Everyday Speech Blog
Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles
Free Identifying Feelings Material
Download Activity and Lesson Plan Searching for free identifying feelings material to teach to your elementary students? Look no further. Everyday Speech has you covered with tons of fun materials from video modeling lessons, web games, and worksheets. Check out below...
How To Address Social Skills Loss From the Pandemic
It is hard to believe that it has been nearly three years since the initial COVID-19 lockdowns. And while this time has been challenging for us all, it has been especially difficult for our students who are dealing with social skills loss from the pandemic. What...
The 5 Social-Emotional Learning Skills
Let’s talk about the 5 Social-Emotional Learning Skills (CASEL Competencies)! What are they? And why do they matter? Whether you’re a veteran Speechie or you’re new around here, you’ve probably noticed that the 5 CASEL Competencies (Self-Awareness, Self-Management,...
February 2023 Content Update
Hello Everyday Speechies! We have new material this month! Let’s take a look! We have added three new pieces of material related to Job Skills. The first is a follow-up game for the existing Professional Skills game. The next is an interactive activity for...
How to Use SEL as a Special Ed Teacher
As a special education teacher, you are the connector on campus and hold a unique skill set and perspective in the push for schoolwide social-emotional learning (SEL). Rather than feeling like the outlier of your school community, read on to see how you can position...
How to Use SEL as a School Psychologist
As a school psychologist, you wear many hats and are the glue between general education and special education. You bridge the gap between individual classroom teachers and wider district initiatives. You are ultimately an invaluable resource and leader in the mission...
How to Use SEL as a School Counselor
As a school counselor, you play a huge role in nurturing schoolwide social-emotional learning (SEL). In fact, you serve as the first line of defense in identifying and addressing students’ social and emotional needs within the school setting. With that, it is likely...
How to Best Implement SEL as a Social Worker
As a school social worker, social-emotional learning is, and has always been, the heart of your role. As the link between the home, school, and community, your expertise in SEL is a crucial tool in supporting whole-child development. If you’re reading this, you may be...
Will AI Chatbots Destroy School?
“Please summarize Moby-Dick for my upcoming book report,” I wrote. In under five seconds, ChatGPT had generated an answer that I could turn in for at least a B. Best of all, I didn’t have to read all 427 pages of Moby-Dick. I also didn’t have to research, reflect, or...
No-Prep Activities
Teaching Conversation Share: Balancing Talk Time for Middle School Students
Introduction In a conversation, it's crucial to maintain a balance between speaking and listening. This balance, known as the Conversation Share, ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings. For middle school students,...
Tips for Teaching Cyber Skills: Posting Photos on Social Media Responsibly
Introduction Social media can be a fun and engaging way for students to connect with friends and share their experiences. However, it is essential for them to understand the online social rules and the impact of sharing photos on social media. In this blog post, we...
Helping Students Express Their Feelings and Use Positive Self-talk
In this blog post, we will explore the importance of teaching students to express their feelings and use positive self-talk in their everyday interactions. Developing these skills is crucial for students to build healthy relationships and navigate social situations...
Teaching Social Chameleon Skills for Special Education Students
As educators, it is important to support our students in developing the ability to adapt their behavior to different situations. Being a Social Chameleon means blending in and adjusting to any situation, no matter what's going on around you. This blog post will...
Teaching PreK Students to Walk Quietly: A No-Prep Social-Emotional Learning Activity
Introduction As educators, we understand the importance of teaching our students not only academic skills but also social-emotional skills that will help them navigate various situations in their daily lives. One such skill, particularly for PreK students, is learning...
Read the Room: A Social-Emotional Learning Activity for Elementary Students
Introduction As educators, we strive to help our students develop a range of skills that will serve them well in life. One such skill, often overlooked but equally important, is the ability to "read the room" – to gauge the atmosphere of a situation and adapt behavior...
Riding the Conversation Waves: Teaching High School Students Smooth Topic Transitions
In this blog post, we will explore the importance of smooth topic transitions in conversations and how to teach high school students this vital skill. By comparing topic transitions to riding waves, we can help students understand the concept and practice it...
Teaching Middle School Students the Power of Tone of Voice in Social-Emotional Learning
Introduction As educators, we strive to teach our middle school students the importance of effective communication and understanding emotions. One key aspect of communication that often goes unnoticed is tone of voice. Tone of voice plays a significant role in...
Teaching Personal Boundaries: A No-Prep Activity for Educators
Introduction Teaching personal boundaries is an essential part of social-emotional learning for students. It helps them understand the importance of respecting others' personal space and belongings, as well as knowing when it's appropriate to ask for permission. In...
Staying Calm in School: Tips and Strategies for Educators
Introduction In a school setting, students encounter various situations that may cause them to feel upset or uncomfortable. As educators, it's crucial to teach students the importance of staying calm and maintaining self-control. This not only ensures a positive...
Teaching Respect for Diverse Opinions: An Activity for Educators
Introduction In today's world, it's important for students to understand that everyone has their own thoughts and feelings, which form their opinions. By teaching students to respect diverse opinions, we can help them develop empathy, tolerance, and effective...
Handling Conflicts with Friends: Problem Solving Steps for PreK Students
Introduction Disagreements or arguments with friends are called conflicts, and they can occur from time to time. Conflicts may make us feel upset or uncomfortable, but when we resolve them, everyone feels better, and the friendship usually returns to normal. To handle...
Enhance Social Skills with Act It Out! Role-Playing Game for Elementary Students
Introduction Welcome to Act It Out!, a role-playing game designed to help elementary students develop essential social skills. This engaging activity focuses on the importance of topics in conversations and how they can affect others' perceptions and actions. Through...
Teaching Students About Appropriate Eye Contact and Avoiding Staring
Introduction Social interactions can be complex, especially when it comes to making eye contact and avoiding staring. It's essential to teach students the difference between appropriate eye contact when conversing and staring, which can make others feel uncomfortable....
Building Strong Friendships: A Guide for Middle School Educators
Introduction In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of building strong friendships for middle school students. Friendships play a crucial role in the social-emotional development of young people, as they learn to listen to each other, help one another, and...