Introduction
In conversations, we take turns talking by making comments or asking questions that are connected to the current topic. This skill is essential for effective communication and building social relationships. For students in special education, learning to make connected comments can be particularly challenging, but with proper guidance and practice, they can improve their conversational skills. In this blog post, we’ll discuss an easy-to-implement activity and provide discussion questions to help educators teach students how to make connected comments in conversations.
No-Prep Activity: Topic Toss
This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator. It’s designed to help students practice making connected comments by focusing on a specific topic.
- Have students sit in a circle.
- Choose a topic for the conversation and announce it to the students.
- Start the conversation by making a comment or asking a question related to the topic.
- Invite the student to your right to respond with a connected comment or question.
- Continue around the circle, with each student making a connected comment or question related to the topic.
- After a few rounds, change the topic and repeat the process.
Throughout the activity, encourage students to listen carefully and focus their thoughts on the topic. Remind them to make comments or ask questions that show they are following along with the conversation.
Discussion Questions
After completing the Topic Toss activity, engage your students in a discussion to reinforce the importance of making connected comments. Here are some questions to help guide the conversation:
- Why is it important to make connected comments in a conversation?
- How does making connected comments show that we are listening to others?
- What strategies can you use to help you focus on the topic and make connected comments?
- How do you think a conversation would be different if people didn’t make connected comments?
- Can you think of a time when someone made a comment that wasn’t connected to the topic? How did that make you feel?
Related Skills
In addition to making connected comments, there are other important social-emotional learning skills that students in special education can benefit from, such as:
- Active listening
- Turn-taking in conversations
- Identifying and expressing emotions
- Empathy and understanding others’ perspectives
- Conflict resolution and problem-solving
Next Steps
Teaching students in special education to make connected comments is just one aspect of building their social-emotional learning skills. To access more resources and sample materials to help your students develop these essential skills, sign up for free samples at Everyday Speech. Browse through the available materials and find activities, videos, and lessons that are tailored to the unique needs of your students.
