The Right Family

I just found a very nice activity, which has been sitting on my hard drive for a while.

The Right Family
Objective: to stress the importance of active listening
Materials: one possible object/pen per player
Description: Have the sts stand in circle. Explain them that every time they hear the word'right', they are to pass the object in their hands to the person on their right. Every time they hear the word'left', they are to pass the object in their hand to the person on the left. Practice a few times.

Read the following story to the students:

Active Listening

'This is the story of the Right Family. Last night, the Right family went to see a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins. They left the house at six o'clock , right after the family finished dinner. Mr. Right drove everyone to the game in the red family van, which is always parked on the left side of the garage.
In the van were Mrs. Right, Bobby Right, Katie Right , and Joey Right.
As they drove down their street, Mrs. Right waved to Lisa, their neighbor, who lives two houses down on the left. She was watering her garden on the right side of her house.
As the Right family approached Fenway Park, Mr. Right exclaimed: " I can't remember where I where I left the tickets." Joey Right said: 'Dad I saw you put them in your right hand pocket.' Mr Right checked, but thet were not there. Katie said: 'No, Dad, that isn't right, you left the tickets with me for safe keeping. I have them right here in my purse.'
'What a relief,' said Mr Right as he turned left into the stadium parking lot. Joey almost left his baseball glove in the van, but right when Mr.Right was about to lock the doors, he remembered he had left it under his seat.
The Right family had to wait in line for a bit, but finally made it to their seats in left field.
As they sat down, Mr.Right looked to his left at the whole Right family and smiled. He had made the right decision getting the tickets for this game."

Debrief the experience:

What details do you remember about the story?

How did you focus on passing the object affect how well you listened?
What other things distract us when we are trying to listen?

(Source: Coach Seminar, Lancaster, 2003 )