Introduction

Conversations are an essential part of everyday life, yet many middle school students struggle with the basic skills of starting and ending conversations. When students don’t begin or end conversations properly, it can lead to confusion and miscommunication. In this blog post, we will explore an easy-to-implement, no-prep activity to help students understand the importance of initiating and closing conversations appropriately. We’ll also provide discussion questions to stimulate further exploration and suggest related skills for students to develop.

No-Prep Activity

This activity, called “Conversation Relay,” requires no preparation or materials. It’s designed to help students practice starting and ending conversations while paying attention to their peers’ responses. To begin, have students sit in a circle. Select a student to start the conversation with a simple greeting, such as “hi” or “hello.” The next student must respond with an appropriate continuation, like “how’s your day going?” or “what did you do this weekend?” Each student should take turns contributing to the conversation, keeping it flowing naturally.

After a few exchanges, the conversation should reach a natural conclusion. At this point, the student who started the conversation should wrap it up with a closing statement, such as “bye” or “see you later.” Then, the next student in the circle starts a new conversation. The activity continues until all students have had a chance to both initiate and close a conversation.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to start and end conversations properly? How can doing so affect our relationships with others?
2. What are some examples of appropriate ways to begin and end conversations? How might these vary depending on the situation or the people involved?
3. How can we recognize when a conversation is reaching its natural conclusion? What cues can we look for to know when it’s time to wrap up the discussion?
4. What strategies can we use to avoid interrupting others during conversations? How can we ensure that everyone has a chance to speak and be heard?

Related Skills

Along with understanding the importance of starting and ending conversations, middle school students can benefit from developing other related communication skills. These may include:

• Active listening: Focusing on what the speaker is saying and responding appropriately.
• Non-verbal communication: Reading body language and facial expressions to gain additional insights into what others are thinking or feeling.
• Empathy: Putting oneself in another’s shoes to better understand their perspective and emotions.
• Conflict resolution: Addressing disagreements or misunderstandings in a respectful and constructive manner.

Next Steps

Now that you have a better understanding of the importance of starting and ending conversations and a simple activity to teach this skill, it’s time to put it into practice with your middle school students. To help you further develop your students’ communication abilities, consider signing up for free samples of Social-Emotional Learning materials at Everyday Speech. These resources can provide additional guidance and activities to support your students’ growth in this critical area.