Introduction
Being helpful is an important skill for students to learn as it fosters a sense of kindness, respect, and empathy. In special education settings, teaching students to be helpful can positively impact their social-emotional learning and promote a supportive classroom environment. This blog post will introduce an easy, no-prep activity for educators to teach the skill of being helpful. We will also provide discussion questions, related skills, and resources for further exploration.
No-Prep Activity
For this no-prep activity, you will need a group of students and a simple scenario where one student needs help. Here’s a suggestion:
- Ask one student to play the role of someone who has dropped their books or papers on the floor.
- Have another student play the role of a helpful classmate who assists in picking up the dropped items.
- Ask the rest of the students to observe the interaction and think about how the helpful student’s actions made the other student feel.
After the role-play, facilitate a discussion about the importance of being helpful and the feelings that arise from both giving and receiving help. This activity encourages students to reflect on the value of being helpful in their daily lives and provides an opportunity for them to practice this skill in a safe and supportive environment.
Discussion Questions
- How do you think the student who received help felt? How about the student who offered help?
- Can you think of a time when you helped someone or someone helped you? How did it make you feel?
- Why is it important to be helpful in school and at home?
- What are some other ways we can show kindness and respect to others?
- How can being helpful contribute to a positive classroom atmosphere?
Related Skills
In addition to being helpful, there are several other related skills that contribute to social-emotional learning in special education settings. Some of these skills include:
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Respect for others
By teaching and reinforcing these skills, educators can help students develop strong social-emotional competencies that will benefit them in school and beyond.
Next Steps
If you’re interested in exploring more activities and resources to teach the skill of being helpful and other related social-emotional learning skills, we encourage you to sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech. These resources are designed specifically for educators working with special education students and can provide valuable support in teaching social-emotional learning skills.
