What pre – listening activities would you do before playing the story to the learners?

When preparing for a pre-listening activity before playing a story to learners, it is important to consider their diverse language backgrounds, as well as their cultural and educational needs. Here are some pre-listening activities that can help engage learners and create a supportive learning environment:

1. Activating Prior Knowledge: Begin by discussing the topic of the story with the learners. Ask them questions related to the theme or subject matter of the story to activate their prior knowledge. For example, if the story is about animals, you can ask questions like, "What animals do you know?" or "Tell me about your favorite animal."
2. Vocabulary Building: Introduce key vocabulary words that may appear in the story. Present the words with visual aids or real objects to help learners understand their meanings. Engage the learners in activities such as matching pictures with words or playing vocabulary games like charades.
3. Predicting and Guessing: Encourage learners to make predictions about the story based on the title, illustrations, or initial sentences. Ask questions like, "What do you think will happen in the story?" or "Who do you think the main character will be?" This helps activate their imagination and curiosity, making them more engaged in the story.
4. Story Elements: Introduce the different elements of a story, such as characters, setting, and plot. Show pictures or use real objects to represent these elements. For example, display pictures of different characters or objects related to the story and ask learners to describe them or guess their roles in the story.
5. Cultural Connections: Explore the cultural aspects of the story that may be relevant to the learners. Discuss cultural traditions, customs, or experiences that are related to the story. This helps learners connect their own experiences and backgrounds to the content of the story, making it more meaningful and relatable.
6. Pre-teaching Difficult Concepts: Identify any challenging or unfamiliar concepts that might appear in the story. Pre-teach those concepts by providing simple explanations, visual aids, or examples. Break down complex ideas into smaller, more manageable parts to ensure learners have a better understanding before listening to the story.
7. Group Discussions: Divide learners into small groups and assign them specific roles, such as discussion leader, note-taker, or spokesperson. Provide each group with a set of discussion questions related to the story. This encourages collaborative learning, critical thinking, and active participation.
8. Language Support: Since the learners at Nadima Primary School have diverse language backgrounds, it is essential to provide language support to ensure their comprehension. Consider providing translated versions of the story in their home languages, if available. Use visuals, gestures, and body language to aid comprehension. Encourage peer-to-peer support, where learners with stronger English skills can help their peers who are still developing their language proficiency.
9. Multicultural Awareness: Foster an environment of respect, understanding, and appreciation for different cultures within the classroom. Encourage learners to share aspects of their own culture, traditions, or stories with their peers. This promotes cultural exchange and creates a sense of inclusivity and belonging.
10. Pre-listening Tasks: Assign pre-listening tasks that are related to the story. These tasks can be in the form of puzzles, quizzes, or short writing assignments that require learners to think about the topic or vocabulary associated with the story. This helps prepare them mentally and linguistically for the listening activity.

Remember to adapt these activities based on the learners' age, language proficiency, and cultural backgrounds. By incorporating these pre-listening activities, you can create an engaging and inclusive learning experience for the learners at Nadima Primary School.