Hear, Check, Speak, Advocate

Overview

Ava practises listening in a quiet, structured setting and applies strategies for successful communication. The lesson builds from a personal listening check to auditory training, clear communication, and self-advocacy, while supporting French oral interaction and reflection.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• listen for key words and details in spoken French.
• use strategies to confirm and repair communication.
• communicate a message clearly using an appropriate volume, pace, and visual support.
• explain and practise how to advocate for hearing-access needs.

Success criteria

• I can identify what I heard and ask for clarification when needed.
• I can use a strategy such as moving closer, reducing background noise, or asking for repetition.
• I can communicate a message clearly and check that it was understood.
• I can respectfully explain what helps me hear and participate.

Curriculum links

• Intégration linguistique, scolaire et sociale: Communiquer oralement en français in varied situations.
• Intégration linguistique, scolaire et sociale: develop listening, interaction, vocabulary, and communication-repair strategies.
• Culture and Citizenship in Québec: self-awareness and construction of identity; relationships between people.
• Québec Education Program cross-curricular learning: communicate appropriately and use effective working methods.

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and listening check. Teacher greets Ava face-to-face, checks that her hearing aid is comfortable and working, and opens the welcome and listening-check slides. Say: “Bonjour Ava. Est-ce que tu m’entends bien? Le son est-il confortable? Veux-tu que je parle plus lentement, que je me rapproche ou que je répète?” Complete the check in a quiet room, without testing the hearing aid beyond normal classroom routines. Ava responds using speech, gesture, or the worksheet scale: “Oui, je t’entends bien,” “Le son est trop fort,” or “Peux-tu répéter, s’il te plaît?”

2. 5–12 min · Teach listening strategies. Teacher displays the communication-strategies slides and models each strategy: face the speaker, reduce noise, move to a better listening position, ask for repetition, ask for rephrasing, and repeat the important information. Say: “Un bon auditeur ne devine pas toujours. Il utilise une stratégie.” Ask: “Que peux-tu dire si tu n’as pas entendu?” and “Pourquoi est-il utile de vérifier?” Ava chooses two strategies and practises the sentence frames: “Peux-tu répéter, s’il te plaît?” and “J’ai entendu ___; est-ce exact?”

3. 12–21 min · Auditory training: key-word detective. Teacher tells Ava that she will hear short French sentences containing one important word. Face Ava, maintain a natural pace, and show the visual instructions in the key-word detective activity. Read one sentence at a time, then ask: “Quel est le mot important?” Use age-appropriate sentences such as: “Le renard traverse la forêt,” “Le ballon rouge est sous la chaise,” and “Mardi, nous visitons la bibliothèque.” After each response, ask: “Qu’est-ce qui t’a aidée?” If Ava misses a word, first invite a strategy: “Quelle stratégie peux-tu utiliser?” Repeat, rephrase, or provide two written choices; do not increase volume excessively. Ava records the key word and indicates whether she heard it independently, with repetition, or with a visual choice on the listening and communication practice sheet.

4. 21–29 min · Communication repair role-play. Teacher uses the role-play instruction and prompt slides and deliberately creates three manageable communication situations: speaking while slightly turned away, giving a two-step instruction, and introducing a new topic. After each, pause and ask: “As-tu reçu tout le message?” Ava practises an appropriate repair phrase: “Je n’ai pas entendu le dernier mot,” “Peux-tu parler face à moi?” “Peux-tu dire cela autrement?” or “Peux-tu écrire le mot?” Repeat the exchange until the message is understood. Ava then gives the teacher one instruction, checks understanding, and records the strategy used on the listening and communication practice sheet.

5. 29–36 min · Advocacy skills. Teacher displays the self-advocacy sentence-starter slides and explains: “L’auto-représentation, c’est expliquer respectueusement ce dont tu as besoin pour participer.” Model a short request: “J’entends mieux quand tu me regardes et quand la classe est calme. Peux-tu répéter la consigne?” Discuss when Ava might use it: during group work, in a noisy room, or when instructions are given from across the room. Ava completes and rehearses: “Pour bien participer, j’ai besoin de ___.” Then practise a scenario: “La classe devient bruyante et tu n’entends pas la consigne. Que peux-tu dire?” Ava makes the request, and the teacher responds positively: “Merci de me le dire. Voici comment je peux t’aider.”

6. 36–40 min · Review and exit response. Teacher returns to the review and exit slides and asks: “Quelle stratégie vas-tu utiliser cette semaine?” and “Quelle phrase peux-tu utiliser si tu n’entends pas?” Ava completes the final reflection on the listening and communication practice sheet and gives an oral answer. Finish by asking: “De quoi es-tu fière aujourd’hui?” Confirm one strategy to practise in the next class.

Resources

• the listening, strategy, practice, and review slide deck
• the listening and communication practice sheet
• Ava’s hearing aid and usual care equipment
• Quiet teaching space with a clear line of sight
• Two chairs positioned for face-to-face communication
• Pencil and optional highlighter
• Written keywords or two-choice visual supports
• Familiar classroom objects for short instructions

Assessment

• During the listening check, note Ava’s comfort, preferred position, and whether she independently reports difficulty.
• During auditory training and role-play, record whether Ava identifies key information and selects an effective repair strategy.
• Use the final response to check whether Ava can state one listening strategy and one respectful advocacy phrase.

Differentiation

• Seat Ava so that her better listening position and the teacher’s face are clearly visible; keep the room quiet and avoid speaking while facing away.
• Present one message at a time, pause between ideas, and pair spoken language with written keywords or visual choices without requiring lip-reading.
• Accept spoken, written, signed, or gestured responses, and allow extra processing time and repetition.
• For added challenge, Ava can give a two-step instruction, explain why a strategy works, or adapt her advocacy request for a noisy group activity.