It seems like recently I keep hearing about studies and reading articles that show how modern kids’ attention spans are shrinking. Let’s be honest, adults struggle with this too! But all hope is not lost; today I want to explain all about ‘Guided Listening’ and how it can lengthen attention span, exercise critical thinking, and help students practice discussion skills.
What you’ll find in this blog post:
- The sandwich method for teaching Guided Listening
- My top ten questions to use with any recording
- Key benefits of using this activity with your kids
Guided Listening: What, Why, and How
You’re probably already familiar with the term reading comprehension in teaching. After students read a story or passage, they answer questions that allows the teacher to gauge understanding. I like to think about Guided Listening in a similar way. Kids are given the opportunity to hear a piece of music multiple times, and then answer related discussion questions.
I do prefer to use instrumental music (no vocals) and ideally a solo instrument rather than an ensemble. This helps the listener focus on a single sound source and makes it easier to identify changes in the music.
A good listening activity should follow what I call “the sandwich method.” This means:
First listen – just listen, no talking, no distractions. Let the music speak for itself.
Discussion – after the first listen, pose some questions and let kids share their thoughts.
Second listen – listen again, this time with the discussion questions in mind. Kids will likely pick up on things they missed the first time.
This sandwich approach allows kids to be better listeners because they know they’ll have a chance to hear it again. It also helps them develop critical thinking skills as they compare their first and second impressions.
My top 10 Guided Listening questions
These are my go-to questions that work with just about any recording. Feel free to pick and choose!
- What instrument(s) do you hear?
- Did the music stay at the same speed, or did it change?
- Was the music smooth or choppy?
- Imagine you are the musician performing this piece. How does your body move while you play?
- Of these instruments would you most like to play, and which one would you find the most difficult to play?
- What does a musician have to do to create high and low pitches on this particular instrument?
- How would you describe the mood of this music?
- Did you notice any changes in the dynamics (volume)?
- If you were to conduct this piece, what would your arm motions look like?
- If you attended a live performance of this song, where would you want to sit and why?
Here’s a couple of ways you can extend the Guided Listening activity:
For younger kids – you can have them draw or paint a picture while they listen. See what the music reminds them of.
For older kids – you can have them write a musical critique that can be a mixture of facts and opinions about the song.
Key Benefits of Guided Listening
As you make this a regular activity in your teaching repertoire, you will notice that your kids develop a better attention span. Maybe at first they could only listen to 30 seconds of a piece before wiggling or zoning out, but over time they’ll be able to sit through longer and longer pieces. It’s like a muscle that gets stronger with practice.
Kids will also develop their discussion skills. They learn to articulate their opinions, back up their ideas with evidence from the music, and do it in a respectful way. And it’s perfectly fine to have a different opinion from someone else.
Guided Listening is a great method for gauging your students’ musical knowledge. And last, but not least, this activity is adaptable for all ages!
Want to learn more about Guided Listening and find out some of the recordings I like to use? Check out this YouTube video from Morning Basket Music.