Everyday Speech Blog
Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles
How to Set Neurodiversity-Affirming IEP Goals that Support Autonomy and Authenticity
Download 50+ Example IEP Goals Customizable library of strengths-based goalsToo often, Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals are written with the assumption that neurodivergent students must adapt to neurotypical behaviors. But what if we shifted the focus to...
The Double Empathy Problem: How to Improve Classroom Understanding
Communication is often seen as a skill that neurodivergent students must improve, but what if the challenge lies in mutual understanding? Enter the Double Empathy Problem. What is the Double Empathy Problem? For decades, social skills education for neurodivergent...
Understanding Masking and Supporting Neurodivergent Students
Masking is a common but often misunderstood behavior among neurodivergent students, impacting their well-being and social interactions. In schools, many students feel pressured to suppress their natural behaviors to fit in, but this can take a significant toll on...
A Guide to Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices in Schools
For years, social skills instruction in schools has been built around compliance—teaching neurodivergent students to conform to neurotypical expectations. While often well-intended, this approach can inadvertently encourage masking, increase anxiety, and erode...
An SCSS Teacher Shares How Everyday Speech Reduced Prep Time & Burnout
For educators like Maci Allee, a Social Communication Support and Services (SCSS) teacher at Leander Independent School District, lesson planning used to be a time-consuming, energy-draining process. Before discovering Everyday Speech, she spent hours searching the...
How to Bring Everyday Speech to Your District
Everyday Speech transforms the way you teach social skills, helping students thrive while saving you valuable time. If you’re looking for ways to make this resource available to your entire team, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll share strategies to help you...
How Everyday Speech Empowers Student Support Teams
Student Support Teams play a critical role in fostering the social and behavioral growth of students. Everyday Speech is here to make this work simpler and more effective. With a no-prep social skills curriculum designed for busy professionals, we reduce prep time,...
How Everyday Speech Supports School Counselors (with Example Videos & Games!)
School counselors play a pivotal role in guiding students through their academic, social, and behavioral challenges. From helping students regulate their emotions to teaching critical interpersonal and problem-solving skills, counselors address diverse needs to ensure...
How Everyday Speech Supports Social Workers (with Example Videos & Games!)
Social workers play a vital role in supporting the holistic development and mental health of students. From helping students navigate emotional challenges to fostering self-regulation and conflict resolution, social workers address a wide range of needs that impact...
No-Prep Activities
Solve It: A Game to Teach Problem-Solving Skills to Middle School Students
Introduction Teaching problem-solving skills to middle school students can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. With Solve It, educators can guide students through a step-by-step process that helps them address everyday issues in a structured and effective...
Building Strong Friendships: A Guide for Middle School Educators
Introduction Friendships are an essential aspect of social-emotional development in middle school students. Friends provide support, happiness, and trust, all of which contribute to a positive school experience. By guiding students to build strong friendships,...
Helping Elementary Students Agree More Often: A Social-Emotional Learning Activity
Introduction Everyone has their own opinions and feelings about various topics. As educators, it’s essential to teach students the importance of being aware of how often they disagree with others. Agreeing more often can lead to positive feelings and better...
Compromising and Controlling Feelings: A Guide for Elementary Educators
Introduction As educators, we understand that teaching students to compromise and control their feelings is essential for their social and emotional growth. This blog post will focus on the skill of compromising, which involves finding a middle ground when there are...
Teaching the Importance of Handwashing to Elementary Students
Introduction Handwashing is an essential skill that not only promotes good hygiene but also contributes to a healthy environment for everyone. It is important for educators to teach their students the significance of washing their hands, as well as when and how to do...
Developing Cyber Skills for Online Messaging: A Guide for Educators
As educators, we understand the importance of teaching our students how to communicate effectively and safely online. With the increasing popularity of online messaging, it is essential to equip students with the right Cyber Skills to ensure a positive online...
Understanding Bullying: Types, Prevention, and Social-Emotional Learning
As educators, it is our responsibility to create a safe and supportive environment for all students. One important aspect of this is addressing and preventing bullying. In this blog post, we will discuss what bullying is, the various types of bullying, and how to...
Teaching PreK Students to Change the Channel on Strong Emotions
Introduction Strong emotions like anger, frustration, or sadness can fill our whole brain and make us choose poor decisions. Learning to control emotions, even strong ones, is an essential skill for students in their early years. By teaching them to "Change the...
Teaching PreK Students to Act Interested – A Social Rule for Better Connections
Introduction As educators, we strive to teach our PreK students various social skills that will help them build better connections and friendships. One such skill is the ability to act interested in what others are saying, even if the topic might not be interesting to...
Teaching PreK Students to Stay Calm and Focused When Others Aren’t Following Rules
Introduction As educators, we understand the importance of teaching our young students how to stay calm and focused when they encounter situations where others are not following rules. In a PreK classroom, this skill is essential for fostering a positive and...
PreK Conversation Drivers and Stoppers: Bingo Game Activity for Educators
In today's world, effective communication is an essential skill. As educators, we strive to teach our students how to engage in meaningful conversations and develop their social skills. This blog post focuses on a fun and engaging activity called Conversation Drivers...
Teaching Kindergarten Students to Address Distractions and Communicate Respectfully
Introduction As educators, we strive to create a positive learning environment for our students. An important aspect of this is teaching Kindergarten students how to address distractions and communicate respectfully with others. By developing these skills, students...
Teaching Elementary Students the Importance of Answering Questions
Introduction Effective communication is a fundamental aspect of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). One key aspect of communication is teaching elementary students the importance of answering questions when asked. By doing so, they learn to be more considerate,...
PreK Educators: Introducing the Conversation Measuring Cup
Introduction Welcome to the world of the Conversation Measuring Cup, a valuable concept that helps PreK students understand how to balance their talking turns during conversations. The Conversation Measuring Cup teaches children to adjust the length of their responses...
Helping Students Evaluate Relationships: A Guide for Special Education Educators
Introduction Relationships play a vital role in our lives, and understanding how to evaluate them is an essential skill. In this blog post, we will discuss an activity to help students in special education settings reflect on their relationships, identify potential...
