As educators, we understand the importance of fostering a healthy classroom environment that promotes effective communication and social-emotional learning. One key aspect of this is teaching students the proper social rules for answering questions in class. In this blog post, we will discuss a no-prep activity, discussion questions, related skills, and next steps to help students develop these essential skills.

Introduction

When students answer questions in class, it is essential that they follow certain social rules. These rules help maintain a respectful and inclusive classroom atmosphere, promoting better communication and collaboration among students. Some important social rules for answering questions in class include:

• Waiting to be called on
• Using an appropriate voice volume
• Providing concise and relevant answers

By teaching students these social rules, we can help them become more aware of their behavior and improve their overall social-emotional skills.

No-Prep Activity

A simple and effective activity for teaching students the social rules for answering questions in class is the “Question and Answer Relay.” This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator.

1. Divide the class into two teams and have them line up on opposite sides of the room.
2. Ask a question to the first student in line on Team A. If the student answers correctly and follows the social rules (waits to be called on, uses appropriate voice volume, and provides a concise answer), they can move to the back of the line.
3. If the student does not follow the social rules, they must remain at the front of the line until they can answer a question correctly while following the rules.
4. Continue the relay by alternating between teams, asking questions to each student in turn.
5. The first team to have every student answer a question correctly while following the social rules wins the relay.

This activity encourages students to practice the social rules for answering questions in class while engaging in a fun and competitive learning experience.

Discussion Questions

After the activity, use these discussion questions to stimulate further conversation about the social rules for answering questions in class:

1. Why is it important to wait until you are called on before answering a question in class?
2. How does using an appropriate voice volume contribute to a respectful classroom environment?
3. Why is it important to provide concise and relevant answers when responding to questions in class?
4. Can you think of other social rules that might be important for answering questions in class or participating in group discussions?
5. How can following these social rules help improve your overall communication and social-emotional skills?

Related Skills

In addition to the social rules for answering questions in class, there are other relevant skills that students can benefit from learning. These include:

• Active listening
• Respecting others’ opinions
• Taking turns in a conversation
• Non-verbal communication (e.g., maintaining eye contact, using appropriate body language)

By teaching students these related skills, we can further support their social-emotional learning and help them become more effective communicators.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about the importance of teaching students the social rules for answering questions in class, you may be interested in exploring more resources to support your students’ social-emotional learning. Sign up for free samples of these skills and others at Everyday Speech. By incorporating these resources into your classroom, you can help your students develop the essential social-emotional skills they need for success in school and beyond.