Everyday Speech Blog

Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles

Recognizing Unconscious Bias in Ourselves
Recognizing Unconscious Bias in Ourselves

Guest post by Megan Beaver, M.S., CCC-SLP, in partnership with eLuma Online Therapy. No matter who we are, we have biases. This is because bias is developed through a combination of our upbringing, education, and our many experiences in the world. The way we behave at...

April Content Update: What’s New This Month?

This month's new content features videos and activities about understanding what to share online and in person. This includes topics like cyber safety, understanding the difference between friends and acquaintances, and staying cool-headed in tricky situations. We...

Our New Normal: Simplified Social Lives
Our New Normal: Simplified Social Lives

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on most people’s social lives and created a strange new 'normal'. The thought of our pre-pandemic world has become a distant memory. Going to a party indoors? Preposterous. A concert? Unimaginable! While we are all...

Forming Healthy Habits One Step at a Time
Forming Healthy Habits One Step at a Time

Habits, put simply, are the small decisions and actions we make repeatedly. According to researchers at Duke University, our habits account for about 40% of our behaviors on any given day. Because such a large percentage of our behaviors are out of habit, we’d venture...

Shifting Your Perspective: Why and How?
Shifting Your Perspective: Why and How?

Perspective: Point of view; the way we see or perceive things. “Look on the bright side!” “Put yourself in their shoes.” “Anyway you slice it...” “The glass is half empty.” It’s likely you've heard at least one of these common English idioms before. Each of them is...

No-Prep Activities

Surfing the Waves of Conversation: A Guide for Elementary Educators
Surfing the Waves of Conversation: A Guide for Elementary Educators

In this blog post, we will discuss an important aspect of social-emotional learning: guiding students to smoothly transition between conversation topics. Like surfing, conversations need to flow naturally from one topic to another. By teaching students how to ride the...

Effective Communication Skills for Kindergarten Students
Effective Communication Skills for Kindergarten Students

Communication is a vital aspect of social-emotional learning, especially for kindergarten students. By teaching kids effective ways to express themselves, they can build strong relationships with their peers and navigate social situations with ease. In this blog post,...

Teaching Middle School Students the Art of Saying No Respectfully
Teaching Middle School Students the Art of Saying No Respectfully

Introduction As educators, it's our responsibility to help students develop essential life skills, including learning how to set boundaries and communicate effectively. One crucial aspect of communication is understanding when and how to say no respectfully. By...

Teaching PreK Students to Manage Blurting Out in Class
Teaching PreK Students to Manage Blurting Out in Class

Blurting is a common challenge that many educators face with their students. It occurs when students talk out loud when they aren't supposed to, interrupting the flow of the lesson and potentially affecting the learning environment for their classmates. In this blog...

Teaching Problem-Solving Skills to Middle School Students
Teaching Problem-Solving Skills to Middle School Students

Introduction Problem-solving skills are essential for success in life, and it's important to teach these skills to middle school students. As educators, we can help students learn how to identify problems, decide whether they are big or small, seek help when needed,...

Creating Positive First Impressions: A Guide for Educators
Creating Positive First Impressions: A Guide for Educators

Introduction Making a good first impression is crucial for building positive relationships with others. For middle school students, navigating the social landscape can be challenging, and learning how to create a positive first impression can significantly impact...

Two Sides: A Game for Understanding Others’ Feelings
Two Sides: A Game for Understanding Others’ Feelings

Welcome to Two Sides, a game designed to help educators teach middle school students about empathy and understanding the feelings of others. In this blog post, we'll introduce a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to enhance your students'...

Teaching Personal Hygiene and Its Social Impact to Students
Teaching Personal Hygiene and Its Social Impact to Students

Introduction Personal hygiene is an essential aspect of our lives, affecting our health and social interactions. As educators, it is crucial to teach students about the importance of maintaining good personal hygiene, especially when it comes to how we smell. In this...

Teaching High School Students the Importance of Good Hygiene
Teaching High School Students the Importance of Good Hygiene

Introduction Good hygiene is a crucial life skill that contributes to our overall health and helps us maintain positive relationships with others. As educators, it's essential to teach high school students about the importance of keeping their bodies clean, not only...