Introduction
As educators, we understand the importance of teaching young students how to communicate effectively and respectfully. One essential skill for PreK students is learning to use their words to get someone’s attention instead of resorting to physical touch, which can be disruptive or even hurtful. This blog post will discuss the importance of this skill and provide a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills for educators to use in their classrooms.
No-Prep Activity: “Attention-Grabbing Charades”
This activity requires no preparation or materials and can be easily implemented in the classroom. The aim is to help students practice using their words to get attention in a fun and engaging way.
- Have students sit in a circle.
- Choose one student to be the “attention-seeker” and ask them to stand in the center of the circle.
- Explain that the attention-seeker’s goal is to get the attention of one of their classmates by using their words, without touching them.
- The attention-seeker picks a classmate and says something like “Hey, [classmate’s name]!” or “Guess what?” to get their attention.
- If the chosen classmate responds, they switch places with the attention-seeker, and the game continues.
- Remind students to wait patiently and practice having a calm body if their chosen classmate is busy or not ready to respond.
This activity not only teaches students the importance of using words to get attention but also reinforces patience and observation skills.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to use our words instead of touching others when we want to get their attention?
- What are some phrases we can use to get someone’s attention without touching them?
- How can we tell if someone is busy or not ready to talk?
- What should we do if we want to get someone’s attention, but they are busy?
- How can practicing having a calm body help us when we are waiting for someone’s attention?
Related Skills
Teaching students to use their words to get attention is just one aspect of Social-Emotional Learning. Other related skills that educators can focus on include:
- Active listening
- Empathy and understanding others’ feelings
- Respecting personal boundaries
- Assertiveness and expressing needs
- Conflict resolution
Next Steps
Now that you have an understanding of the importance of teaching students to use their words to get attention and a no-prep activity to implement in your classroom, it’s time to explore more resources to support your students’ Social-Emotional Learning journey. Sign up for free sample materials, including lessons and activities related to the skills discussed in this blog post, at Everyday Speech.
