Everyday Speech Blog
Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles
Creating a Common Language: Using Everyday Speech Concepts in Your Classroom
Special educators, general educators, and specialists know that clear, consistent language is key to helping students build communication, social, and behavioral skills. That’s where Everyday Speech comes in. Our curriculum includes a unique library of concepts...
50+ Examples of Strengths-Based IEP Goals for Students
Download 50+ Example IEP Goals Customizable library of strengths-based goalsIEP goals should empower students. Instead of focusing on eliminating challenges, strengths-based IEP goals emphasize autonomy, self-advocacy, and meaningful skill development. Below are real...
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,...
No-Prep Activities
Teaching Effective Group Work and Collaboration Skills to Students
Effective group work and collaboration skills are essential for students to succeed in various aspects of their personal, academic, and professional lives. By fostering these skills early on, educators can help students become better communicators, problem solvers,...
Teaching Elementary Students to Be ‘Tuned In’ – A Social-Emotional Learning Approach
Introduction Being 'Tuned In' is an essential skill for students to develop as they navigate their social and educational environments. This skill involves noticing one's own actions and the actions of others, ensuring that actions are appropriate for the situation,...
Teaching Problem-Solving Skills Through Social-Emotional Learning
Introduction In our daily lives, we all face problems, both big and small. These problems can arise from our own actions or from circumstances beyond our control. As educators, it's essential to teach our students how to effectively handle these problems by developing...
Calming Break for PreK Students Using Our Senses
Introduction Educators working with PreK students often face the challenge of helping them self-regulate and manage their emotions. One effective way to do this is by engaging them in a calming activity that uses their senses. This approach is rooted in the principles...
Teaching High School Students About the Importance of Good Hygiene
Introduction As educators, it is essential to teach high school students the importance of good hygiene. Maintaining proper hygiene not only keeps students healthy but also helps them feel more comfortable around others. By emphasizing the significance of daily...
Adapting to Schedule Changes: Skills and Activities for Middle School Students
Introduction As educators, we understand that some students thrive on routine and predictability. However, life is full of unexpected events, and it's essential for students to learn how to handle changes in their daily schedules. In this blog post, we'll explore an...
Teaching PreK Students to Manage Jealousy: Activities and Discussions
Introduction Jealousy is a natural emotion that children, as well as adults, experience. It's important for educators to teach young students how to manage their feelings of jealousy and channel them into positive actions. This blog post will explore a no-prep...
Teaching Conversation Skills with Drivers and Stoppers Bingo
Introduction Developing good conversation skills is essential for kindergarten students as they learn to interact with their peers and adults. One way to teach these skills is through the concept of Conversation Drivers and Stoppers. Conversation Drivers are...
Time Management Skills for Elementary Students Transitioning to Middle School
Introduction As elementary students transition to middle and high school, they experience increased independence. This new freedom comes with greater responsibilities, such as taking ownership of their time and learning how to budget it effectively. Time management is...
Teaching Problem-Solving Skills in Everyday Life: A Guide for Educators
Introduction Problems are an inevitable part of life, both at home and at school. They can arise from thoughtless actions or purely by accident. How we handle and react to these problems is crucial for our personal growth and well-being. As educators, it is essential...
Teaching Students to Advocate for Their Learning Accommodations
Introduction Every student has unique learning, social-emotional, and sensory needs. It is essential for educators to understand and accommodate these needs to ensure the success of each student. However, there may be instances when a student's needs are not being met...
Helping Students Understand the Importance of Diverse Conversations
Introduction In social situations, it's crucial for students to understand that people have diverse interests and not everyone wants to talk about the same topic all the time. By learning to engage in different conversations and respecting others' interests, students...
Teaching Good Sportsmanship to Kindergarten Students: A No-Prep Activity Guide
Introduction Developing good sportsmanship is an essential skill for young children, as it fosters a healthy attitude towards competition, winning, and losing. In this blog post, we will discuss an easy-to-implement, no-prep activity to teach kindergarten students the...
Guess What Happens Next: School Behavior Edition – A Social-Emotional Learning Activity
Introduction In this blog post, we will discuss an engaging and interactive activity called 'Guess What Happens Next' that focuses on school behavior. This activity aims to help students understand how their actions can impact others and develop better decision-making...
Teaching PreK Students to Ask for a Break: A Social-Emotional Learning Approach
Introduction In early childhood education, it is crucial to help students develop the ability to recognize and manage their emotions. One essential skill for PreK students is learning to ask for a break when they feel overwhelmed, stressed, angry, or frustrated. This...
