Introduction

Communication is an essential skill for students to develop throughout their lives. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of conversation drivers and conversation stoppers, and how they impact effective communication. Conversation drivers are strategies that help initiate or maintain a conversation, while conversation stoppers abruptly end the conversation before it has reached a natural conclusion. By understanding these concepts and promoting the use of conversation drivers, educators can help students develop strong communication skills.

No-Prep Activity: Conversation Drivers and Stoppers Bingo

This activity is a fun way to teach students about conversation drivers and stoppers. The game is called Conversation Drivers and Stoppers Bingo, and it requires no prior preparation or materials from the educator.

1. Begin by explaining the concept of conversation drivers and conversation stoppers to the students.
2. Create a bingo board with a mix of conversation drivers and stoppers. Each square on the board should contain a phrase or action that is either a conversation driver or a conversation stopper.
3. Assign each student a bingo board and provide them with markers or tokens to mark their boards.
4. As the educator, read aloud a scenario involving a conversation between two people. The students should listen carefully and identify the conversation driver or stopper used in the scenario.
5. Once a student identifies the driver or stopper, they should mark the corresponding square on their bingo board. The first student to get four drivers or stoppers in a row, either up, down, across, or diagonal, can call out “bingo!” and wins the game.

This activity not only helps students identify conversation drivers and stoppers but also encourages them to actively listen and engage in discussions about effective communication.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to use conversation drivers rather than conversation stoppers?
2. Can you think of a time when you used a conversation stopper? How did it affect the conversation?
3. What are some conversation drivers you can use to show interest in what the other person is saying?
4. How can you practice using conversation drivers in your daily conversations?
5. How do you think using conversation drivers can help you build better relationships with others?

Related Skills

Apart from understanding conversation drivers and stoppers, there are other skills that contribute to effective communication. These include active listening, empathy, assertiveness, and non-verbal communication. By developing these skills, students can engage in meaningful conversations and build strong connections with others.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in exploring more activities and resources to help teach communication skills, sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech. You’ll find a wide range of materials that can help you incorporate social-emotional learning principles into your classroom and support your students in their journey towards effective communication.