English · Year 3

Active learning ideas

Non-Verbal Cues in Listening

Active learning helps Year 3 students connect non-verbal cues to real-time listening because children this age learn best through movement and social interaction. Practicing eye contact, nodding, and pauses in structured activities builds habits that transfer from partner work to whole-class discussions.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E3LY01

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 30 min · Pairs

Pair Role-Play: Listener Feedback

One student presents a short story for 2 minutes while the partner practices non-verbal cues like nodding and eye contact. Switch roles, then discuss what cues showed attention. End with partners summarizing the main idea.

Analyze what body language signals tell a speaker that you are paying attention.

Facilitation Tip

During Pair Role-Play, provide sentence stems for feedback like, 'I noticed your eye contact when you...'.

What to look for

Show a short video clip (1-2 minutes) of a peer presenting. Ask students to independently write down: 1) The main idea of the presentation. 2) One non-verbal cue they observed that showed the presenter's audience was listening. 3) One question they might ask to clarify a point.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 45 min · Small Groups

Group Presentation Circle

Students sit in a circle; each shares a personal experience for 1 minute. Listeners use cues and note main ideas on sticky notes. After each turn, one listener asks a clarifying question.

Explain how we can summarize what someone said to check our own understanding.

Facilitation Tip

In Group Presentation Circle, assign roles such as timer, recorder, and feedback giver to keep all students engaged.

What to look for

In pairs, students take turns giving a 1-minute presentation on a familiar topic (e.g., their favorite animal). The listener practices active listening, using nodding and eye contact. After the presentation, the listener summarizes the main idea and asks one clarifying question. The presenter provides feedback on the listener's eye contact and summary.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Mirror Non-Verbal Cues

Pairs face each other; one is the 'speaker' using exaggerated cues, the other mirrors as listener. Switch and add a short talk, then reflect on which cues felt most attentive.

Justify why it is important to wait for a pause before asking a question.

Facilitation Tip

For Mirror Non-Verbal Cues, demonstrate a slow-motion pair so students see the connection between actions and reactions immediately.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are watching a presentation, and the speaker keeps looking away or checking their watch. How would this make you feel as the speaker? How does this relate to the non-verbal cues we use to show we are listening?' Facilitate a brief class discussion.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Think-Pair-Share
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Demo and Practice

Model good and poor listening during a demo talk. Students then pair up to practice cues while retelling the demo's main ideas and asking questions.

Analyze what body language signals tell a speaker that you are paying attention.

Facilitation Tip

During Whole Class Demo and Practice, call on quieter students first to build confidence in using cues publicly.

What to look for

Show a short video clip (1-2 minutes) of a peer presenting. Ask students to independently write down: 1) The main idea of the presentation. 2) One non-verbal cue they observed that showed the presenter's audience was listening. 3) One question they might ask to clarify a point.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model non-verbal cues visibly during their own explanations and narrate their choices. Avoid over-correcting students’ first attempts; instead, focus on one cue at a time and revisit it across activities. Research suggests that when students observe peers succeed, they adopt the behavior more quickly.

Students will show they understand the purpose of non-verbal cues by using them correctly during activities and explaining why each cue matters. Successful learning looks like partners giving feedback, presenters feeling heard, and the class discussing how cues affect communication.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pair Role-Play, watch for students who nod after every sentence, assuming they agree with the speaker.

  During Pair Role-Play, pause after the first round and ask partners to discuss: 'Did the listener nod to show agreement or attention?' Then have them practice nodding neutrally while listening to neutral topics like a weather report.

• During Group Presentation Circle, watch for students who interject questions without waiting for pauses.

  During Group Presentation Circle, set a 5-second pause timer after each idea. If a student interrupts, the group gently signals by raising a hand or placing a finger to lips, then reflects on timing afterward.

• During Mirror Non-Verbal Cues, watch for students who avoid eye contact because they think it is optional.

  During Mirror Non-Verbal Cues, have partners rate each other’s eye contact on a simple scale: 'Did your partner’s eyes meet yours during the whole activity?' If ratings are low, repeat the mirroring with a focus on maintaining eye contact while switching roles.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share