adopt the second character. In your group, prepare for both
sides of an interview. Review what makes your adopted character interesting or mysterious. Write a list of questions that will draw out interesting information about the other character (whom you will interview). Now each
group member should pair up with someone who adopted the other character. Take turns interviewing each
other. Feel free to make up information for questions the literature does not answer.

After the interview, report back to your original group. What questions that you asked drew the most interesting
response? What were you asked that invited you to reveal something significant about your adopted character?

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Tips
• When writing interview questions, think about what the author leaves unanswered.
Try to find out what makes the character you are interviewing tick.

•

Although you are pretending to be a fictional character, play your role realistically, as
if it were perfectly natural for him or her to be interviewed.

•

Ask open-ended questions that require thoughtful answers. (How and why questions
are often successful.) Questions requiring one-word or yes/no answers don’t allow the
interviewee to elaborate.

•

Establish eye contact at the beginning and maintain it regularly throughout the
interview.

•

Leave room for spontaneity. The interviewee’s response to a question may lead to
some interesting follow-up questions.

•

Move on to another question if the interviewee seems confused or uncomfortable.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. Which of your group’s questions produced the most interesting information? Why might this have been so?

2. If you were conducting the interview again, what other questions would you ask?

3. As interviewee, did any of the questions surprise you? Why? How did you respond?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

7


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

The Job Interview
Activity
Imagine that you are looking for summer work when you come across the following mystery ad:

Intelligent, personable young man or woman (16–18) wanted for July and August. Excellent salary. No special skills
required. Must enjoy being outdoors.
You immediately decide to apply.
As a class, brainstorm a list of questions that an applicant for this job might be asked. Copy the questions from this
list that you think are most likely to reveal the personality of the job applicant. Then find a partner and interview
each other using the questions you copied. As interviewer, your aim is to encourage the applicant to be himself or
herself. As applicant, you wish to prove yourself intelligent and personable.
When everyone has had a turn, discuss with the class the skills involved in making a good impression at a job
interview.
Tips
• As interviewer, choose a variety of open-ended questions, giving the applicant a
chance to be both thoughtful and spontaneous.

Greet the applicant by name and with a firm handshake.
As applicant, establish eye contact. Sit in a straight but relaxed position. Do not fidget,
and keep your hands still.

•

Be confident and enthusiastic. Look for opportunities to prove why you are the right
person for the job.

•
•
•

Answer questions accurately but don’t ramble or pad your answers with nervous chatter.
If you need to, take time to think about a question before responding.
Have confidence in who you are. Be yourself.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How challenging did you find being yourself for this interview? Explain.

2. What impressed you most about the person you interviewed?

3. What speaking and listening skills are most likely to contribute to a positive job interview?

8

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

•
•

Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

Brainstorming
Activity
As a class, think of four or five topics that are likely to generate ideas in a brainstorming session. Choose topics
such as “the world in 2100,” “how to succeed in life,” or “the best pets,” to which everyone can make a contribution. Create a station for each of these topics in a different part of the room by writing the heading on the board
or on a large sheet of paper. Then form into as many groups as there are stations. Each group will start at a station and appoint a scribe to rapidly write words and phrases associated with the topic. Encourage everyone in
your group to contribute ideas. After one or two minutes—at a signal from your teacher—move around the
room to another station. Appoint a new scribe and start brainstorming on that topic. Keep moving from station
to station until the flow of ideas begins to slow down. You might work at the same station more than once.

Have a look at the ideas this exercise generated. How many of them would you have thought of by yourself?
Tips
• At each new station, quickly review what other groups have written. Their ideas may
generate new thoughts for you.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

•
•
•

Keep your ideas brief. Key words or phrases are often enough to convey your intentions.
Create as many ideas as possible at each station. Don’t let the scribe stop writing.
Brainstorming is a time for creating ideas, not for analyzing or evaluating them. Every
idea is a good one.

•

As a scribe, write swiftly. Don’t worry about spelling or punctuation. Brainstorming is
about ideas, not details.

•

Be spontaneous. Don’t think that you have to stick to your original topic. Feel free to
start afresh as new ideas interest the group.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How was working with a team different from working on your own?

2. Did everyone in your group participate equally? Were some members more comfortable than others?
Describe how your group functioned.

3. What are some situations in which brainstorming would be useful? If you were directing a brainstorming
session, what rules would you set?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

9


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

Roles in Group Meetings
Activity
Form a group with five or six other students. Appoint a leader, a recorder, and a spokesperson. Those without
official positions will be active participants. Your assignment is to share ideas and vote upon the qualities of The

Ideal Summer Home. Your leader will invite you to consider aspects such as location, style, size, color, facilities,
and any other features that would make this place perfect for a vacation. (Limit your discussion to a home that
one family could maintain. You do not have servants!) Vote on issues as they arise. The recorder should take note
of your decisions.

When you have finished your discussion, assist the recorder in writing a paragraph describing the summer home
that the majority of you favor. The spokesperson should read the paragraph to the class. After all groups have
had a turn, discuss the problems and rewards of achieving group decisions.
Tips
• Allow the chairperson to select the speaker—even if you are bursting to say something.

•

If the chairperson is allowing the discussion to wander, keep it on track by making
sure that your comments are focused on the topic.

•

Make a point of inviting quieter members to share their ideas. In such small groups,
everyone’s participation is essential.

•
•

Visualizing your summer home may help you come up with proposals.

Remember that you have a goal to achieve. If it is clear you are in the minority, give
way graciously.

Questions for Response or Discussion

1. Describe your role in the group. Were you more frequently in the majority or the minority? How did you feel
about this?

2. How did the summer home your group approved compare to a place you would have described if working
individually?

3. On a scale of one (poor) to ten (excellent), give your group a grade. Explain your choice.

10

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

•

Don’t be afraid to respectfully disagree. People may prefer your ideas when you have
aired them.


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

Participating in Groups
Activity
As a class, select a topic of current interest about which most of you have something to say. (For example, How to
improve public education, Steps to save the environment.) Spend a few minutes making notes of your own ideas
on the chosen topic. Then divide the class into two equal groups and arrange your desks in two circles, one inside
the other. The first group, sitting in the inner circle, will discuss the issue. There will be no chairperson and no
recorder. You may speak when you feel it is appropriate, either offering ideas of your own or responding to something that has been said. Only one person may speak at a time. While this discussion is going on, the second

group should silently observe and listen. After a set time determined by your teacher, the two groups should
exchange seats, allowing the second group, now on the inside, to continue the discussion.

When both groups have served as speakers and observers, discuss the experience of participating in a selfregulated group discussion.
Tips
• Wait for a suitable turn to speak. Without a chairperson, your discussion depends
upon the courtesy and good judgment of the members.

•
•
•
•
•

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

•

Avoid personal arguments. Criticize ideas, not people.
Speak up when you have something to say but don’t dominate the proceedings.
Express your opinions, even if you feel others may not agree with them.
If there is tension in the group, relieve it by asking people to clarify their differences.
Listen to what others have to say and refer back when possible: “As
earlier. . . .”

was saying

As observers, watch critically for what makes a successful discussion.

Questions for Response or Discussion

1. How successful were the discussions? Was each group equally effective?

2. How would you assess your own role in the group? In a future discussion would you participate differently?
Why or why not?

3. What advantages are there to unmoderated discussions of this sort? What are the disadvantages?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

11


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

Introductions
Activity
Choose a historical character who interests you and take brief notes on his or her principal achievements. Then
imagine that you are a television talk show host introducing a very special guest—your character! Create a lively,
light-hearted introduction for this person, including several highlights from his or her biography, but do not
inform your audience who the person is until the very end. (For example, you could being with: “My next guest
is a truly remarkable young woman, who wants you to know that she doesn’t speak English very well.” Then
describe her principal achievements. Finally, introduce her: “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Miss Joan of
Arc!”)

In a small group, take turns rehearsing your introductions. Take advice from your peers on how to polish your
performance. Then introduce your character to the class. After you call out the name of your guest, another
member of your group will come forward and introduce his or her historical figure.
Tips
• Sound enthusiastic. Convince your audience that they really want to meet this person.

•
•

Stay serious. Even if members of your “studio” audience laugh, keep a straight face.
Tantalize your audience by bringing up a variety of fascinating facts before naming
your guest.

•

If your featured guest means a lot to you, personalize your introduction by explaining
why.

•

Write brief notes on index cards if you are uncertain of facts or the order of your
remarks. Glance at your cards and look up. Never read from them. You’re on television!

2. What was successful about your introduction? How would you improve it for another occasion?

3. How can something as simple as an introduction have an impact on an audience?

12

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. Did introducing a historical character make this exercise particularly challenging for you? Explain.

Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

The Personal Narrative
Activity
Recall a turning point in your life—perhaps when a sibling was born or a loved one died, when you passed your
driving test or started a weekend job, when you learned that you were good at math, or when you discovered that
all people are pretty much the same. Think about the ways in which this experience has changed you, and ways in
which you have remained unchanged. Try to remember as many details as possible. Did you even understand how
important the experience was when it happened?

Tell your story to a small group. Try to make your listeners see and feel your experience. Afterwards, ask for comments. What did they enjoy most about your narrative? What made them curious? What confused them? Most
important, did you succeed in making your audience understand the significance of the occasion?

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Tips
• When searching for a suitable subject, recall moments that made a difference in your
life. A turning point does not necessarily mean a 180-degree change in direction; five
degrees also represents a turn.

•

Use precise details and vivid language. By recreating your experience as fully as possible, you will encourage your audience to share your feelings.

•

How you tell your narrative may be as important as what you say. Let your voice reflect

your excitement or fear. Change the speed of your delivery as the narrative suggests.

•

Keep your narrative focused on what made this experience a turning point. Avoid
irrelevant details.

•

Be a good listener when your turn comes. Encourage the speaker by staying alert and
interested.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How challenging was it to find a suitable subject? Was putting your experience into words difficult for you?
Explain.

2. How did your listeners respond to your narrative? Did you agree with their comments? Why or why not?

3. How would you define the qualities of a good personal narrative?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

13


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

Impromptu Speech
Activity

With a partner, compose two questions that ask for an explanation of some natural phenomenon. Think along
the following lines:

•
•

What causes earthquakes?
Why are there no mountains in the Midwest?

Now join another pair of students and take turns asking each other questions and making unrehearsed replies.
Your aim is to answer the question with a fanciful, entertaining, and almost believable explanation. See if you
can stretch your tall tale to as long as one minute.
When everyone has had a chance to improvise, encourage your group’s most convincing impromptu speaker to
field a question from the rest of the class.
Tips
• Even though your explanation isn’t true, tell it with a sincere tone and a straight face.

•

Details will make your story more believable. “A dog named Bella—she was the biggest
and laziest St. Bernard you’ve ever seen—just lay down plop in the middle of the country, flattening the land under her.”

•
•

In any speech, eye contact is important. When telling a tall tale, eye contact is essential!
If necessary, take a few moments to think before talking. Repeating the question is not
a convincing way to start a tall tale.

2. What made some responses more believable than others?

3. Why is impromptu speaking an important skill? When would the ability to speak off the cuff come in handy?
What communication skills does impromptu speaking help you sharpen?

14

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. Did you find this activity difficult? Why or why not?


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

The Demonstration Speech
Activity
Think of a magic trick or card trick that you are able to perform and prepare a demonstration speech—first
performing the trick, then explaining how it is done. (If you’re not a magician, you will find that the library has
books on the subject.) The material required to perform your trick may be all you need in the way of visual aids.
If necessary, however, prepare an illustration to help your audience understand the process.

At the end of your demonstration, invite a volunteer from the audience to try the trick. How successfully did
you teach your lesson?
Tips
• Choose a trick that anyone can learn rather than one requiring special skills.

•

Rehearse your trick thoroughly beforehand. Practicing in front of a mirror will help
you coordinate your performance.

•
•

Perform your trick at a natural pace. Your aim is to mislead your audience.

•

When explaining the trick, break your demonstration into simple steps. If necessary,
outline the process on a note card.
Make sure that the audience has a good view of your visual aids. If showing a card,
hold it up so that everyone can identify it.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How would you evaluate your own demonstration? Which part was more effective, the trick or the explanation? Why was this so?

2. How did working with props affect your speech? Did they help you focus and organize your demonstration?
Explain.

3. Why do you think visual aids are effective tools in public speaking? Should they be used on every speaking
occasion? Explain why or why not.

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

15

Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date ............................

Speaking to Inform
Activity
Think of situations in which one event occurs as the result of another. You can find cause-and-effect
relationships just about anywhere you look:

•
•
•

Science: The earth’s plates slowly move against each other, causing earthquakes.
Music: Country-western meets the blues to create rock-and-roll.
Health: The evidence continues to accumulate that smoking causes cancer.

Choose a cause-and-effect relationship that interests you and prepare a speech about five minutes long to give to
your classmates. Research your subject and select the material that best supports your thesis. (See Unit 23 of
your text for further information on research methods.) Organize your supporting evidence on note cards that
you can refer to while you speak. Rehearse your speech several times before delivering it to the class. After speaking, ask your audience for any questions about the material you presented.
Tips
• Organize your speech around a thesis statement—a clear statement of your main
idea. This statement is often included in an introductory paragraph.

•

Remember that experts often disagree about why things happen. Acknowledge any
significant disagreement and present the best evidence for your thesis.

•

Connect your ideas by using transitional words or phrases, including as a result, therefore, consequently, due to, and because.

•
•
•

Make simple notes, using key words and phrases that will jog your memory at a glance.
Number your note cards or connect them with a key ring to keep them in order.

•

Speak clearly and with appropriate expression. The most interesting information can
be lost when the delivery is inaudible or monotonous.

•

As a listener, evaluate the speaker’s organization, content, and delivery. Did you learn
something? Did the speaker keep you interested?

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. While researching, what challenges to your thesis did you encounter? How did you deal with them?

2. Describe your experience of working from note cards. Do you feel you presented your material successfully?

3. What did you notice about other speeches that you considered most effective?

16

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Rehearse in front of a mirror, maintaining eye contact with your reflection and only
glancing down briefly at your notes.


Listening and Speaking Activities
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................... Date .............................

Speaking to Persuade
Activity
Imagine that High Scene, a television program aimed at young people and featuring teenage reporters, has asked
you to present a two-minute editorial on an issue affecting high school students. Choose a subject about which
you feel strongly—standardized testing, length of the school year, dress codes, homework, cafeteria food—and
create your case. What facts or statistics can you find to support your opinion? What examples? What logic can
you apply to persuade your audience? Rehearse your speech thoroughly. High Scene does not allow its reporters
to read their speeches. (Working from notes only, according to the producers, creates a spontaneous, youthful
atmosphere.)

Have one of your classmates record your editorial on videotape. Present your tape to the class and discuss the
results. Will High Scene take you on as a permanent member of staff?

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Tips
• Make sure that you state your opinion clearly in your introduction.

•

Try grabbing your listeners’ attention from the beginning with a bold opinion, an
interesting quote, or a provocative question.

•
•
•
•
•
•

Active, vivid language helps reinforce your argument.
Speak expressively. Allow your tone of voice to reflect your opinion.
Engage in eye-contact with the camera. You will appear to be looking at the viewers.
Memorize important passages in order to avoid hesitation.
Rehearse with your notes taped to a mirror.
Compose notes—key words and phrases—in large print on sheets of paper. A partner
can hold these up behind the camera, allowing you to engage in eye contact with your
audience.

Questions for Response or Discussion
1. How did performing in front of a camera influence your delivery?

2. How well, do you feel, did you get your opinions across to your audience? How would you change your
presentation on another occasion?

3. How did the most successful persuasive speeches compare with each other?

Listening and Speaking Activities, Grade 11

17