Everyday Speech Blog
Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles
Social-Emotional Learning Fall Craft Activity
Access FREE SEL materials today As preschool educators, instilling essential social-emotional skills in our youngest learners is one of our top priorities. Teaching concepts like gratitude and thankfulness at an early age not only helps children build positive...
How Everyday Speech Supports Social Workers at Wilmette Public Schools
Jami Jacobs has been a school social worker at Central Elementary School in Wilmette, IL, for 23 years. Prior to using Everyday Speech, the school struggled to find a program that offered both communication and social skills curriculum for all students. After piloting...
Why School Culture Is Failing: The Unspoken Role of Social Skills in Teacher Burnout and Student Disengagement
Today, schools operate as intricate ecosystems, where school culture significantly shapes the well-being and achievement of students and educators. Amid escalating rates of teacher burnout, a mass exodus from the profession, and increasing student disengagement,...
Teaching Preschoolers to Keep Personal Space
Access FREE SEL materials today As special educators, we understand that teaching preschoolers about personal space can be a challenging yet essential task. Maintaining personal space is a crucial social skill that sets the foundation for positive peer interactions...
Helping Elementary Students Learn to Follow a Classroom Routine
Access FREE SEL materials today The back-to-school season is an exciting and crucial time for setting the tone for the entire school year. For elementary students, especially those with special needs, learning to follow a consistent classroom routine is essential....
Teaching Elementary Students Safe Bus Behavior
Access FREE SEL materials today As elementary educators prepare for the new school year, teaching elementary students safe bus behavior is essential. With students often relying on buses as their primary mode of transportation to and from school, it’s crucial that...
Back-to-School Elementary SEL Craft
Access FREE SEL materials today As the back-to-school season approaches, elementary educators are always on the lookout for engaging activities that not only help students ease into the new school year but also foster a sense of community within the classroom. The...
Play Solutions Activity for Elementary Students
Access FREE SEL materials today When it comes to teaching young children essential social skills, play is more than just fun—it’s a fundamental part of learning. For specialists, helping students navigate the complexities of social interactions during playtime can be...
Entering a Classroom Video Modeling Lesson
Access FREE SEL materials today As middle school special educators, one of the many skills you work tirelessly to instill in your students is how to enter a classroom appropriately. This simple yet essential routine can set the tone for the entire class period,...
No-Prep Activities
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Teaching Kindergarteners Effective Handwashing Techniques and Related Social-Emotional Skills
Introduction Handwashing is an essential skill that everyone should learn from an early age. For kindergarten students, it is important to teach them not only the mechanics of handwashing but also the underlying principles of hygiene and self-care. In this blog post,...