Listening Comprehension Step 5: Listen Between the Lines
Step 5 of 6. Short passages read aloud with the words hidden, where the answer is not said directly and the student has to use clues to work it out. This is part of a six-step listening comprehension ladder: one detail, two details, short story facts, order and main idea, listening between the lines, and classroom talk.
This device has no voice — read the passage aloud to the student.
Kai looked out the window and frowned. The trees were bending in the wind and the sky was dark gray. Big drops started hitting the glass, and a low rumble came from far away. He sighed, took off his shin guards and put his soccer cleats back in the closet.
Why did Kai put his cleats away?
Session summary (SOAP)
Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.
Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.
How to run it
Play the passage and ask the student what clues they heard before they choose. The same passage returns for its second question, so a second listen with a specific clue in mind is the natural next move. Read each question aloud or press its speaker. After an answer, ask which words told them. One question per passage asks how they know, which builds the habit of naming the evidence.
Cueing ladder
Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.
- IndependentPress Listen so the student hears the passage with the words hidden; play it again before giving any other help, and show the words only as a later support. Present the item and wait 5 seconds of quiet before helping.Log as correct
- HintReread the key sentence, or point back to the clue in the text or picture.Log as cued
- Two choicesOffer two answers, the right one not always second.Log as cued
- ModelThink aloud: say how you worked it out, then the student says the answer and why.Log as cued
Adjust it
Read it aloud to the student and offer two choices from the start.
Ask the student to say which words gave them the clue, not just the answer.
Matching IEP goal
Given short texts or spoken prompts, Student will make an inference and say which clue they used in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions, given no more than an indirect cue.
Send it home through the parent portal →About this activity
Step 5 moves from facts that are said to answers that have to be worked out. Each short passage is read aloud with the words hidden, such as Kai putting his soccer cleats away while the trees bend in the wind, or a quiet cafeteria with chairs stacked on the tables. The questions ask why, where, when or how, and the answer is never stated outright. The student has to put the clues together, the way they do when a teacher hints at something rather than saying it.
What to listen for
Watch for answers that are true in real life but not supported by the passage. If the student picks an answer and can give a sensible clue for it, talk it through rather than only marking it wrong. Note whether they can name the clue as well as the answer. Students who do well on Steps 3 and 4 often find this step much harder, which is expected.
Carrying it home
At home, describe a clue and ask what it might mean, such as everyone at the bus stop has an umbrella open. Ask your child how they know. Try it with pictures in a book, or with sounds you hear, like the kettle whistling or the dog barking at the door.
What's in this activity
- Why did Kai put his cleats away?
- He thinks the game is off
- His cleats are too small
- He lost his ball
- What is the weather probably like?
- Sunny
- Stormy
- Snowy and calm
- What did Ella probably do?
- Lost her shoes
- Painted a picture
- Won a race
- How does Ella feel?
- Proud
- Worried
- Bored
- Where is Mr. Diaz probably going?
- To the beach
- To the grocery store
- To bed
- Why did he sigh?
- The fridge was too cold
- He was sleepy
- There was not much food
- When is this probably happening?
- After school
- At lunchtime
- During a party
- How do you know?
- Students are eating
- The chairs are stacked and the lights are off
- The music is loud
- What is Zoe probably doing?
- Buying a puppy
- Washing her puppy
- Training her puppy
- Why did the puppy sit?
- It wanted the treat
- It was tired
- It was scared of cars
Questions
- Who is this for?
- Students in grades 3 through 5 working on inferencing from what they hear rather than from print or pictures.
- How does the listening part work?
- Each question has a Listen button that reads the passage aloud with the words hidden. The student can listen again, and you can show the words as a support. On a device with no voice the words appear so you can read them aloud yourself.
- Can I change the passages?
- Yes. Open it in the Activity Studio to edit a passage or a question, add your own, or reorder them, and the board keeps the listening button.
- Is it free?
- Yes. It plays free in the browser with no login. An account adds session data, goal scoring and assignment to a student.
Use this board with your caseload
With a free account, every correct, cued and incorrect mark is saved to the student and scored against their IEP goal, with the data written up for you. Assign it as home practice through the parent portal.
Track progress freeFree for SLPs. No card, no trial clock.