Introduction
As educators, we often encounter situations where students struggle to provide thoughtful answers to questions, either due to lack of focus or inability to recall information. This can lead to misunderstandings or hurt feelings, as demonstrated in the conversation between Bobby and Liz. In this blog post, we will explore an easy-to-implement, no-prep activity to help students improve their focus and provide thoughtful answers to questions, thereby enhancing their social-emotional skills.
No-Prep Activity: The Question Relay
To help students practice focusing and providing thoughtful answers, try the “Question Relay” activity. This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and can be easily incorporated into your classroom routine.
To begin, divide the class into two teams and have them line up in two parallel lines. The first student in each line will ask a question to the student directly across from them. The student being asked the question must focus on the question, think for a moment, and then provide a thoughtful response. Once they have answered, they will ask a question to the next student in the opposing line. This process continues until every student has had a chance to ask and answer a question.
The Question Relay activity encourages students to pay attention to the questions being asked, think about their responses, and practice active listening. It also promotes empathy and understanding by giving students the opportunity to put themselves in another person’s shoes and consider how their own responses may affect others.
Discussion Questions
- How did it feel to focus on the questions being asked during the Question Relay activity? Were you able to provide more thoughtful answers?
- How can focusing on a question and providing a thoughtful response improve our relationships with others?
- What strategies can you use to help you focus and remember details when someone is asking you a question?
- How might it feel when someone doesn’t seem to be paying attention or providing thoughtful answers to your questions? What can you do to show others that you are actively listening and engaged in the conversation?
- Why is it important to practice these skills not only in the classroom but also in our everyday lives?
Related Skills
In addition to focusing and providing thoughtful answers to questions, students can benefit from developing other social-emotional skills, such as:
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Self-awareness
Next Steps
If you found this activity and discussion helpful, we encourage you to explore more resources designed to enhance social-emotional learning. To get started, sign up for free sample materials from Everyday Speech. These resources can help you introduce new skills and strategies to support your students’ social-emotional growth both in and out of the classroom.
