Introduction

When it comes to having conversations with friends, striking a balance in communication is essential. Like a game of catch, a conversation should involve taking turns and giving others a chance to speak. In this blog post, we will discuss a no-prep activity for educators working with middle school students to teach the importance of balanced conversations. By practicing this skill, students will learn to avoid overwhelming others with too much information and become more aware of the feelings and needs of their conversation partners.

No-Prep Activity

For this activity, you will need no additional materials or preparation. Begin by dividing your students into pairs. Explain that they will be practicing having balanced conversations, taking turns to speak and listen. Each student will have 30 seconds to share something about their day or a topic of their choice with their partner. Remind them that the goal is to keep the conversation balanced, not to share every detail.

After the first round, have the students switch roles, and the listener will become the speaker. Once both students have had a chance to share, bring the class back together and ask them to reflect on their conversations. Did they feel like they were able to share and listen equally? How did they feel when their partner was speaking? Were they able to focus on what their partner was saying, or did they start thinking about their own response?

Repeat the activity a few times, allowing students to practice keeping their conversations balanced. Encourage them to be mindful of their partner’s feelings and to pay attention to non-verbal cues that may indicate their partner is ready to speak or needs a break from listening.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to have balanced conversations with friends and peers?
2. How can we tell if our conversation partner is feeling overwhelmed or uncomfortable?
3. What strategies can we use to ensure we are not dominating the conversation?
4. How does listening and giving others a chance to speak contribute to building strong relationships?
5. Can you think of a time when you felt uncomfortable in a conversation because someone shared too much information? How did you handle the situation?

Related Skills

Teaching balanced conversations is just one aspect of promoting healthy communication and social-emotional learning in middle school students. Other related skills include:

• Active listening: Encouraging students to focus on what their conversation partner is saying and respond thoughtfully.
• Empathy: Helping students develop the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.
• Non-verbal communication: Teaching students to recognize and interpret body language and other non-verbal cues.
• Conflict resolution: Guiding students through the process of resolving disagreements in a respectful and constructive manner.

Next Steps

As an educator, it’s essential to continue building your toolkit of activities and strategies to promote social-emotional learning in your students. To access more resources and sample materials, we invite you to sign up for free samples of our skill-building activities at Everyday Speech. By incorporating these activities into your classroom, you’ll be helping your students develop the necessary skills to navigate their social environments and build strong relationships with their peers.