Games for Listening Skills

Listening With Distractions Game

The second game is played with a large group. It's best executed without informing the group what the objective is. Simply explain that you will read a story (any story will do). Give people on the left side of the room a task. For example, ask some of them to count now many times you say the word "and," and ask others to count the number of times you smile. Give people on the right side of the room no task at all, except to listen. Next, read the story. When you have finished, ask each group member to write down answers to three questions about your story. You will find that the people who were distracted by a task may not answer the questions as easily as those who were listening without tasks. Discuss how difficult it was for people to pay attention when they were not focused on the message itself.

Feedback Game

This game will take some preparation beforehand. Ask people to each prepare a small presentation on a debatable issue using three to five focus points. Now have the group members partner up. Ask Person 1 to make her presentation to her partner. When she is through, the partner must give feedback, either positive or negative. Person 1 has the opportunity to change her message based on the feedback. Next, have everyone switch partners, and Person 1 delivers her presentation again to a new partner. Discuss with the group how feedback changed their messages and made them either more efficient or more garbled.