Introduction

Teaching phone etiquette to elementary students is an important aspect of their social development. As they begin to communicate with friends and family members over the phone, it is essential for them to learn the appropriate ways to interact. In this blog post, we will discuss the basic rules of phone etiquette for children, provide a no-prep activity for educators to use in the classroom, and offer discussion questions to further explore this topic. We will also share related skills and resources to help encourage students to develop strong communication habits.

No-Prep Activity

One engaging activity that requires no materials or preparation from the educator is the “Phone Call Role Play.” In this activity, students will partner up and take turns practicing proper phone etiquette by role-playing different phone call scenarios. Here’s how it works:

1. Divide students into pairs.
2. Assign one student in each pair as the caller and the other as the receiver.
3. Provide a list of scenarios for the students to role-play, such as calling a friend to invite them to a party, asking for homework help, or informing a family member about a school event.
4. Encourage students to practice the essential phone etiquette rules, such as asking for the person they want to talk to, thinking about what they want to say before calling, calling at appropriate times, and only calling once.
5. After each scenario, have the students switch roles and practice a new scenario.

This activity allows students to practice their phone etiquette skills in a fun and interactive way, while also reinforcing the importance of respectful communication.

Discussion Questions

After completing the no-prep activity, engage students in a discussion about phone etiquette by asking the following questions:

1. Why is it important to ask for the person you want to talk to when calling someone?
2. How can planning what you want to say before calling help make the conversation more efficient and enjoyable for both parties?
3. What are some examples of appropriate and inappropriate times to call someone?
4. Why is it important to only call once if the person doesn’t pick up?
5. How do you feel when someone calls you at an inappropriate time or repeatedly calls you?

Related Skills

Teaching phone etiquette is just one aspect of helping students develop strong communication skills. Other related skills that educators can focus on include:

• Active listening
• Nonverbal communication
• Empathy and understanding others’ feelings
• Conflict resolution
• Assertiveness and expressing oneself clearly

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned about the importance of teaching phone etiquette to elementary students and have a no-prep activity to try in the classroom, we encourage you to explore additional resources to support your students’ social-emotional learning journey. For free samples of skill-based activities and materials, visit Everyday Speech’s sample materials and discover new ways to help your students develop essential communication skills.