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How to Teach High Schoolers to Stay on Topic

Staying on Topic is an important conversation skill for high schoolers to acquire. With Everyday Speech’s Topic Radar lesson, students can learn to successfully choose topics and stay on topic when talking with others. To teach your next high school lesson on staying on topic, make sure to download this free conversation topics PDF!

Teaching Conversation Topics to High Schoolers

Staying on topic, or using the Topic Radar, helps students to think about what other people are interested in and then use that information to select a topic of conversation. This skill helps high school students start engaging in conversations with others and form meaningful connections.

Lesson Plan – Using Your Free Conversation Topics PDF

1. Teach the Concept of “Topic Radar”

Start by teaching your high school student that choosing a topic to talk about requires the evaluation of another’s interests. It merges the memories of past conversations with a particular person and builds upon those past conversations. Using Topic Radar helps to draw upon past experiences and pick a topic of conversation best suited to their conversation partner and then stay on that topic.

2. Practice Staying on Topic using the Topic Radar

Have your high school student practice staying on topic by engaging in a few role-play conversations. Encourage them to consider your interests and then pick a conversation topic to start with you based on that piece of knowledge they have. Once they have chosen a conversation topic based on your interests, have them start the conversation and continue the conversation by staying on topic. To stay on topic, encourage them to ask you questions or make connections to the topic you are discussing.

3. Use Our Free Conversation Topics PDF

Our free downloadable conversation topics PDF is our Topic Radar Skill Review. Download, print, and post this visual tool in your learning environment, or send it home with your students to reference and utilize when practicing choosing and stay on topic when talking with others!

Sample Video:

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Related Blog Posts:

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