When we talk to people, it’s important to maintain an appropriate distance. Being too close or too far away can make conversations uncomfortable or difficult to understand. This essential skill, often referred to as personal space, can greatly impact social interactions. In this blog post, we will discuss an activity to help middle school students understand the concept of personal space in conversations, along with related discussion questions and skills.

No-Prep Activity: Personal Space Exploration

This no-prep activity requires no additional materials and can be easily conducted in a classroom setting. The goal of this activity is to help students develop an understanding of the appropriate personal space during conversations.

1. Ask students to pair up and stand facing each other.
2. Instruct the pairs to start a conversation about a neutral topic, such as their favorite hobbies or a recent event.
3. Have one student in each pair gradually increase or decrease the distance between them and their partner while they continue talking.
4. Ask the other student to signal when they feel uncomfortable or when it becomes difficult to hear their partner.
5. Once the signal is given, have the students switch roles and repeat the process.
6. After both students have had a chance to experience the different distances, bring the class together for a discussion on personal space and the importance of maintaining an appropriate distance during conversations.

Discussion Questions

1. How did it feel when your partner was too close or too far away during the conversation? How did it affect your ability to communicate effectively?
2. Why is it important to maintain an appropriate distance when talking to others? How does personal space impact our social interactions?
3. What strategies can you use to ensure you are maintaining an appropriate distance from others during conversations?
4. How might cultural differences impact our understanding of personal space? How can we be respectful of others’ personal space preferences?
5. Can you think of a situation where you might need to adjust your personal space to accommodate someone else’s needs or preferences?

Related Skills

Understanding and maintaining personal space during conversations is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other related skills that are essential for middle school students to develop include:

• Active listening: Giving full attention to the person speaking and acknowledging their message.
• Nonverbal communication: Interpreting and using body language, facial expressions, and gestures to convey or understand messages.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, helping to create supportive and compassionate connections.
• Conflict resolution: Addressing and resolving conflicts in a healthy, constructive manner.

Next Steps

Now that you have an understanding of the importance of personal space in conversations and how to incorporate this skill into your middle school classroom, we encourage you to explore more resources and activities to support social-emotional learning. To access free sample materials, including activities and lessons related to personal space and other essential skills, visit Everyday Speech’s Sample Materials page.