Listen-Pair-Share: a template for facilitating inclusive group discussion about active listening

Abstract

Acoustic ecology has benefited from the way many of its earliest advocates documented their pedagogical techniques. It allowed activities like soundwalking to become mainstays and helped introduce so many students to the practice of active listening. However, these same activities need to be re-evaluated using contemporary standards of inclusion and accessibility. Features like silent movement and visual cues can create barriers for students with visual impairments or mobility challenges. This paper provides a lesson plan for a new activity called "Listen-Pair-Share". The activity begins with students listening to a soundscape for a brief period of time. Next, students are paired up to engage in small group discussions. Finally, each small group chooses a spokesperson and reports out to the entire gathering. The lesson represents an earnest effort to adapt and update common teaching methods used within acoustic ecology so that we can better serve diverse audiences.