Listening, Interpreting, and Drawing
Using David’s story as a model, students practice interviewing a peer to understand how memories are shared, interpreted, and respectfully represented. The lesson emphasizes listening as a literacy skill and prepares students to responsibly create narratives based on lived experience.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- demonstrate active and ethical listening during an interview with a peer.
- create a visual interpretation of an oral story, explaining the choices they made while representing it.
Guiding Questions
- How does listening shape the way we interpret and represent someone else’s story?
- Students develop listening and interpretive skills by translating a heard narrative into a visual representation.
Preparation
Gather materials for activities.
- student journals or blank paper
- pencils/markers
- interview question prompts
- (Optional) listening checklist
Lesson Activities
Introduction
In framing today’s lesson, start by connecting with the previous work. Encourage students to take on the position of the artist in listening closely to the testimony. For example, “So far, we’ve seen how listening becomes interpretation in David’s graphic memoir. Today, you’ll practice that process yourself — listening to someone’s story and then turning what you heard into a drawing.”
Ethical Listening and Interpretation
Quick review of earlier lesson. Ask students to share examples of what the observed or did when listening. Try to tease out how they use these techniques to create meaning.
Ethical listening means:
- letting the storyteller control what they share.
- listening without interrupting.
- asking open-ended questions.
- respecting boundaries.
- consent.
Interview and Listening Practice
Step 1: Decide on a Story to Share
Have students brainstorm a life moment (e.g., change, learning, challenge, success) that they feel comfortable sharing with their partner.
Step 2: Set Roles
Students pair up.
- One = storyteller
- One = listener / interpreter
Step 3: Interview Round 1
The storyteller shares the moment with the listener.
Listener:
- asks 2–3 open-ended questions (See question guide)
- takes notes
- paraphrases one idea back
Step 4: Consent Check
Listeners ask:
“Is there anything you don’t want shown if I draw this?”
Step 5: Switch Roles
Students switch storyteller and listener roles.
Visual Interpretation – Sketch What You Heard
Have students create a single-panel or two-panel sketch that represents the story they just heard.
Guidelines for students:
- Simple figures are completely okay.
- Focus on:
- emotion
- atmosphere
- what felt most important
- You do not need to include exact details
Prompt on board:
What part of the story felt most important to show visually?
Reflection – Explaining Interpretation
Have students respond in writing or orally:
Choose one:
- What choices did you make when turning the story into a drawing?
- What did you leave out, and why?
- How did listening influence what you chose to show?
Optional – Share Out
Students may share:
- their drawing
- one choice they made
Emphasize that they are sharing interpretations, not judging stories or art.
Conclusion
Teacher wrap-up. For example, “Today, you experienced how listening turns into interpretation and then into images. This is the same process used to create David’s graphic memoir.”
Looking ahead. For example, “Next, you’ll plan a full graphic narrative that represents someone else’s story with care, intention, and respect.”
