There are many ways to observe listening that can be applied in many different contexts.

Listening takes time. However the key question is: do participants listen when you give them instructions? This is crucial to everything that follows.  One musical exercise that can help spot if young people are really listening is to ask them to listen to a repeated rhythm played solo and then find a rhythm that fits with this and join in. Try observing how many participants wait – and listen – before joining in.