Everyday Speech Blog
Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles
Conversation Skills Activities for Middle School Students
In middle school, conversation skills become more layered and socially demanding. Students are expected to respond to different audiences, adapt their language based on context, and participate in more dynamic exchanges with peers and adults. Related resources:...
How to Prevent the Summer Slide (Free Materials for PK-12)
When school ends for the year, social learning often pauses. Without structured routines, peer interaction, and adult support, many students begin to lose the communication and self-regulation skills they worked hard to build. This regression—often called the summer...
Conversation Skills Activities for Pre-K and Kindergarten
Preschool and kindergarten students are just beginning to learn what it means to have a conversation. These early skills don’t develop automatically. Most students need direct instruction, consistent modeling, and lots of guided practice. Related resources: social...
Activities to Teach Online Communication & Digital Citizenship [Download]
Conversation Skills Activity for Elementary: Conversation Stoplight Practice Cards
Activities to Teach Conversation Skills Help students start, maintain, and deepen peer interactions with no-prep printables and lessons.Elementary students are just beginning to learn how to manage back-and-forth conversations. They may interrupt without realizing it,...
Conversation Skills Activity for Middle School: Connected Comments Spinner
Activities to Teach Conversation Skills Help students start, maintain, and deepen peer interactions with no-prep printables and lessons.Many middle school students struggle to stay on topic in conversation. They may respond with unrelated comments, repeat themselves...
Download Conversation Cards: Free High School Activity for Communication Skills
Activities to Teach Conversation Skills Help students start, maintain, and deepen peer interactions with no-prep printables and lessons.Teaching conversation skills is a foundational step toward building student confidence in both academic and social settings. Related...
Conversation Skills Activity for High School: Conversation GPS Packet
Activities to Teach Conversation Skills Help students start, maintain, and deepen peer interactions with no-prep printables and lessons.High school students often need structured tools to help them manage the flow of conversation. Related resources: social skills...
Conversation Skills Activity for Middle School: Conversation Stoplight Question Cards
Activities to Teach Conversation Skills Help students start, maintain, and deepen peer interactions with no-prep printables and lessons.Middle school students often need help recognizing when to take their turn in a conversation. Related resources: social skills...
No-Prep Activities
Calming Corner: Wiggling Body Scan Activity for Special Education Students
Introduction In this blog post, we will discuss a calming activity that can help students in Special Education understand how their body feels and promote relaxation. By learning to recognize the signs of worry and relaxation in their bodies, students can develop...
Unlocking Disguised Thoughts: Enhancing Communication for Middle School Students
When we engage in conversations, it's essential to pay attention to the other person's message. Sometimes, the words they use don't match their message or don't seem to make sense. In these cases, they may be using Disguised Thoughts. Disguised Thoughts are when...
Teaching Control of Thoughts and Feelings with the Self-Controller Scanner
Introduction Controlling thoughts and feelings is a crucial skill for middle school students as they navigate the challenges of adolescence. The Self-Controller Scanner is an effective tool that helps students recognize when their emotions are controlling their...
Teaching Conversation Drivers and Stoppers: An Essential Social Skill for Elementary Students
Introduction As educators, it's important to teach our students effective communication skills. One crucial aspect of communication is understanding the difference between Conversation Drivers and Conversation Stoppers. Conversation Drivers are behaviors that keep a...
Teaching Students to Agree More Often: A Guide for Special Education Educators
Introduction Teaching students the importance of agreeing more often than disagreeing can help foster positive relationships and promote inclusivity. This is especially important in special education settings, where students may struggle with social-emotional...
Selecting Appropriate Conversation Topics for Middle School Students
Introduction As educators, we play a crucial role in helping our students develop essential social skills, including the ability to engage in meaningful conversations. One important aspect of successful conversations is selecting appropriate topics based on the person...
Teaching Students the Art of Greeting Peers: A Guide for Educators
Introduction Greeting others is a fundamental social skill that helps students build and maintain friendships. It's a friendly way to let others know we are happy to see them and appreciate their presence. This blog post will explore the importance of teaching...
Teaching Greetings in Special Education: An Engaging Activity and Discussion Questions
Introduction Greetings are an essential aspect of social interaction, and teaching students in Special Education how to greet others is vital for their social-emotional development. This blog post will explore an engaging, no-prep activity for educators to use in...
Shared Interests: A Key to Building Connections for High School Students
Introduction Building connections with peers can be challenging for high school students, especially when they are unsure how to initiate conversations or find common ground. One effective way to help students overcome these challenges is by encouraging them to...
Understanding Different Types of Bullying in Middle School
In this blog post, we will discuss various types of bullying and provide an activity for educators to engage middle school students in understanding and addressing bullying. By learning about different forms of bullying and how to respond to them, students can develop...
Teaching the Art of Conversation Share to PreK Students
Introduction The Conversation Share is a crucial skill for fostering healthy communication among young learners. It helps children understand the importance of balancing talking and listening in a conversation, ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to express...
Changing the Channel: Teaching Students to Control Emotions
As educators, we often encounter students who struggle with controlling their emotions, especially big, negative feelings like anger, frustration, or sadness. These emotions can quickly take over a student's mind, preventing them from making good decisions and finding...
Teaching Elementary Students to Think Before Speaking: Two Sides Activity
Introduction One of the essential skills for developing healthy communication and social interactions is learning when to think before speaking. In this blog post, we will introduce a fun and engaging activity called Two Sides, designed to help elementary students...
Teaching Conversation Skills to Kindergarten Students: Start and End the Conversation
It's essential to instill good communication habits in young children, and kindergarten is the perfect time to start teaching them the basics of conversation. This blog post will explore the importance of starting and ending conversations for kindergarten students and...
Understanding Learning Styles: Helping Elementary Students Succeed
Introduction Everybody learns differently, and our brains have unique learning preferences. These preferences are called learning styles, and it's important for educators to be aware of them to help students succeed. There are four main learning styles: visual,...
