The Team That Learned to Listen

Reading passage — قطعة القراءة

During a school engineering competition, Hossam's group built a model bridge using recycled materials. Hossam was excellent at calculations, while Rawan was confident with drawings and measurements. Their first model looked impressive but collapsed during testing. Everyone began suggesting technical improvements at once, and the discussion became so noisy that no one could explain what had happened.

The team decided to change the way it worked. One student recorded ideas, another checked the test results, and each person spoke without interruption. They discovered that the support joints were weaker than expected. Hossam recalculated the load, while Rawan revised the design. Their classmates used careful measurements to build a stronger model, and the group practised explaining the changes to visitors.

The second bridge passed the test, but the teacher was most interested in how the students had solved the problem. Technical skills had helped them calculate and build, while listening, patience and shared responsibility had helped them use those skills well. Hossam realised that a talented person is not always an effective teammate unless others can understand and contribute to the work.