Introduction

As educators, it’s important to teach students essential social skills that can help them navigate various social situations. One such skill is the ability to understand and use conversation drivers and stoppers. Conversation drivers are strategies that can be used to initiate or maintain a conversation, while conversation stoppers are actions that can halt a conversation prematurely. In this blog post, we introduce a fun and engaging activity called Conversation Drivers and Stoppers Bingo, designed to help elementary students learn the importance of effective communication.

No-Prep Activity

Conversation Drivers and Stoppers Bingo is a simple and exciting activity that requires no preparation or materials from the educator. To play the game, follow these steps:

1. Divide students into small groups or pairs.
2. Provide each student with a bingo board containing various conversation drivers and stoppers. You can create a bingo board or use a ready-made template.
3. Students will watch a series of video clips or listen to audio recordings featuring different conversation scenarios. For each scenario, they must identify the conversation driver or stopper being used and mark it on their bingo board.
4. When a student gets four drivers or stoppers in a row (up, down, across, or diagonal), they can shout “Bingo!” The first person to get bingo is the winner.

Throughout the game, encourage students to discuss their observations and share their thoughts on the drivers and stoppers they identified. This will help them develop a deeper understanding of effective communication strategies and reinforce their learning.

Discussion Questions

After completing the activity, use the following discussion questions to stimulate further conversations and deepen students’ understanding of conversation drivers and stoppers:

1. Why is it important to use conversation drivers in social situations? How do they help maintain a healthy conversation?
2. Can you think of a time when you used a conversation stopper unintentionally? How did it affect the conversation?
3. What are some strategies you can use to turn a conversation stopper into a conversation driver?
4. How can you become more aware of your own conversation habits and improve your communication skills?

Related Skills

Teaching students about conversation drivers and stoppers is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other related skills that can help students develop healthy communication habits include:

• Active listening: Encouraging students to pay attention, make eye contact, and show empathy when others are speaking.
• Non-verbal communication: Teaching students to recognize and use body language, facial expressions, and gestures to convey their feelings and thoughts.
• Conflict resolution: Helping students learn how to address disagreements and find solutions through open communication and collaboration.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned about Conversation Drivers and Stoppers Bingo, it’s time to explore other engaging activities and resources that can help your students develop their social-emotional skills. Sign up for free samples of skill-based materials and activities at Everyday Speech. By incorporating these resources into your curriculum, you can help your students build a strong foundation for effective communication and foster their social-emotional growth.