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8. Good Listener, Bad Listener: Practising Active Listening

This activity can be carried out in a classroom, or in a museum.

Target group: Youths / adults

Duration: Approx. 40 minutes

Group size: 8 – 30 participants

A Polish participant listening to a classmate during “Fighting Antisemitism, Xenophobia and Racism Now!” – a joint project between The European Wergeland Centre and POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Activity objective

This activity aims to help participants practice structured active listening and distinguish between effective and ineffective communication behaviors. By doing so, it raises awareness of how listening builds trust and serves as a foundational skill for active citizenship and democratic participation.

Expected learning results

By the end of the activity, participants will be able to:

  • Identify key behaviours of good and bad listening. 
  • Demonstrate active listening techniques (eye contact, paraphrasing, asking questions).
  • Reflect on how their own listening habits impact others.
  • Explain why listening is essential for inclusive dialogue, democratic decision-making, and active citizenship.

Description of the activity

The activity is often used as an icebreaker and a way of establishing common expectations for listening, participation, and behaviour

Introduce the concept of listening and briefly discuss “good” and “bad” listening behaviours. Examples can be collected from the group and written on a board or flipchart (5-10 mins).

Pair up the participants. Ask them to stand in a line facing each other. Ask one side of this line to be speakers and their partners in front of them to be listeners. 

Explain that the quality of listening will depend on where the facilitator is. The facilitator will move up and down behind the line consisting of the speakers, so its only the listeners who can see the facilitator:

  • when the facilitator is standing at one end of the line, behind the speakers, all listeners must demonstrate active and “good” listening;
  • as the facilitator slowly moves towards the other end of the line, the quality of listening gradually becomes worse. The further down the line the facilitator is, the more “bad” listening behaviours the listeners should show;
  • when the facilitator moves back towards the starting position, listeners gradually return to active and “good” listening.

In short, as the facilitator moves up and down the line, listeners must continuously adjust their behaviour depending on where the facilitator is standing (3 mins).

Ask the speakers to talk about a neutral topic (e.g. a recent activity, a hobby, or a positive experience). Give them a minute or two to collect their thoughts. While speakers talk, slowly walk behind the speakers, changing position several times. Listeners must immediately adapt their behaviour (from «good» to «bad» listening, and back again) according to the facilitator’s position (3-5 mins).

Speakers briefly share how the changes in listening behaviour affected them (3 mins).

Participants switch roles and lines: listeners become speakers and speakers become listeners. The activity is repeated with the same or a new topic (5 mins).

Bring everyone together to discuss observations, emotions, and insights from both roles (to a reflection session).

Reflection

  1. How did it feel when someone was not listening to you?
  2. What differences did you notice between good and bad listening?
  3. Which listening behaviours were the hardest or easiest to use?
  4. How does listening affect participation and cooperation in groups or communities?
  5. What happens in a group, classroom, or society when people are not listened to?
  6. How is good listening connected to democracy, equal participation, and respect for different voices?

Tips for teachers/ educators

  • Clearly explain that “bad listening” is part of the exercise, not personal behaviour.
  • Choose neutral topics to avoid emotional discomfort.
  • Adapt the timing depending on group size and energy.
  • Explicitly connect listening behaviours to real-life situations such as group decision-making, youth councils, classroom discussions, or community meetings.
  • Emphasise that active citizenship requires listening not only to those we agree with, but also to different or minority voices.

Required materials

  • Timer or stopwatch
  • Prepared list of speaking topics (optional)
  • Board or flipchart.
  • Chairs arranged in a circle for introduction and reflection.

Utøya Learning Centre