Everyday Speech Blog
Social Skill Lesson Plans and Articles
How to Help Students Respond to Bullying
22 Free Friendship Skills Activities for PK–12 Students
Friendship skills help students build meaningful peer relationships, navigate social situations, and feel a sense of belonging at school. Some students develop these skills naturally, while others need explicit instruction and repeated practice to build confidence and...
Five Strategies to Help Students Build Self-Regulation Skills
Helping students manage big feelings is no longer a side task in schools. It is central to their ability to learn and connect. From the morning bell to the last dismissal, teachers see every shade of emotion: excitement, anxiety, frustration, and joy. Students need...
Free Perspective-Taking Activities for Every Classroom
Perspective taking helps students recognize how someone else might think or feel, then use that insight to communicate, collaborate, and solve problems. This guide brings together classroom-tested perspective-taking activities you can use across grades and settings....
60+ Best Children’s Books for Social Skills
Teaching kids to read and write is important, but helping them build social skills like sharing, empathy, and problem-solving is what makes classrooms truly work. For many students, especially those in special education or receiving support through MTSS, these skills...
Practical Strategies to Build Confidence, Connection, and Problem-Solving on the Playground
Recess should be the best part of the school day. But for many educators, it’s the moment they brace for impact. What should be 20 minutes of fun often spirals into tattling, tears, and playground “wars” that spill into the afternoon. If you’ve ever found yourself...
14 Back-to-School Activities for Listening, Respect, and Transitions
The start of the school year is full of excitement and change. New classrooms, new routines, and new relationships mean students need more than academic skills to succeed. They also need clear guidance on how to listen, follow directions, respect others, and move...
How to Teach Executive Functioning Skills (Clinician-Tested Strategies)
Executive functioning skills are essential for success in both the classroom and daily life. These mental processes help students stay organized, start tasks, manage time, adapt to changes, and regulate their emotions. When executive functioning breaks down, students...
Teaching Situational Awareness: Strategies and Free Activities to Help Students Adapt
Every day, students move through different environments — classrooms, hallways, lunchrooms, small groups — each with its own expectations and social norms. For some learners, it’s easy to adjust to these changes. For others, it takes direct support and repeated...
No-Prep Activities
Developing Empathy: Activities and Discussions for Educators
Introduction Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, or "putting yourself in someone else's shoes." This essential social-emotional learning skill helps students form meaningful connections with their peers, fostering positive...
Teaching Kindergarten Students to Be Social Chameleons
As educators, we understand the importance of teaching our students not only academic skills but also social skills that will help them navigate the world around them. One such skill is the ability to be a Social Chameleon. This blog post will explore what it means to...
Teaching PreK Students the Importance of Staying with the Group
Introduction In the early stages of a child's development, learning to stay with the group is crucial for fostering positive social interactions and building strong relationships. This blog post will focus on an engaging no-prep activity for teaching PreK students the...
Teaching Independence to PreK Students: Activities and Discussions
Developing independence is an essential skill for young children. As they grow, they will encounter situations that require them to be self-sufficient and make decisions on their own. In this blog post, we will explore an engaging, no-prep activity that promotes...
Helping PreK Students Think Before They Speak: A Social-Emotional Learning Guide
Introduction Sometimes, people ask us questions and we’re not sure what to say. This can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. In this blog post, we'll introduce an easy, no-prep activity to help PreK students practice focusing and thinking before answering...
Teaching PreK Students to Recognize Interest in Conversations
Introduction Teaching young children effective communication skills is an essential part of their development. One crucial aspect of communication is the ability to recognize when someone is interested in the conversation. This skill helps students build better...
Teaching Personal Space to Special Education Students: Activities and Discussions
Introduction Educators working with special education students understand the importance of teaching social skills, including respecting personal space. Personal space is the invisible bubble around us that should be maintained when interacting with others. Teaching...
Teaching Small Talk Skills to Students in Special Education
Introduction Small talk is a crucial social skill that allows individuals to engage in short, polite conversations with others, especially when interacting with strangers or acquaintances. By teaching students in Special Education how to make small talk, we can help...
Box Breathing: A Powerful Technique for Middle School Students
Deep breathing is an essential skill that helps students maintain a calm state of mind, allowing them to think clearly and calmly. One such powerful technique is Box Breathing, a simple yet effective method for controlling worries, anger, and fears. In this blog post,...
Understanding and Preventing Bullying: A Guide for Special Education Educators
Introduction Bullying is a harmful behavior that can have lasting effects on individuals, especially students in special education settings. As educators, it's crucial to understand the different types of bullying and teach our students how to recognize and prevent...
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...
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...
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 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...
