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GO BACK All Goal Posters THIS SKILL Basic Conversation Skills THIS GOAL Conversation Stoplight

Conversation Stoplight

The Conversation Stoplight breaks the habit of interrupting others by coaching a child on when to talk and when to listen in a conversation. Learners will begin to notice specific things such as pauses, or the look of someone who is trying to talk so they’ll understand when it’s their turn to speak.

Preview an SEL skills lesson: Conversation Stoplight

1 Show the video to your students

Narrator: The Conversation Stoplight helps us take turns in conversations. When someone else is talking, we have a red light. This means we wait and listen for clues. When the other person has finished talking, we have the green light and it’s our turn to talk.

 

[SKILLS]

Narrator: The skills we use are:

(1) Listening for clues.

(2) Conversation Share, which gives others a chance to talk too.

(3) Speaking only when it’s our turn.

Let’s see what using the Conversation Stoplight looks like.

 

[SCENE 1]

Serena: I saw a really cool movie this weekend. I think you’d really like it. It was a mixture of action and adventure.

Zach: That sounds cool. Was it a new or old movie?

Serena: It came out a couple years ago. Here, I’ll text the name of it so you’ll remember. (types on phone) Done!

Zach: Thanks. I’ll have to check it out.

Serena: Yeah, let me know if you end up watching it!

Zach: I will!

 

[FROM MY VIEW]

Zach: (voice over) When I’m talking to others, I make sure to use the Conversation Stoplight. This helps me know when it’s my turn to talk. I watch the other person and if they’re in the middle of talking or about to talk, I wait my turn. When no one else is talking, I know it’s my turn.

 

[SKILLS REVIEW]

Narrator: When we are having conversations, we use the Conversation Stoplight to help us take turns. We watch the other person. If they are talking or about to talk, we wait our turn. When no one else is talking, we know it’s our turn to talk.

 

[WHAT DID WE LEARN?]

Narrator: So, what did we learn?

During conversations, we use the Conversation Stoplight.

(1) It’s our job to listen while others are talking. This means we have a red light and we don’t talk.

(2) When others are done talking, we have a green light and it’s our turn to talk.

The Skills we saw were:

– Listening for clues.

– Conversation Share which gives others a chance to talk, and

– Speaking only on our turn.

 

2 Review with the Companion Worksheet
3 Apply new skills with activities & games!

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Other SEL materials on Conversation Stoplight
Using Conversation Stoplight in a Group Video
Using Conversation Stoplight in a Group

Middle & High School

Convo Match Interactive
Convo Match

Elementary School

Interactive Worksheet: Conversation Stoplight in a Group Activity
Interactive Worksheet: Conversation Stoplight in a Group

Middle & High School

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