Introduction
As educators, it is important to teach our kindergarten students the significance of maintaining an appropriate voice volume during conversations. Proper volume control helps ensure that students can effectively communicate with their peers and fosters positive relationships. This blog post will discuss a no-prep activity that educators can use to teach students about voice volume, followed by discussion questions and related skills. Finally, we will discuss next steps and how to access more resources to support students’ social-emotional learning journey.
No-Prep Activity: The Volume Game
This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator. To begin, have your kindergarten students sit in a circle. Explain to them that when we talk, it’s important to keep our voices at an expected volume, not too quiet or too loud. Introduce the following three voice levels:
- Whisper Voice: A very quiet voice, used when we need to keep something a secret or not disturb others.
- Conversation Voice: A regular volume voice, used when talking to friends or classmates in a normal setting.
- Yelling Voice: A loud voice, used only in emergencies or when we need to get someone’s attention from far away.
Start the game by modeling each voice level, then have students take turns practicing the different voice levels. The educator can call out a voice level, and the student must respond with a phrase or sentence in the appropriate volume. This activity encourages students to practice controlling their voice volume and helps them understand the importance of using the right volume in different situations.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to use the right voice volume when talking to others?
- How do you think others feel when we talk too quietly or too loudly?
- Can you think of a situation where you might need to use a whisper voice? What about a yelling voice?
- How can we remember to use the right voice volume during conversations?
- What are some ways we can remind our friends to use the right voice volume if they forget?
Related Skills
Teaching students about voice volume is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other related skills that can help kindergarten students develop strong communication and social skills include:
- Active listening
- Nonverbal communication
- Turn-taking in conversations
- Expressing feelings and emotions
- Respecting personal space
Next Steps
Now that you have learned about teaching voice volume to kindergarten students, we encourage you to explore more resources and activities to support their social-emotional learning journey. Sign up for free samples of the discussed skill and others to help your students grow in their communication and social abilities. By incorporating these principles into your teaching, you will be fostering a positive learning environment where students can thrive.
