Active Listening Worksheets

Goal:
• To develop or enhance active listening skills in youth.

Have Ready:
• One subsequent worksheet package per youth.

Instructions:
Option 1: Hand out the worksheet for active listening as homework, and
gather after youth have thought through each scenario.

Option 2: Hand out the worksheet for youth to fill out during a specific time
together.

• After the youth have filled out the worksheet, gather into a circle
and have a go-round where each youth shares their answer. (Each
time around the circle deal only with one question.)

• As the facilitator, allow youth to discuss what may work and what
can hinder listening before jumping in to provide information.
After debriefing the answers, move on to the next question.

Helpful Hint: You may want to explain paraphrasing, perception checks, how
to ask an open ended question, summarizing, and I-messages before you hand
out the worksheet. Also, you may want to write out the definitions on the
board. If your group has literacy issues, you may want to work on the
questions together or do them orally.

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Active Listening Worksheet

Paraphrase the following statements. This means put into your own
words what someone else said.

Example: I used to go out with my friends all the time, but lately I don’t want
to. They’ve started drinking beer a lot more and I’m not into that. It seems like
they can’t have a good time without it. I don’t enjoy myself anymore when I’m
with them.

Paraphrase: In the past, you had a great time going out with friends. Right
now, however, you don’t feel like hanging out with them because you don’t
like drinking. Whenever you do go out with them you don’t have fun and it
seems like they need to drink to have fun.

1. I told my supposed-to-be best friend a secret about what happened with

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2. I’m really into this person at school. We’re probably going to see each
other at a party this weekend, but there’s going to be another person there
that likes them too. I don’t know how they feel about me.

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Develop a perception check statement for the following, showing that you
understand the feelings involved.

Example: I have worked very hard on the homework and I still don’t
understand the math. I just try and try and nothing seems to help.

Paraphrase: So it sounds like you are frustrated because you worked so hard
on your homework and you still don’t understand.

1. I told my supposed-to-be best friend a secret about what happened with

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2. I’m really into this person at school. We’re probably going to see each
other at a party this weekend, but there’s going to be another person there
that likes them too. I don’t know how they feel about me.

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545 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 0W3 | 204.784.4010 | www.teentalk.ca | teentalk@teentalk.ca | 2017
Create an open-ended question for each of the following. Open-ended
questions can’t be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. They invite the
other person to share more about what’s going on for them.

Example: I took a pregnancy test three weeks ago and it said negative. The
nurse told me to come back for another one just to confirm the result. I just
went back and this time it came out positive.

Open-Ended Questions: “What does this test result mean for you?” or “How
do you feel about the result of that test?”

1. I’m itching down there and I think I have an STI. I don’t know what to do!”

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2. My friend went out with their partner the other night and they felt
pressured to make out with them. When my friend told their other friends
about it, they blamed them for it.

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Respond to the following statements with an open-ended question that
would bring up more specific information.

1. “I don’t like that sort of thing …”

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2. “They never listen to my suggestions or to what I have to say.”

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3. “That’s just the kind of person she is.”

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4. “I feel terrible.”

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Summarize the following problem:
My best friend tells me that their Dad has a drinking problem. They never
know what kind of mood he’ll be in when they get home. He may be drunk,
mad, or passed out. They say their Mom gives him all her attention. She
worries a lot that their Dad will get fired and wonders what will happen after
that. My friend feels like they don’t really care about them. They don’t ask
about what happens in their life at school, at home, or with their friends. My
friend is really sad.

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Create an I-Message in response to the following scenarios. An I-Message
statement shows your side of the situation and how you feel, and doesn’t
threaten the other person.
Example: Monica heard from someone that her friend Alexis was trying to
steal Monica's boyfriend.
Monica’s I-Message to Alexis: I feel awkward because I heard a rumor about
my boyfriend. Will you help me get to the bottom of this?
1. Your best friend and you have just gotten out of a meeting at school. Just as
you are leaving they say to you, “I want to go something to eat. Do you have
any change?” This is the third time they’ve asked you for money and have yet
to pay you back.
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2. It is Thursday night and you have a difficult exam tomorrow. You’ve been
so busy with other activities that you haven’t had the chance to study yet. Just
as you open your books to start to cram, your cell phone rings. Your friend
says that they need to talk to you about something that’s really bugging them.
When you explain that you would love to talk with them tomorrow because of
your exam, your friend says, “You said I could phone you any time but I guess
you didn’t really mean it.”
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545 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 0W3 | 204.784.4010 | www.teentalk.ca | teentalk@teentalk.ca | 2017