Constructivist listening is a facilitation strategy designed to foster a safe space for people to speak authentically about their feelings and beliefs.
To facilitate an activity using constructivist listening principles, it is best to introduce the strategy to participants with two agreements and four guidelines. The goal of the introduction is to initiate an intention to create a safe space, invite people to participate, and frame the activity and prompts.
Constructivist listening is most often done in dyads, or pairs, but can also be used in small group settings. In large groups, the second agreement, and last three guidelines are beneficial for setting group norms for a discussion. It may be helpful to provide each participant with a copy before or during your introduction.