Introduction

Conversations are an essential part of our daily lives. For elementary students, developing conversation skills is crucial for building strong relationships and fostering social-emotional growth. One of the key aspects of a successful conversation is driving or keeping it going. This involves asking questions, making comments, and shifting to new topics. In this blog post, we will explore an engaging no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills that educators can use to teach elementary students how to maintain and drive conversations forward.

No-Prep Activity: Conversation Tennis

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and is designed to help students practice keeping a conversation going. Pair students up and have them sit facing each other. Explain that they will be playing “Conversation Tennis,” where they will take turns speaking and the objective is to keep the conversation going as long as possible. Each time a student asks a question, makes a comment, or shifts to a new topic, they “hit” the conversation ball back to their partner. Encourage students to listen and watch their partner’s body language and facial expressions to know when to speak and what to say. Set a timer for 2-3 minutes and let the pairs begin their conversations. Afterward, have a brief discussion about the experience, focusing on what strategies they used to keep the conversation going.

Discussion Questions

1. What strategies did you use to keep the conversation going during the activity? How did you decide when to ask a question, make a comment, or switch to a new topic?
2. How did you feel when your partner asked you a question or made a comment that helped drive the conversation forward? How do you think it made your partner feel when you did the same?
3. Why do you think it’s important to be able to drive a conversation forward? How can this skill help you in school and in your relationships with friends and family?
4. How can paying attention to a person’s body language and facial expressions help you know when to speak and what to say during a conversation?
5. Can you think of a time when you had a conversation that didn’t go well? What could you have done differently to keep the conversation going?

Related Skills

Besides driving a conversation forward, there are other important skills that can help students improve their conversation abilities. These include:

• Active Listening: Paying close attention to the speaker and demonstrating understanding by nodding, making eye contact, and offering appropriate verbal responses.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which can help students connect more deeply during conversations.
• Nonverbal Communication: Using body language, facial expressions, and gestures to convey meaning and emotion during a conversation.
• Respecting Boundaries: Recognizing when a topic may be uncomfortable or inappropriate for the other person and adjusting the conversation accordingly.

Next Steps

Now that you have a better understanding of how to teach elementary students to drive conversations forward, it’s time to put these skills into practice. To help you get started, sign up for free samples of conversation skills activities and other social-emotional learning resources that will enhance your students’ communication abilities. Don’t miss this opportunity to empower your students and help them build lasting relationships through effective conversations.