Listening Centers in your Library

Hi, friends!  I use a listening center for a week out of every month, and it is fully occupied every time! Whether you’re listening to stories via the free Epic app and iPads or a good ole boom box, the two biggest challenges are accountability and organizing the supplies.

Here are some super ideas I’ve found on Pinterest for your library listening center.

Record your own narration

Erin Eberhart of Eberhart’s Explorers uses Garage Band to record narration for the books she wants to use in her listening center.
Student Response Forms

Melissa at F is for First Grade created this form for students’ response to what they hear.You could cut these apart and students could complete just one, giving them a choice.

You can find many free response printables on TPT, from Maria Galvin (drawing pictures about the book), or Julie Shope (writing about characters, setting, favorite part, or text-to-self connections), or Rachel Marx (character, setting and plot on one page).

Organize Supplies

I’ve also seen a few different ways to organize all of the stuff at your listening center.
At Pattons Patch,  she uses shower caddies to keep a book, headphone, and iPod shuffle together.

Decor for Listening

Can we talk about the cuteness that some people create in their listening centers. I think these are so incredibly inviting. What student could resist listening to a book in one of these spots?
In Mrs. Jump’s class, they have mini-Adirondack chairs.
On Schoolgirl Style, you can see this listening center with fun animal chairs. They match the camping theme in the classroom.In First Grade Fresh, she included the wall as part of the listening center, with forms and instructions attached to the bulletin board.

So, are you inspired yet? Have you set up your listening center? Your students will grow in their reading comprehension, the more they see and hear books read by fluent readers. This learning station is an easy way to help your library learners make progress as readers.

For more ideas, check out my Listening Center board on Pinterest.