Key Stage 1 English · Spoken language

KS1 listening and conversation skills: a guide for parents

In Years 1 and 2, spoken language is part of the English curriculum alongside reading and writing, even though it leaves little trace in an exercise book. Children learn to listen to adults and classmates and respond sensibly, to ask questions that help them understand more, to pick up and use new words, and to stay with a conversation: taking turns, sticking to the subject and joining in. These habits sit underneath everything else they do in class.

Listening and joining in conversations, explained

Listening in school means more than keeping quiet. A child who is listening well looks towards the speaker, waits until they have finished, and then does something that shows they understood: answers the question that was actually asked, follows an instruction with two parts, or adds a comment that fits. Teachers model this all day. Many classes use “talk partners”: children turn to the person next to them, one talks while the other listens, then they swap. Pair talk gives every child a turn, not only the ones who put a hand up.

Asking questions is taught directly. Young children often make a statement when they are invited to ask something (told “You can ask our visitor a question about her dog”, a child says “I’ve got a dog at home”), or ask something that has nothing to do with the topic. Teachers introduce the question words (who, what, where, when, why and how) and invite questions after a story, a visitor or a classmate’s news. The aim is a relevant question that helps the child understand more, such as “What does a tadpole eat?” after a talk about frogs.

Building vocabulary starts from the child’s own world and feelings: things in the classroom, what they did at the weekend, how it feels when something is unfair. When a new word turns up in a story, a teacher might stop, say it together, give a child-friendly meaning, show a picture or an action, and ask children to use it in a sentence of their own. Children are also taught to ask “What does that word mean?”, which is a vocabulary strategy in itself. A word usually needs to be heard and used several times, in different places, before it becomes the child’s own.

Joining in a conversation means staying on the subject, taking turns, starting a comment and responding to someone else’s. Schools teach this in pairs, small groups and with the whole class, and often agree simple rules with the children, such as one voice at a time. Quiet children are not necessarily struggling; many just need to rehearse an answer with a partner first. If you are concerned about your child’s speech, or how much they understand, tell the class teacher, who can involve the school’s special educational needs coordinator or a speech and language service.

These skills are part of the National Curriculum for every year from 1 to 6 and are taught across the whole day, in maths, science and play as well as English lessons. There is no national test of them at this age, so teachers judge progress by listening. The payoff is practical: a child who can hold a sentence in their head and say it aloud finds it far easier to write that sentence, and a child who listens carefully finds a story easier to understand when they read it themselves.

Words your child will hear

Talk partner: The classmate a child turns to for a short chat. One talks, one listens, then they swap.
Take turns: Wait until the other person has finished before you speak, then give them a go again.
Question words: Who, what, where, when, why and how. They start most questions.
On topic: Talking about the thing everyone is talking about, rather than something different.
Respond: Answer or react to what someone has just said, so the conversation moves on.
Vocabulary: All the words a person knows and can use.

What the National Curriculum says

In Key Stage 1, pupils should be taught to:

Listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
Ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
Use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
Maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: a two-minute chat after a story

Aisha and Ben have just heard a story about a fox. They have two minutes to talk about their favourite part. What does a good conversation sound like?

They agree how it will work. Aisha will speak first while Ben listens with his eyes and ears. Then they swap.
Aisha says a whole sentence: “My favourite part was when the fox hid in the bushes.”
Ben responds to what she said before he adds his own idea: “I liked that part too. He was really sneaky.”
Ben then asks a question that fits: “Why did the fox hide?” Aisha stays on the topic: “He was waiting for the hen to walk past.”
Aisha has heard Ben use a word she is unsure about, so she asks, “What does sneaky mean?” Ben explains, “Doing something quietly so nobody sees you.” Aisha uses it straight away: “My cat is sneaky when she hides behind the sofa.”
The two minutes are up, so they swap roles and Ben talks about his favourite part while Aisha listens.

A good conversation is passed back and forth like a ball. Each comment answers or builds on the one before, a question keeps the talk going, and a new word is used at once so that it sticks.

Common mistakes and how to help

“Listening” means sitting still and saying nothing

Adults often say “listen” when they mean “be quiet”, so a child can look perfectly attentive while thinking about something else.

What helps: Ask for a sign that the words went in. “Tell me one thing I just said” or “What do I need you to do first?” shows far more than quiet does.

Telling a story when asked a question

At five and six, a question often reminds a child of something that happened to them, and they simply share it. Turning a thought into a question takes practice.

What helps: Model the difference: “You’ve told me something. Can you turn it into a question for Grandma? Start with who, what, where, when, why or how.” Take turns asking each other questions about a picture.

Interrupting because the idea might be lost

Young children hold their thoughts for a very short time. Waiting feels like risking losing the idea altogether.

What helps: Hold something while talking, such as a soft toy, so the holder is the speaker. Offer to “hold” the thought: “Tell me when it’s your turn and I’ll remember you wanted to say something.”

Drifting away from the topic

One word can set off a chain of memories. Someone says “dog” and a child is suddenly telling you about their gran’s holiday. Staying on topic is learnt, not automatic.

What helps: Ask, “Does that fit with what we’re talking about?” If it matters to them, promise to come back to it afterwards, and then do.

How to help at home

Ask a follow-up question. When your child tells you something, ask one more question about it before moving on: “What happened next?” or “Who was with you?” They learn what a conversation is for and hear how a question grows out of an answer.
Swap the questions. Look at a picture or a story page together. First you ask your child a question about it, then they ask you one. Try using each question word in turn.
Collect a word a day. Pick a new word from a book or from daily life, such as “enormous” or “damp”. Say what it means and see if everyone can use it in a sentence before bedtime.
Play games that need patience. Simple card games, board games and “I spy” all depend on waiting for a turn and listening to what the other person says. They are good, low-pressure practice at the skills the classroom uses.
Make mealtimes a place to talk. Ask each person for the best and the strangest thing about their day. Everyone talks, everyone listens, and a quiet child gets used to having a turn.

Leads on to

Years 3 and 4: Listening, questioning and group talk
Years 3 and 4: Explaining and justifying ideas
Years 3 and 4: Presenting, performing and debating