can you listen with your eyes?

Yesterday, just before home time, we looked at a book.  Just the front cover to start with.  It is by Nita Everly and it is called, ‘Can you listen with your eyes?’

What???  Listen with your eyes?  Are you sure it says eyes? 

Yes.  Sure.

So, what do you think the book might be about?  What can you tell from the cover?

It shows a bear.  With wide-open eyes.  ‘Stretching eyes’, as Tim puts it.

‘Open your eyes’, suggests Yanis.

Good idea.

Tanisha thinks back to the title.  Maybe ‘you can look at the person you are supposed to listen to’, she suggests.  Well, that would be a good idea, wouldn’t it!  Shall we start the story and see if she is right?

Can you listen with your ears?  Of course you can!

‘Oh,’ exclaims Joseph.  ‘There’s no picture!’

‘Only the ears are there!’ confirms Melchior.

Hmm.  Flip the page.  And there’s our question.  Can you listen with your eyes?

Yes  you can!  You do that when you look at the person who is talking.  (And look Joseph; our bear has got some eyes now, hasn’t he!)

Can you listen with your mouth?

Yes you can!  You listen with your mouth when you keep quiet.  You can’t listen while you are talking!

Can you listen with your head?

We are getting the hang of this.  “Yes you can!”  You listen with your head when you think about what the person is saying.

Can you listen with your hands?

“Yes you can!”  You do that when you keep your hands in your lap or on your knees.  Busy hands are noisy!

Can you listen with your feet?

“Yes you can!”  When you keep your feet still on the floor. 

Can you listen with your (shhhh) bottom?

“Yes you can!”  When you sit up straight it shows you are ready to listen.

So – can you listen with your eyes?  Your mouth?  Your head?

Your hands, your feet and your bottom?

If you can do all of that, then you MUST be a good listener!