Everyday Speech Blog
Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles
Retro Social Communication Game for High Schoolers
Access FREE SEL materials today In the ever-evolving world of social communication, engaging high school students can be challenging. That’s where Everyday Speech’s latest addition, the Social Navigator game, steps in. This retro social communication game for high...
Bus Safety Discussion Prompts
Access FREE SEL materials today For many elementary students, riding the school bus is a daily experience and often one of their first steps toward independence. However, bus safety can be a challenge for young learners, who may not fully understand the importance of...
Solving Problems on the Bus Activity
Access FREE SEL materials today Riding the school bus is often one of the first independent experiences for elementary students. However, it also presents unique challenges. Knowing how to handle common bus issues—like friends talking too loudly or disagreements over...
Gratitude Activity for November
Access FREE SEL materials today November is the perfect time to teach gratitude, especially with Thanksgiving around the corner. Gratitude is more than saying "thank you"; it’s about recognizing and appreciating the kindness around us. For elementary students,...
Thinking About Others Social Skills Goal Poster
Access FREE SEL materials today Empathy is a crucial skill that helps children understand and respect others' feelings. For young learners, especially those with unique learning needs, developing empathy requires guidance and structured practice. Special educators...
Preparing Elementary Students for Group Work
Access FREE SEL materials today Group work is a vital skill that students need to succeed in school and beyond. For elementary students, especially those with unique learning needs, understanding how to be a good group member is crucial. Special educators play an...
Helping High Schoolers Manage Crushes
Access FREE SEL materials today Crushes are an exciting, sometimes confusing part of teenage life. For high school students, especially those with unique learning needs, understanding how to handle these emotions can be a challenge. As a special educator, you play a...
Problem-Solving Worksheet for Halloween
Access FREE SEL materials today Halloween is an exciting time for students, full of costumes, candy, and spooky fun. But it's also a great opportunity to weave in important social-emotional learning (SEL) concepts. With Everyday Speech’s Problem-Solving Worksheet for...
Halloween Behavior Activity for Middle School
Access FREE SEL materials today Halloween is an exciting time for students, but it can also bring challenges when it comes to behavior. Costumes, candy, and heightened excitement can make it difficult for students to regulate their emotions and stay on task. For...
No-Prep Activities
Understanding and Preventing Bullying: A Guide for Special Education Educators
Introduction Bullying is a harmful behavior that can have lasting effects on individuals, especially students in special education settings. As educators, it's crucial to understand the different types of bullying and teach our students how to recognize and prevent...
Teaching Trust and Confidentiality: The Importance of Keeping Secrets
Introduction Trust and confidentiality are essential components of building healthy relationships. When someone shares a secret with us, it demonstrates their trust in our ability to keep their confidence. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of secrets and...
Adapting to Social Situations with the Voice Scale: A Guide for Educators
Introduction As educators, it's essential to teach our students the necessary skills to adapt to various social situations. One crucial aspect of being a social chameleon is recognizing and adjusting the volume of our voices. The Voice Scale is a valuable tool that...
Enhancing Cyber Skills in Texting for PreK Students: Activities and Discussions
Introduction Texting is an important mode of communication in today's digital age, especially for young learners. However, it can be confusing due to the absence of facial expressions and tone of voice, leading to misunderstandings. To navigate these tricky...
Act It Out! Role-Playing Game for Elementary Educators to Teach Body Language
Introduction Welcome to Act It Out!, a role-playing game specially designed for elementary educators to teach students about body language. Through this engaging activity, students will learn how their bodies can affect the messages they send to others and improve...
Teaching Students to Identify Interest in Conversations: A Guide for Special Education Educators
Introduction As educators working with students in special education, one of the important skills we can teach is the ability to recognize when someone is genuinely interested in a conversation. This skill is critical for building strong social connections, fostering...
Teaching Responsibility and Handling Frustration: An Activity for Special Education Students
Introduction In life, everyone has to do things they don't want to do. Adults might have to go to work, and students need to go to school. We all have responsibilities, even if we don't like them. In this blog post, we will discuss an activity that helps students in...
Teaching PreK Students to Be the Bigger Person: Activities and Discussions
Introduction As educators, we strive to teach our PreK students valuable life skills that will help them navigate the challenges they may face. One of these essential skills is learning to be the bigger person in difficult situations. When others make us angry or...
Developing Close Friendships: A Guide for Special Education Educators
Introduction Close friendships play a crucial role in our lives, providing emotional support, companionship, and a sense of belonging. For students in special education, developing these friendships can be challenging, but with the right guidance and support, they can...
Teaching PreK Students to Manage Stress with Deep Breathing Techniques
Introduction In today's fast-paced world, even young children can experience stress and anxiety. As educators, we can help them develop healthy coping strategies to manage these emotions. One such technique is deep breathing, which can be easily incorporated into the...
Empowering Independence: Fostering Self-Reliance in Special Education Students
Introduction Gaining independence is a crucial aspect of personal growth that positively impacts self-esteem, confidence, and opportunities for learning. As students grow up, they increasingly rely less on others and take the initiative to do things on their own. For...
Calming Strategies for Students in Special Education: Activities and Discussion Questions
Introduction Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is an essential aspect of education, especially for students in special education. Teaching calming strategies and self-regulation techniques can help students better manage their emotions and behavior. In this blog post,...
Teaching the Skill of Asking a Friend to Play: Activities and Discussion Questions
In this blog post, we will explore the essential skill of asking a friend to play, which is a crucial aspect of Social-Emotional Learning. We will provide you with a no-prep activity, discussion questions, related skills, and next steps to help educators teach this...
Taking Responsibility: A Key Skill for Social-Emotional Learning
Introduction Taking responsibility is a crucial aspect of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). It means being accountable for our actions, acknowledging our mistakes, and trying to fix them. When students take responsibility, they understand that their choices are their...
Teaching Good Hygiene Practices: A Guide for Educators
Good hygiene is essential for maintaining our health and ensuring that we have positive social interactions. As educators, it's important to promote good hygiene habits among students, so they can develop lifelong routines that keep them healthy and make others feel...