Introduction

Interrupting is a common social challenge that students face. When someone talks while another person is already speaking, it can lead to feelings of frustration and disrespect. It’s important for educators to teach students the right way to interrupt, which includes explaining the reason for the interruption and offering an apology. In this blog post, we will discuss an easy, no-prep activity to help elementary students understand the concept of interrupting and its impact on others, as well as provide discussion questions and related skills for further exploration.

No-Prep Activity

This no-prep activity requires no materials or preparation from the educator. Begin by dividing the students into small groups of 3-4. Instruct the students to have a conversation about a topic, such as their favorite hobbies or weekend plans. During the conversation, have one student in each group purposely interrupt the discussion in a rude manner, without explaining why or apologizing. After the interruption, pause the activity and ask the students how they felt when the interruption occurred.

Next, have the students resume their conversation, but this time, instruct the same student to interrupt again, but with an explanation and an apology. For example, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to ask a quick question.” After this interruption, pause the activity once more and discuss the differences in how the students felt during the two interruptions. This activity will help students understand the importance of explaining their reasons for interrupting and offering an apology.

Discussion Questions

1. How did you feel when the student interrupted the conversation without explaining why or apologizing? How did your feelings change when they interrupted with an explanation and an apology?
2. Why is it important to explain the reason for an interruption? How does this help the person being interrupted feel more respected?
3. Can you think of a situation where it would be necessary to interrupt someone? How would you handle that situation using the right way to interrupt?
4. How can we practice being more mindful of when we need to interrupt and how we do it?
5. What are some other ways we can show respect for others during conversations?

Related Skills

Beyond learning the right way to interrupt, students should also develop other social skills that contribute to effective communication and respectful interactions. Some related skills include:

• Active listening: Paying close attention to what the speaker is saying, making eye contact, and offering verbal and non-verbal feedback.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which can help students be more sensitive to when and how they interrupt.
• Respectful communication: Using polite language, maintaining a positive tone, and avoiding negative or offensive language.
• Turn-taking: Practicing patience during conversations and waiting for the appropriate moment to contribute or ask questions.

Next Steps

Teaching students the right way to interrupt is an essential social skill that fosters respectful communication and positive relationships. To explore more activities and resources for teaching this skill and others, we encourage you to sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech. These resources will provide you with engaging and effective tools to support your students’ social-emotional learning journey.