Introduction

Communication is an essential skill for students in special education, and understanding the difference between conversation drivers and conversation stoppers can greatly impact their social-emotional learning. Conversation drivers are strategies that help start or maintain a conversation, while conversation stoppers can halt a conversation before it has a chance to develop. By teaching students to recognize and use conversation drivers, and avoid conversation stoppers, we can help them build stronger social connections and improve their overall communication skills.

No-Prep Activity

One simple yet engaging activity to teach conversation drivers and stoppers is called “Conversation Detective.” This activity doesn’t require any preparation or materials, making it an ideal choice for busy educators. Here’s how to play:

1. Divide students into pairs or small groups.
2. Ask each pair or group to come up with a short conversation scenario. Encourage them to be creative and use both conversation drivers and stoppers in their scenario.
3. Have each pair or group act out their scenario in front of the class.
4. After each performance, ask the class to identify the conversation drivers and stoppers used in the scenario.
5. Discuss how using conversation drivers can improve the flow of the conversation, while using conversation stoppers can hinder it.

This activity not only helps students recognize conversation drivers and stoppers but also encourages them to practice using them in a safe and supportive environment.

Discussion Questions

To further explore the concept of conversation drivers and stoppers, consider discussing the following questions with your students:

1. Why is it important to use conversation drivers instead of conversation stoppers?
2. Can you think of a time when you used a conversation driver or stopper? How did it affect the conversation?
3. What are some strategies you can use to shift from using conversation stoppers to conversation drivers?
4. How can improving your conversation skills help you build better relationships with others?
5. Why is it important to be aware of our body language and nonverbal cues when participating in a conversation?

Related Skills

In addition to conversation drivers and stoppers, students in special education can benefit from learning other social-emotional skills, such as:

• Active listening: Paying full attention to the speaker, making eye contact, and responding appropriately.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, and showing compassion and support.
• Conflict resolution: Effectively addressing disagreements and finding mutually beneficial solutions.
• Emotion regulation: Managing emotions in a healthy way, and expressing them appropriately.
• Assertiveness: Expressing thoughts and feelings confidently and respectfully, without being aggressive or passive.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned about conversation drivers and stoppers, it’s time to put these skills into practice. To help you get started, we invite you to sign up for free samples of conversation driver and stopper activities, as well as other social-emotional learning resources, at Everyday Speech. These materials will provide you with engaging and effective tools to help your students develop their communication skills and foster positive social interactions.