Listening With Respect

Overview

Lesson 4 of 10 in Our Place, Our Stories. Students prepare and conduct a short interview with a whānau member, kaumātua, community member, or environmental expert, then organise key information in a mind map or note-making template. For younger students, use a teacher or invited adult interview; older students can work in pairs with greater independence.

Learning intentions

• WALT plan respectful questions for a community interview.
• WALT listen actively for key ideas and useful details.
• WALT record keywords under clear headings.
• WALT show cultural respect when gathering and sharing someone’s story.

Success criteria

• I can write purposeful, open questions.
• I can listen without interrupting and ask a relevant follow-up question.
• I can record keywords, not every word, under useful headings.
• I can represent a speaker’s ideas accurately and respectfully.

Curriculum links

• Oral language: participating in discussions, asking questions, listening attentively, and responding appropriately.
• Writing: selecting, organising, and recording ideas for a clear purpose and audience.
• Speaking, writing, and presenting: using language thoughtfully to communicate experiences and information.
• Key competencies: managing self, relating to others, participating and contributing, and thinking.
• Te ao Māori and local curriculum: valuing whakapapa, manaakitanga, diverse community knowledge, and respectful relationships with people and place.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 minutes – Connect to purpose and prior knowledge Open with the hook and learning intention slides. Display a photo or brief scenario of a young person listening to a community story. Ask: “What makes an interview respectful?” and “Why might someone’s memories or knowledge be important?” Co-construct two or three listening agreements, such as asking permission, not interrupting, and checking meaning.

2. 7–17 minutes – Explore strong questions Use the question examples and sorting prompt to compare closed questions (“Did you live here?”) with open, purposeful questions (“What changes have you noticed in this place?”). Model question stems including “What…?”, “How…?”, “Why…?”, “Can you tell me about…?” and “What would you like young people to understand?” Students improve two weak questions independently or with a partner. Younger students may choose from stems; older students should explain the purpose of each question.

3. 17–27 minutes – Model active listening and note-making Conduct a short teacher demonstration or play a prepared 60–90 second statement from the guest. Think aloud: maintain attention, identify the main idea, notice important details, and record keywords rather than full sentences. Show how to organise notes under headings such as Person and connection, Place, Changes, Important knowledge, and Message for us. Distribute the interview planning and note-making sheet. Students practise recording three to five keywords from the demonstration. Provide replay or repetition where needed.

4. 27–35 minutes – Prepare the interview In pairs, students select four to six questions and add one possible follow-up question. They rehearse greeting the speaker, introducing themselves, asking permission to take notes or record audio, and thanking the speaker. Use the interview steps and respectful language slide to remind students that a speaker may choose not to answer a question.

5. 35–48 minutes – Conduct the interview Welcome the invited speaker, or use a teacher, support person, video, or recorded interview if a guest is unavailable. Pairs take turns as interviewer and note-maker; for younger students, an adult can scribe or support the questioning. Students use the interview planning and note-making sheet to record keywords under headings. Pause midway for students to check: “What is the most important idea so far?” and ask one relevant follow-up question.

6. 48–56 minutes – Organise and interpret information Students turn their notes into a simple mind map or complete the final section of the worksheet. They circle the speaker’s main idea and add two supporting details. Invite pairs to compare notes, identify any unclear information, and mark questions they would need to check before sharing publicly. Older students can identify change, causes, impacts, or differing viewpoints.

7. 56–60 minutes – Share and reflect Return to the reflection and plenary slide. Invite two or three students to share one learning point, without sharing private information or attributing comments without permission. Students complete: “One respectful interviewing choice I made was…” and “One important idea I heard was…”. Thank the speaker formally and explain how the information will be used in the next lesson.

Resources

• the complete interview lesson deck
• the interview planning and note-making sheet
• A pre-arranged whānau member, kaumātua, community member, or environmental expert
• Backup teacher, recorded statement, or short video interview
• Pencils, clipboards, and coloured pens
• Optional device for audio recording, with explicit permission
• Whiteboard for co-constructed listening agreements
• Quiet seating arranged so students can see and hear the speaker

Assessment

• Observe whether students ask purposeful questions, listen without interrupting, and use appropriate greetings and thanks.
• Check worksheets or mind maps for accurate keywords organised under headings, including a clear main idea and supporting detail.
• Use the final reflection to assess students’ understanding of cultural respect, permission, confidentiality, and responsible sharing.

Differentiation

• Provide question stems, picture cues, word banks, rehearsal time, and a partially completed note-making template.
• Allow students to draw, use labelled diagrams, dictate notes to an adult, or make audio notes where appropriate. Replay or repeat the speaker’s response.
• Pair students strategically and provide adult support for reading, writing, hearing, communication, attention, or anxiety needs. Offer a quiet observation role before expecting students to interview.
• For Years 1–4, use two or three questions, oral retelling, drawings, and simple headings. For Years 5–8, expect follow-up questions, precise keywords, source checking, and consideration of differing perspectives.
• Extension: students synthesise information from two speakers and identify agreement, disagreement, changes, causes, and impacts. They can draft a short paragraph explaining which ideas are most significant and why.