Introduction

Effective communication is an essential skill for children to develop from an early age. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of conversation drivers and stoppers, and how they impact the flow of a conversation. Conversation drivers are strategies that help start or maintain a conversation, while conversation stoppers abruptly end a conversation before it’s ready to finish. By teaching PreK students the difference between these two communication techniques, educators can help them develop better social skills and improve their overall social-emotional learning.

No-Prep Activity: Conversation Drivers and Stoppers Bingo

This fun, no-prep activity is designed to help students identify conversation drivers and stoppers in various scenarios. Here’s how to play:

1. Explain to students that they will be playing a game called Conversation Drivers and Stoppers Bingo.
2. Draw a simple 4×4 grid on the board or provide students with a pre-made bingo card.
3. Fill in the grid with examples of conversation drivers (e.g., asking a question, showing interest) and conversation stoppers (e.g., not paying attention, giving one-word answers).
4. Read out various conversation scenarios, and have students identify whether a driver or stopper is being used. Once they find the example on their bingo card, they can mark it off.
5. When a student gets four drivers or stoppers in a row (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally), they can call out “Bingo!” The first student to do so is the winner.

Discussion Questions

1. How did you feel when you identified a conversation driver in a scenario? What about a conversation stopper?
2. Can you think of a time when you used a conversation driver or stopper in a real-life conversation? How did it affect the conversation?
3. Why is it important to use conversation drivers instead of conversation stoppers?
4. How can we practice using conversation drivers in our daily conversations with friends and family?
5. What other strategies can you think of to help maintain a conversation and build connections with others?

Related Skills

Teaching students about conversation drivers and stoppers is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other related skills that can help students develop strong communication abilities include:

• Active listening
• Empathy
• Nonverbal communication
• Conflict resolution
• Assertiveness

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about conversation drivers and stoppers, it’s time to put these skills into practice! To access free sample materials that can help you teach this skill and others to your PreK students, visit Everyday Speech Sample Materials and sign up today. By incorporating these valuable resources into your lesson plans, you can help your students develop strong communication skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.