Helping middle and high school students stay on topic during conversations can be surprisingly challenging. 

As conversations become more complex, students are expected to listen closely, respond thoughtfully, and build on what others say. When that skill breaks down, students may jump between topics, dominate conversations, or respond in ways that feel disconnected, which can disrupt peer interactions and classroom discussions.

Related resources: See our full list of social skills games.

Making connected comments is not an automatic skill, especially for older students. Conversations move quickly, and many students focus on what they want to say next rather than responding directly to what they hear. 

For educators, teaching conversation skills at this level can feel abstract, and it can be difficult to create enough realistic practice opportunities within limited instructional time.

This is why structured practice matters. Students need repeated opportunities to listen, make decisions, and see the impact of their responses in real time. Interactive activities can make this practice more concrete by helping students recognize which responses stay on topic and which ones do not. 

In this post, we will explore what making connected comments looks like for students, how to help middle and high school students practice staying on topic in conversations, and how a conversation skills game can support this instruction in a meaningful way.

What Does Making Connected Comments Look Like for Students?

Making connected comments means responding directly to what someone else has said and staying on topic as a conversation continues. Instead of shifting the subject or focusing only on what they want to say, students listen, process, and add a response that connects to the original idea.

This skill shows up constantly in middle and high school settings. Classroom discussions, group work, and peer conversations all require students to track what others are saying and respond in a way that makes sense in context. When students struggle with connected comments, conversations can feel disjointed or one-sided.

For example, a student might change the subject instead of responding to a classmate’s comment, repeat an unrelated idea, or miss an opportunity to ask a relevant question. Effective connected comments include agreeing or disagreeing with a reason, asking a related follow-up question, or adding a detail that builds on the topic. 

These skills rely on active listening and do not develop through reminders alone. Students need explicit instruction and repeated opportunities to practice responding in ways that keep conversations moving forward.

How to Help Students Practice Staying on Topic in Conversations

The goal of teaching connected comments is to help students listen carefully and respond in ways that stay connected to the topic. When students slow down and think about what was said before responding, conversations become more meaningful and collaborative.

An effective approach starts with modeling and clear examples. Students benefit from seeing what connected and off-topic comments look like and talking through why certain responses work better than others. 

Guided practice is essential. Conversations move quickly, and students need support making decisions in the moment. Asking students to explain why a response is on topic helps build awareness and skill generalization.

Games can support this type of practice by providing structured opportunities to listen and respond. Social Navigator is a conversation skills game for teens that fits this approach. 

It allows students to practice identifying and making connected comments in an interactive format and can be used in middle and high school social skills groups, speech or counseling sessions, or conversation skills instruction.

Why Games Are Effective for Teaching Conversation Skills

Conversation skills can be difficult to teach without practice. Worksheets and verbal reminders do not reflect how real conversations work, especially for older students. Without opportunities to apply skills in context, students may understand the concept but struggle to use it during actual interactions.

Games offer a more effective way to teach conversation skills by creating interactive, low-pressure practice. Students are asked to make choices, receive immediate feedback, and see how their responses affect the flow of a conversation. This makes abstract skills like staying on topic more concrete.

For educators, games also provide an efficient way to build conversation skills. They keep students engaged, reduce preparation time, and allow for repeated practice within a single session. This combination makes it easier to support skill development while managing time and attention.

How Social Navigator Helps Students Make Connected Comments

Social Navigator is designed to help students practice making connected comments through guided, interactive play. As students navigate the game, they are prompted to identify responses that stay on topic and move the conversation forward. This structure encourages students to slow down and think about how their responses connect to what was said previously.

The game provides clear feedback that helps students distinguish between on-topic and off-topic responses. This immediate feedback supports conversation awareness and reinforces listening and responding skills. Because the format is visual and interactive, it is especially motivating for middle and high school students.

Over time, this type of practice can build confidence. As students become more comfortable making connected comments in a structured setting, they are better prepared to apply these skills during peer interactions and classroom discussions.

Teaching Conversation Skills With Games

Making connected comments is a conversation skill that must be explicitly taught and practiced. Without structured support, many students struggle to stay on topic and respond meaningfully during conversations with peers.

Social Navigator offers a practical, no-prep way to support conversation skills instruction for middle and high school students. By providing guided practice and clear feedback, the game helps students build stronger listening and responding skills in a format that is easy to use. 

Play Social Navigator to give students meaningful practice with making connected comments, and explore additional conversation skills resources to continue supporting communication across settings.