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Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills in 6 Easy Steps

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Resolving conflicts in 6 steps. Teaching elementary school students to resolve conflicts can improve their social-emotional understanding and help your classroom management.

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Help your students understand empathy with this video.

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Put your students' empathy skills to the test with this interactive digital game.

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What is collaboration and why is it important in the school setting?

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Here is a list of instructional strategies you can use with your students to foster collaboration skills.

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1. Students number off one through four.

2. Each student pairs with another student from a different group who has the same number.

3. Following the timeline from the article that was previously read each pair writes a dialogue between two characters in the passage.

4. Pairs are selected to present dialogues in chronological order to the class. Activity is designed to be a text "re-presentation."

This activity encourages all students to interact through reading and writing.

1. Write different but related questions or prompts on chart paper and post the papers around the room.

2. Students move around the room either freely or in small groups and write ideas or answers on each paper. Alternately, you can have them record the ideas on sticky notes at their desks ahead of time and then post the notes on the appropriate papers.

3. Share and process the ideas with the whole group with a gallery walk (students silently move from poster to poster, reading and noting important ideas) small group to whole group presentations or some other technique.

A carousel uses wait time for planning and a degree of anonymity in answering to create a nonthreatening atmosphere in which all students have an equal chance share their ideas.
This activity involves graphing information based on a survey. Each group of four will take a survey of how many countries each has visited (or other teacher-determined information). A bar graph is then developed. Each person in the group is responsible for one aspect of the graph, and signs his/her name on the chart along with their area of responsibility. Jobs are: survey group members and record results, construct the graph, write names and numbers on the graph, write title and assist with graph construction. Each person in the group describes his/her part of the graph to the class.

Students in groups are given a problem with a definite answer (good for math & science). First students completes first step without contribution from others in-group and passes it to the next student. Second student corrects any mistakes and completes next step, again with out input from the group. Problem gets passed to next student and the process continues until the group has the correct answer.

One page per word divided into 4 sections: Word, Picture, Word in context, Definition.

Task Procedure:

1. Divide learners into groups of four. If these are homogenous language proficiency level groupings, then organize the vocabulary in step 2 below to meet the needs of beginners, intermediates, advanced, and native speaker language proficiency levels, then arrange groups with half native speakers, half not. If there are far fewer non-native speakers, then sprinkle them around the groups so that a peer translator/bilingual paraprofessional can be with each learner, with first priority to beginners.

2. Give each group one numbered envelope with different key vocabulary/concepts, definitions, and pictures/clip art on separate pages.

3. Students spill the contents of the envelopes on the table and are instructed to match a definition to a concept/key vocabulary and a picture in order to sort out and organize three of the four quadrants of a 4-corners vocabulary card (or in above variation, translated concept, same concept in English, translation of definition).

4. Next, learners are asked to write a sentence that uses the concept/key vocabulary in context. If there are learners who cannot write, then include an envelop of simple sentences that are mixed. Learners have to find the relevant one. Or prepare on sentence cut up into words that has to be sorted. (It may be wise to model steps 2-4 before giving groups envelopes, so prepare an envelope for yourself.)

5. After that, learners paste the sections of their 4-corners vocabulary poster together (hand out chart paper for this).

6. After that, teams hang their posters in the corners of the room on adjacent walls for team inside-outside circle.

7. Each team is given 2 minutes to read their posters. If there were four learners in each group, then each reads a different corner of their posters. Time this with clapping.

8. Next, tell groups to write a new sentence using the concept/key vocabulary and add it to the poster. Encourage students to peer edit. (NOTE: After it has been peer edited, the teacher notes what is still in error and corrects it. Teaching what was not correctly peer edited comes at a later date).

9. After that, ask every other group to take their poster to another corner of the room and begin the process again. Groups have returned to the corners where they started the task.

10. The following day have pupils use their posters to play guessing games. Model this with the whole group before dividing the class into smaller groups of 8-10 players.

11. Fold all posters so that only the picture (or translation) of each concept is visible. One team of 4-5 players shows this to the opposing team of 4-5 players. They are given two minutes to produce the concept, definition, and a sentence using the concept. Each game has an egg timer. When time is up points are determined in each game by comparing work. Points are given as follows: finished all work on time - 10 pts; each correct item - 10 pts.

Gallery Walk

A cooperative learning strategy in which the instructor devises several questions/problems and posts each question/problem at a different table or at a different place on the walls (hence the name "gallery"). Students form as many groups as there are questions, and each group moves from question to question (hence the name "walk"). After writing the group's response to the first question, the group rotates to the next position, adding to what is already there. At the last question, it is the group's responsibility to summarize and report to the class.

This routine is effective when students are responding to questions that do not have a specific right answer. Instructions: Present an issue about which varying opinions exist and pose several questions for the class to consider.

1. Students work in pairs. One is the interviewer; the other is the interviewee. Each interview lasts two to three minutes.

2. At the signal, partners switch roles.

3. After each set of partners have interviewed each other, have them pair with another set of partners. Each partner shares his or her partner's idea with the others.

Plan A

1. Pose a question to the group and ask the students tothinkabout an answer to the question.

2. Ask students topairup with someone at the table or close by, and have a student in the pairsharehis/her answer to the question.The other student in the pair listens.

3. Ask the other student in the pair share his/her answer to the question while his/her partner listens.

4. Bring the whole class back together, and ask several students tosharewhat they learned from their partners.

5. Chart the answers for further discussion, if appropriate.

Plan B

1. Tell each student to find a partner.

2. One partner at a time takes 3-4 minutes to outline the problems or issues.The other partner listens silently.

3. The silent partner now responds either with questions needing clarification or with suggestions for resolving he issues.Allow only 3-4 minutes for responding.

4. Repeat the process, as the second partner describes the problems or issues.The same time limits apply.

5. The large group reassembles and creates a chart of the issues related to the topic.

Plan C

1. Group the students in groups of two or three.

2. Read the information or think about a specific topic and take notes.

3. Ask students tothinkabout what they read or contemplated.Decide how they can best share this information with another person, orpair.

4. Students share relevant information with the other members of the group.

Having students continually reflect upon previous learning helps them begin to process information in manageable chunks of information. Occasionally, teachers feel the pressure of trying to get as much information to the student as quickly as possible. As a result, lectures can often turn into runaway freight trains that can leave behind some of the students in the room. This method breaks longer periods of lecture into more manageable periods of information delivery and information processing.

10 minute lecture

2 minute pair-share with elbow partner, allowing them to share notes, revise information, and add any information that they might have missed

2 minutes of independent summarizing

Repeat the process until all information is presented

Give One, Get One

In this whole-class activity, students have a task - to give and to get information. They walk around the classroom and randomly select partners with whom to share information and get new information about an assigned topic. Instructions: Before beginning, give students quiet time to consider what they know about a particular topic, and to record a number of possible responses (sketches, words, phrases, or sentences) on a sheet designed for that purpose.

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Students number off one through four. Each student pairs with another student from a different group who has the same number. Following the timeline from the article that was previously read each pair writes a dialogue between two characters in the passage. Pairs are selected to present dialogues in chronological order to the class.

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Establishing norms is a key component to successful collaboration in the classroom.

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Fostering Belonging With Classroom Norms

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Play these games with your students to improve their communication skills.

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Improve COMMUNICATION SKILLS in Children with HIGHLY EFFECTIVE Games | Early Childhood Education

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A message is miscommunicated when a mother bird passes it down a line of birds to her son and each bird passes on their own version of the original message.

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Five elephants discover a very tall fruit tree deep in the jungle. They compete with each other to see who can reach the exotic fruit first. Their focus on being the first means they don’t notice a team of mice working together to reach the fruit first. But they soon realize that teamwork and communication is a better way to reach their prize.

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Show your students the importance of nonverbal communication with this video.

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This playlist offers different breathing exercises for students to use when they are feeling angry, anxious, or upset.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Here is a read aloud about empathy

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📖💗 A Little Spot of Empathy By Diane Alber READ ALOUD

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Use these Situation Cards to role play and practice conflict resolution skills.

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Use optical illusions to teach perspective-taking.

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Kid President Video on Conflict Resolution

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Kid President Video on Conflict Resolution

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Help your students manage their big feelings.

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Coping Skills For Kids - Managing Feelings & Emotions For Elementary-Middle School | Self-Regulation

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Importance of establishing norms and guidelines to establish them in the classroom

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Developing expectations, or a code of conduct, with the class helps to foster community by balancing the learning needs of the individual with those of the group.

Why set expectations?

Expectations hold students accountable for their behavior

They can prevent issues of incivility

Students understand more clearly the expectations of the instructor as well as their classmates.

Setting expectations in a syllabus can act as a contract that can be referred to in instances where ground rules are being broken

Rules can create a safe learning environment for course participants when all know that their ideas and viewpoints will be respected

Considerations for setting expectations

Introduce expectations early in the semester

Ask students for feedback

Throughout the semester, refer to the established expectations when addressing any incivility

If using group work, consider having small groups come up with their own set of expectations at the onset

Reiterate expectations before discussing a topic that may be heated

Getting started with setting expectations

Decide what is non-negotiable for you as the instructor

Plan to facilitate a conversation around expectations as a class or present your proposal and give students the opportunity to modify it

In small groups, have students think about past learning environments. Which learning environments were productive and positive? What were the characteristics of that environment? Which learning environments were not productive? What were the characteristics of that environment?

Based on these conversations, have students create a draft list of expectations for your class

Collect and compile these

Adjust them as you see necessary and redistribute them to the class for agreement

Once everyone agrees, put these expectations into your syllabus

Revisit them throughout the semester to check with students that the expectations are still working; make adjustments as necessary

References

Brookfield, S. D., & Preskill, S. (2005). Discussion as a way of teaching: Tools and techniques for democratic classrooms (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Davis, B. G. (2009). Tools for teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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Developing expectations, or a code of conduct, with the class helps to foster community by balancing the learning needs of the individual with those of the group. Expectations hold students accountable for their behavior They can prevent issues of incivility Students understand more clearly the expectations of the instructor as well as their classmates.

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Help your students tell the difference between big problems and little problems.

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Big Problem vs Little Problem - Reducing Anxiety and Anger for Children - SEL -

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39 activities to practice communication skills

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39 activities to practice communication skills

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Our world is in a communication crisis.

Kids spend astounding amounts of time on their electronic devices and with this shift, they are losing their skills in how to communicate their needs-with their own voices.

Picture the kids you know having no access to wi-fi. There might be a revolt when you start to ask them to communicate with you without a phone or device.

With the availability of alternative sources of social support (Leung, 2007), reaching kids in a one-to-one setting is difficult. The skill of self-expression in real life and face-to-face interaction has far-reaching implications.

Improving communication skills in children of all ages today could benefit generations to come, salvaging the power of verbal communication in a world buzzing with technological alternatives.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free. These science-based tools will help you and those you work with build better social skills and better connect with others.

What are Communication Activities, Exercises, and Games?

Certain activities, exercises, and games can teach children to communicate better. In most settings, adults decide the communication style and social norms. The rules of etiquette are also decided by adults.

These days, it is revolutionary to teach communication skills in "kid terms" with room to advance the skills as children develop. Imagine a world where every adult practiced their face-to-face communication.

The following are effective communication fundamentals (Stanfield, 2017):

1. Empathy;

2. Conversation skills;

3. Established listening and speaking procedures;

4. Respectful vocabulary;

5. The power of the pause;

6. Practice speaking and listening in natural settings;

7. Introspection;

8. Turn-taking.

Any activities, exercises, and games that include these fundamentals can improve skills in communication. Interactive games encourage kids to express their needs. Plus, when kids see these activities as fun and engaging, the more likely they are to participate.

The Importance of Teaching Kids Communication Skills

There are profound psychological implications for underdeveloped communication skills. Conversely, more effective communication skills result in a higher quality of life.

Communicating well enables people to know and ask for what they need, and can result in higher self-efficacy (Nørgaard, Ammentorp, Ohm Kyvik, & Kofoed, 2012). With higher self-efficacy, there are lower instances of violence (Khoury-Kassabri, 2012), bullying (Clark & Bussey, 2020), and self-destructive behaviors (Forman & Kalafat, 1998).

Research with people who are hearing impaired revealed the impact on feelings of loneliness and depression (Knutson & Lansing, 1990). Now, the same effect is showing for children who are not severely hearing impaired.

When there is difficulty in basic communication, there is a barrier to a fundamental human need, thus resulting in emotional and psychological problems. We are hard-wired to connect and belong with other humans (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

For example, when a toddler cannot communicate their needs, a tantrum might follow. When a pre-teen child cannot effectively communicate, frustration might ensue. When a teenager cannot effectively communicate, a perfect storm might occur. And when adults cannot understand and state their needs, lives can fall apart.

Everyone benefits from practicing good communication. Right now, children are in desperate need of effectively communicating with their peers and with adults.

Good communication is a habit, and it needs to start young.

Effective communication skills equip children with the ability to have their needs met. As children age, their skills need to increase as difficult situations occur. In school and social settings, a child's peers play a significant role in how these skills develop.

Communication Skills in Children. Image by Bessi from Pixabay.

Any parent of a teen is aware of how these skills are a part of a teenager-parent relationship. Modeling appropriate communication skills is a great way to show children (and teenagers) how people use kind communication to get "what they want."

Basic communication skills are needed for basic survival. Something as basic as eye contact can be difficult to maintain for many children, even though it is the most critical part of nonverbal communication (Zeki, 2009). Looking people in the eye is a skill. It takes practice to understand the importance of eye contact for the development of good manners and social connection.

So how do we begin teaching kids communication skills? Every setting offers learning opportunities. When children know how to listen and respond, they also develop deeper understandings of empathy and compassion.

When kids communicate well, they are more likely to recognize and pursue opportunities with confidence and self-efficacy (Nørgaard et al., 2012).

You can practice life-changing skills starting with these simple exercises below.

5 Tips on How to Teach Communication Skills to Children

Every day, if you work with kids or have them yourself, you model how to ask for what you need. Even simple moments where you ask a coworker for a pencil can be goldmines of modeling.

Here are five specific tips.

1. Be a Model

The old adage, " Do as I say, not as I do " rears its head once again. Kids are more likely to do "as you do" regardless of what you say. Parents who model good communication have children who are-shocker-better at communicating with others.

It is important to note that sometimes, difficulty in communication may have underlying factors such as the presence of autism, attention disorders, or auditory disability.

2. Create a Framework for Communication Procedures

Teaching children how and when to communicate is a foundational skill. Chronic interrupting and volume control are disruptions to communication everywhere, not just for children. Set boundaries for kids to know when it is appropriate to interject with their opinion. Positively reinforce kids or students who follow the known expectations.

Regardless of the framework specifics, teach kids how to get your attention-without inappropriate disruption.

3. Don't Embarrass Children by Correcting Them in Public

Shame is powerful, and can negatively influence a desire to learn for anyone. Kids will make mistakes in their communication, as do adults. That two-year-old who called a stranger "fat" needs to understand why that is inappropriate, but they do not need to be corrected in front of everyone.

Gently correcting errors in private is a basic principle of positive discipline, and it helps promote a growth mindset where children feel safe. If a child is embarrassed in public, they will make fewer communication attempts in the future, or worse, continue the act for attention.

4. Teach Empathy

Empathy is an important topic for children in every aspect of life. The ability to see someone else's point of view creates space for mutual understanding and concern for the pain of others. An empathic listener is a skilled listener. It is crucial to value and praise the students who show care for other's feelings, as this promotes a culture of empathy.

5. Show the Power of the Pause

The power of mindful communication is very important. Kids are especially unskilled with controlling their impulsive behavior, as are many adults. Simply teaching kids to think about the impact of their words and any other decision-making overall, can help kids reflect before they act.

It is equally important to value the pauses between statements and encourage a culture of pausing to also create space for others to speak who may need more processing time.

How to Spot Communication Difficulties in All Ages

Spotting difficulties in communication is important. Infants as young as 0-7 months who don't babble might show signs of communication difficulties. Early intervention can help with cognitive and social growth.

Apprehension in oral communication also can lead to difficulties in psychological well-being (McCrosky, 1977). There is an increasing rate of anxiety with regard to communication skills in children. A child suffering from Communication Apprehension will even avoid situations where oral communication is needed, just to avoid the pain and anxiety associated with that communication.

A great deal of research has been done in the development of emotional intelligence and its relationship to effective communication skills (Irvin & Richardson, 2002). Higher test scores exist in individuals with higher reported rates of emotional intelligence, this adds value to the need for improving skills as early as possible. Development of social and communication skills is important for kids, especially those entering Middle School.

While these present as difficulties, they are not in most cases complete barriers to effective communication. Altering skills to fit the obstacle in effective communication is paramount to a child's success.

Infants and Communication Skills. Image by Lisa Runnels from Pixaby.

This is not to downplay the importance that a spectrum disorder, an attention disorder, or an auditory difficulty may play in communication in children. Children with these obstacles may find more difficulty with social communication than their peers due to their struggle with effective communication.

Current research is trying to link other obstacles children may have with these developmental differences.

Here are some concrete ways to spot difficulties in communication:

Immature language;

Speech that is difficult to understand;

Struggling to talk and or listen in conversation;

Avoidance of verbal communication.

6 Games and Exercises for Toddlers and Preschoolers in Kindergarten

Most of these games do not take long, and the skills they teach are foundational to future lessons.

1. Guess the Object

This is a fun game for kids to practice the power of description. Cut a hole in a box that is large enough for their hands. Make sure that they understand that they're not allowed to peak into the hole. Place an object in the box. Have the child describe what the object feels like. Have the class take turns guessing what it might be.

2. Show and Tell

Many kids love to share at this age. Devoting time for children to share things is an encouraging way for them to hone their communication skills. Encourage classmates to think of questions about what their classmate has shared, as a way to develop active listening skills.

3. Feelings Corner

Many times, children at this age have trouble communicating how they are feeling. Emotions can be so abstract; they may not yet have the skills to recognize them at first. Have a designated area for kids to express these feelings, where a printout of an emotions wheel is on display. Have matching emojis that the child can silently hand to their teacher.

Create space during the day for the teacher to address these feelings with any participants. This creates a place for trust and understanding in an age group prone to outbursts when feeling misunderstood or wronged.

4. Turn-Taking

Taking turns in speaking is much like sharing a favored toy, and children need to learn the skill. An engaging exercise for this age group is color circle time. Each child gets a turn in the center of the circle speaking about a chosen subject.

For instance, the color yellow. The child would get 15 seconds to list all of the yellows he or she sees in the room. Then that child names another color for the next child in the center. Before the next turn, each new participant says two things that they heard from the previous sharer.

5. Picture-Telling

Have a variety of pictures for each child. Give each a time limit and let them describe what they see in story form. During this exercise, they are processing visual cues and utilizing their ability to speak them to the classroom. The other children practice their listening skills.

6. Finish-the-Nursery-Rhyme Story

Children need to be familiar with the particular nursery rhymes for this activity to be fun. Help kids imagine and express alternative endings to nursery rhymes in a fun and creative way. Have each kid add to the shared ending and as a class, develop alternative endings to various nursery rhyme stories.

Storytelling is a rich way to practice listening and communication.

A Look at Communication in the Classroom

Classrooms are not for the faint of heart. Teachers deserve the credit for establishing the parameters for their students to learn basic communication. What a teacher tolerates and encourages from their students is one way that children absorb communication habits.

Kids are clever. They know what they can "get away with," and they look to adult figures for examples of how to speak and act. Thus, classroom parameters are paramount, especially when students get to "make the rules" too. Adults always make the rules, but when students help with the process, they are likely to exhibit more buy-in.

Criticism and judgment from classmates should be avoided in classroom culture as much as possible. These issues must be addressed, while also recognizing students practicing clear and kind communication.

The language and tone used in classrooms are important. Teachers who berate and shame kids may speak of frustration with unhappy and critical students.

Kids are smart-they respond to respect.

As the leader in the classroom, teachers are in a position to influence positive language and tone. Congruent communication is one way for teachers to demonstrate skills in the classroom (Brown, 2005). The role of active listening and body language among adolescents can help create an atmosphere of trust and mutual understanding between teacher and students.

Empathetic listening by the teacher creates a connection with the students that allows them to feel "heard."

Social interaction among peers is also important in the growth of communication skills. The more inclusive the focus of a classroom, the more growth each student will experience.

We are hard-wired to cooperate with others. Fostering positive interactions will benefit the entire culture of the classroom, as well as teach children skills that will serve them throughout life.

4 Ways Students Can Improve Communication Skills

Practice makes improvement-not perfection. Once kids are aware of these skills, the practice is available in every interaction.

1. Active listening skills through reinforcement

2. Group projects with collaboration

3. Know the benefit of open-ended questions

4. Developing empathy

6 Communication Games and Activities for Elementary Students

Telephone is a common "playground game," and also a powerful metaphor for teaching miscommunications and the practice of sharing information. The rest of the games, like Telephone, are also quite fun.

1. Telephone

Have students gather together in a circle. The instructor will whisper one short topic, sentence, or phrase into the ear of the student next to them. This phrase will be whispered into the ear of each student around the circle until arriving back at the instructor, who will then compare the original sentence to the one that it became.

2. Emotional Charades

Write-out scenarios that might provoke emotion in participants. The scenarios should be generally light emotions like forgetting your lunch, losing your phone, hearing a rumor about you, waiting for a bus, or forgetting your homework.

Each student then gets a scenario and acts it out with no speaking. After the scenario is guessed, discuss the emotional response. The more easily students can verbally express their emotions, the more easily a teacher can communicate with them and reference confusing feelings.

3. Audio Book Interaction

Scholastic has many interactive books available to students for free. The benefit of this interactive experience is for the student to align reading with speaking the words of the book.

4. Internet Resources

www.creatubbles.com is one website that unites students around the world and offers a platform to learn about creative and effective communication skills.

5. Role-Playing

This is a great way to expand empathy and perspective-taking. Setting goals for the roles is helpful, to guide the students toward vocabulary that will better facilitate cooperation.

For instance, assigning students as parents or teachers allows the kids to be creative in thinking of words that adults would use, and how it might feel to be in a situation from a view other than their own.

6. The Follow All Instructions Activity

Create a list of detailed instructions. The first instruction should be READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS FIRST. The last listed should be IGNORE ALL OTHER INSTRUCTIONS AND WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE TOP OF THIS PAPER.

The purpose of the activity is for students to communicate the importance of reading all instructions first before beginning any project. It offers a great conversation as well, for students of all ages.

7 Games and Activities for Middle and High School Students

So far we have covered a lot of games geared towards younger audiences, although they can be applied to older students too. Now we offer resources specifically for older students.

1. Famous Pairs

Create a list of well-known famous pairs. For instance, peanut butter and jelly, Romeo and Juliet, Superman and Lois Lane, etc. Each participant should receive a post-it-note with one half of a famous pair on their back.

Moving throughout the room, with only three questions per person, the participants try to figure out who the person is on their back.

Once the person has discovered who they are, they need to find their partner. If the other partner has not figured out his/her identity, they must not reveal themselves until they know.

2. The Best Parts of Our School

Many students are negative when it comes to their interpretation of school. In an effort to recognize what is good about your school, this activity is connective and a communication skills builder. This activity should be conducted over three days.

The first day is spent with each student listing 10 things that they consider the best parts of their school. The second day is spent in groups. The groups will create a coordinated list of agreed-upon best parts of their school. The third day is spent creating a class collective list after each group presents their best parts of their school ideas to the class.

3. The Enigmatic Self

We are often mysterious to others. This game promotes self-awareness about what you find mysterious about yourself. In this activity, students write down three things about themselves that no one else knows. In groups of 3 or 4 students, each read the mysterious aspects to each other.

Each group collects the mysteries. At a later time, each group reads the fact list and the remainder of the class tries to guess who the facts are from on the list. Encourage deep respect for these mysteries. Encourage students to celebrate the uniqueness of each other.

Classrooms with solid trust are often built on awareness and appreciation of each other.

4. Stand Up for Fillers

How many people use "like" or "um," or "uh" or "so," or "right" to fill a silent space? It is a nervous habit that is often rooted in the perceived discomfort of silence. This activity helps eliminate these fillers in conversation or in public speaking.

Each student is given a topic that they will speak about for 1-3 minutes (topic is not important; it should be simple). During their speaking time, the remainder of the class will stand when they hear any of these fillers occur in the speech.

The class is listening and the speaker is hyper-aware of the words that they use. It is a deliberate shock to the speaker to see the entire class stand when they hear these fillers and helps to be mindful about using precise vocabulary.

5. Blindfold Game

Create an obstacle course with everyday items in the classroom. Sort students into two groups. One person is blindfolded while the rest of the group decides how to communicate (from their seats) instructions on how to navigate through the course wearing a blindfold. Time each group and discuss which communication style was the most effective.

This activity builds trust and requires accurate communication to successfully navigate through the course. *Be sure to have at least one person to stand near the blindfolded student to help them stay safe during the course.

6. Drawn Understanding

Have two students sit back-to-back. One student has an object and the other has colored pencils and paper. The student with the object must describe it in as much detail as possible, without directly saying what it is.

The second student must draw the object as best they can, based on the communication of the student with the object.

7. Find It Together

Another blindfold is needed for this activity. Divide the group into pairs. One of the students is blindfolded. It is their job to retrieve specific objects from a designated circle. The other student guides their blindfolded partner to retrieve the correct object.

This game can get chaotic because of other blindfolded participants. It requires discussions after the activity, as well as voice recognition and teamwork. A closing discussion question could be something like, "How did people ignore the distractions of other sounds?" It can lead to great conversations on listening and volume control.

5 Communication Games and Activities for College Students

Students at the college level have likely developed some effective communication skills. At this level of education, there are still deep needs to practice communication-it is a skill that needs work.

1. The Guessing Game

This activity is a fun way to introduce and show the difference between closed and open questions. Split your class into two equal groups/teams. One person from each team will leave the room for a minute and think of a business object (any common business object that can be found in any office like a stapler, printer, etc.).

When each person returns, it's the team's task to ask him/her closed-ended questions only to try and guess the object. If needed, explain that closed-ended questions are those that can be answered only by a yes or no. Once any team finds the object, this means that they won this round. And they can go for another round.

After two or three rounds, end the game and lead a classroom discussion. Tell the group that it took a long time and effort to find out the object in each round, but what if they had no time and only one question to ask to find out the object: what would that question be?

The question would be "What is the object?" which is an open-ended question. Open-ended questions are an excellent way to save time and energy and help you get to the information you need fast.

However, closed questions can also be useful to confirm your understanding or to help you control the conversation with an overly talkative person/customer.

2. One Word Letters

Divide into pairs. Each team has one piece of paper and two pencils.

The instructor will start a clock (2-minute time limit). During the two minutes, the pair will write a single letter between them. Each of them will add only one word at a time.

The pair is to write as quickly as possible, not going back to re-read anything, but the last word added.

Letters and Communication Practice. Image Retrieved as Free Photo by Pixaby.

Grammar and spelling are unimportant. Punctuation is only added for sense in the letter. The letter may be written to anyone that the pair decides. It does not need to be a finished letter.

Once the time is up, the letter is read aloud to each other, or the group if classroom trust is solid.

Something interesting occurs when this activity is repeated. The original letters are nonsensical and amusing.

As the process is repeated, the pair's language begins to become more cohesive. It makes for a rich discussion.

3. Study Groups

Creating space for college students to manage a group culture is practice for future employment and collaborations. Study groups are one way to create the space for effective communication skills to be fostered.

Setting up the study groups for the class can form new bonds between students, and challenge them with handling situations that students might not naturally enter. The benefits of effective learning and the development of cooperative communication skills are far-reaching (Colbeck, Campbell, & Bjorklund, 2000).

4. Team Debate Projects

Collaboration is an important skill for students to have in the world of employment, opinions, and creating solutions. To understand any selected course material, have students argue a point against another within a mediated session.

There are many resources on how to facilitate team debates. Discuss the complications that may arise with debates, and how they can practice listening and being willing to change their mind if the argument is convincing.

5. Peer Mentoring

Leadership development requires advanced communication skills. A productive way to develop these skills is through the active engagement of peer mentorship programs. The give and take that exists within this relationship will fully develop skills in both parties.

Mentors benefit from the self-confidence boost that their guidance is needed, while mentees benefit from advice and a role model.

5 Nonverbal Communication Activities and Games

These games can all start or end with a discussion on what is more valuable in communication: nonverbal or verbal cues?

1. You Don't Say

Divide the group into smaller groups of 5-7 people. Write out a list of non-verbal behaviors.

Have the groups act out and interpret the meanings of these behaviors. This activity helps participants recognize nonverbal communication cues from others. Within their groups, have students display one of the nonverbal behaviors, while everyone else in the group shares or writes down what nonverbal message they are receiving.

Non-verbal behaviors can include:

Leaning back in a chair with arms crossed;

Leaning forward in a chair;

Smiling;

Frowning;

Yawning;

Nodding;

Resting chin in both hands;

Resting chin on knuckles;

Rubbing your temples;

Tapping fingers on the table;

Looking at your watch;

Staring around the room;

Ask the participants afterward to share their small-group findings. Ask the class if anyone has ever experienced a nonverbal cue that signaled to them much stronger than any words? Chances are that they have, and this provides context from their direct experience.

2. Picture Telling with Writing

To promote creative communication, this activity engages descriptive language and storytelling. Hold up a picture with people in it. Have the group write about what the people are doing and feeling in the picture.

With smaller children, the instructor can ask them to draw what happens next. This is a great form of imagination and emotional expression.

3. Mimes

Have a list of topic questions prepared. Divide groups into partners. Have one partner act out the answer to the topic question. The second partner guesses by writing what they believe the answer is on a piece of paper.

4. Movement Sticks

Hold two poles between the fingers of pairs. Together the pair will adjust to the movement of the poles. This is a fun and interactive way to attune body language.

5. Mirrors

Divide the group into pairs. Have one partner be chosen as a leader. The other will follow the facial expressions and body language of the leader. This works on eye contact and emotional awareness, along with improvement in awareness of body language cues.

Switch the leader with the follower for the second round. Ask the class if they preferred to follow or lead, and why?

5 Active Listening Games and Exercises

These games have been around for decades and are still fantastic for teaching active listening skills. Everyone knows the directions, and most people enjoy playing.

1. Red Light, Green Light

2. Simon Says

3. Musical Chairs

4. Popcorn Storytelling

This game is fun for all ages. Have the group sit in a circle. Give the group a starting sentence. For instance, "Once upon a time, a tiny gray elephant...." Have each participant add to the story based on what the previous participant has added to the story. It is a great demonstration of utilizing active listening.

5. What's My Favorite Movie?

Have each participant describe their favorite movie to a partner. Then, in pairs ask them to repeat their partner's favorite movie. Only those who have actively listened will be able to accurately repeat the favorites. It's tough when the game has many participants.

5 Assertive Communication Activities for Teens

Assertive communication is a healthy way to express one's needs. Being respectful and honest may still cause discomfort, and negotiating that discomfort is a critical skill. The following are activities that can help teens to develop these vital communication skills.

1. Emotion Awareness

Being attuned to our own emotional needs is the foundation of understanding why we are happy or frustrated with others. Many teens have trouble putting words to how they are feeling, and that is often a matter of knowing how to identify complex emotions.

In this activity, provide each participant with a sheet of various emojis. Take the group through various emotion-invoking scenarios. Have them keep track and label the emotions that popped up for them. Being able to name emotions as they are cued is a first step in improving emotional intelligence, and also relaxes the amygdala from over-firing.

2. Fists

Divide the group into pairs. The pair will get two different sets of instructions.

Person 1 instructions will read: Person 2 will make a fist. You MUST get that fist open.
Person 2 instructions will read: Person 1 is going to attempt to get you to open your fist. You must NOT open your fist unless he/she asks you politely and assertively.

Most people will try to pry the fist open. It is an opportunity to efficiently explain assertive communication. Knowing the power of good communication skills is important in building them properly.

Discuss with the students how the directions influenced their actions. Did they consider a peaceful way of asking? Why or why not? What communication role-models do movies and media offer?

3. Situation Samples

Have a list of scenarios where assertive communication would be the most effective. Offer the teens an opportunity to practice responses to the situations. Have them demonstrate aggressive, passive, and then assertive styles.

When they know the difference, the better they may practice it in real life scenarios.

Some sample scenarios could be:

You are standing in line at the check-out and two salespeople are engrossed in a deep conversation ignoring you.

Your teacher graded a paper that you feel should have received a higher mark.

Someone calls you a name that is hurtful.

Go through various options for responses and get the teens brainstorming.

4. Eye Contact Circle

This nonverbal skill is essential in assertive communication. A creative way to build this skill is with this circle. Create a circle with group participants. Each participant will answer the same question (ie: what is your favorite ice cream flavor) and after answering must find mutual eye contact with someone across the circle.

Once this eye contact is made, the participant must call out their partner's name and slowly switch places with them, while maintaining that eye contact. Eye contact is one of the basic principles of communication and trusting others.

5. Role-playing

Put the group into pairs and have them play different roles. Have the teens brainstorm scenarios from the past where they wish they had been more assertive. This also can be used in the workplace with employees, where people brainstorm in pairs.

This gives people the chance to learn from mistakes, and the empowerment to express their needs during the next uncomfortable situation. Have a list of possible scenarios ready, just in case the brainstorming doesn't produce enough opportunities to explore.

A Take-Home Message

Good communication is a skill that serves people in every area of life. Even the best communicators make mistakes, let alone those of us still learning how to improve. Imagine a world where everyone knew the emotion behind their message and tried to communicate with assertive kindness.

Equipping children with effective communication skills results in higher levels of emotional intelligence, higher test scores, lowering incidents of bullying, and improvements in overall mental well-being. There is so much to gain from practicing these skills.

With the omnipresence of technological advances, kids need to practice these face-to-face skills more than ever.

Building these skills in all age groups builds a society for empathy and emotional resilience. The more practice kids get in school and at home, the better these skills will become. Adults and kids alike have endless opportunities to change how they speak and address their shared needs.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free.

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39 Communication Games and Activities for Kids and Students

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Our world is in a communication crisis. Kids spend astounding amounts of time on their electronic devices and with this shift, they are losing their skills in how to communicate their needs-with their own voices. Picture the kids you know having no access to wi-fi.

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Have your students practice empathy skills with this board game.

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Practice building empathy, perspective-taking, and social problem solving with a board game! The game includes 160 scenario cards focused on real life social situations at school, at home, with friends, and during activities. After reading the cards, kids will act the out the situation, discuss what someone might be feeling or thinking, identify why it matters to understand someone's feelings, and consider how they might react in that situation.
Digital and Print!
Both printed and digital versions are included. To access the digital version, open the PDF with "digital directions" in the title. Click the link in the blue box to make a copy. The digital game includes two videos on the game board. It must be played in edit mode to allow for moving. Students will move through the game board while answering empathy questions. Click the first video to determine the number of spaces to move and the second video for the scenario card.

This game is great for students with social difficulties and those who are rigid and might get "stuck" in their way of thinking. Use this game to allow students to discuss a variety of social situations to develop empathy and perspective-taking skills. While all students can benefit from empathy skills, kids and young adults who might need these skills include students with autism, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and more.
How to Play
Students will roll a dice to advance on the board game. The image they land on will tell them what type of scenario card to pick up. As they pick up a card, they will also need to spin a spinner that tells them how to respond to the card: act it out, discuss why it matters, consider how someone might feel, what someone might be thinking, or identify what you might do. The first to "finish" wins, but students can continue playing again and again!
Encourage Making Positive Choices
As students discuss and answer the questions from the scenario cards, they will learn to make more positive social choices in real life situations. It is recommended to have some peer role-models in small groups or partners to play this to allow for positive model responses along the way.

Note that both black/white and color options are included. Blank cards are also included to make your own social situations, as needed.
Buy the Social Emotional Learning Games Bundle! { Social Emotional Learning Games Bundle }
Use this set of games to practice critical social emotional skills including building empathy, perspective-taking, executive functioning skills, social communication, and social problem solving! Four games are included with a huge selection of student cards and activities so you can play the games again and again. You will save 20% by buying the bundle!
Need MORE Social Skills? { Social Skills MEGA PACK Bundle }
Bundle includes over 350 pages focusing on teaching, discussing and practicing social skills. Includes 80 social skills task cards, social scripts, perspective-taking practice, social cue cards, and over 30 lessons with student worksheets.

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Disclaimer: These resources and materials are for supplementary support/education purposes and not intended as a replacement for counseling, education, or other necessary supports. Educators, parents, counselors, and others who utilize these materials are encouraged to seek out additional support, as needed.

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Empathy Board Game for Social Emotional Learning Skills & Perspective-Taking

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Practice building empathy, perspective-taking, and social problem solving with a board game! The game includes 160 scenario cards focused on real life social situations at school, at home, with friends, and during activities. After reading the cards, kids will act the out the situation, discuss what...

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Elementary unit on Conflict Resolution.

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This responsibility SEL curriculum is teacher-approved and includes 6 detailed lessons filled with hands-on and mindful activities that teach children about personal responsibility, goal setting, peaceful problem solving, and bullying.

♥♥The mind+heart Social Emotional Learning Curriculum for K-2 is available for a SPECIAL DISCOUNT. Get your entire year's worth of lessons (40 included) and activities to help young children to develop emotional literacy, self-control, and social competence TODAY! ♥♥

Through a variety of thought-provoking lessons, discussions, community building ideas, and tons of engaging activities...

Children will understand what responsibility means and describe how it sounds, looks, and feels.

Children will describe ways to and demonstrate taking on responsibilities.

Children will make an effort to be responsible each day.

Children will describe what a goal is and why it is important.

Children will set a goal, create a strategy and stick to a plan.

Children will describe ways to solve a problem peacefully.

Children will demonstrate effort in solving problems independently and peacefully.

Children will understand what a "bully" is and whether certain actions are "bullying".

Children will describe ways to and demonstrate standing up to a bully.

What does this unit cover? What is Responsibility?
Lesson 1 teaches to understand what responsibility means and describe how it sounds, looks, and feels.
Being Responsible
Lesson 2 teaches children to describe ways to and demonstrate taking on responsibilities. They will make an effort to be responsible each day.
Reflecting & Setting Goals
Lesson 3 teaches children to describe what a goal is and why it is important. They will set a goal, create a strategy and stick to a plan.
Peaceful Problem Solving
Lesson 4 teaches children to describe ways to solve a problem peacefully. They will demonstrate effort in solving problems independently and peacefully.
What is Bullying?
Lesson 5 teaches children to understand what a "bully" is and whether certain actions are "bullying".
Standing Up for Others
Lesson 6 teaches children to describe ways to and demonstrate standing up to a bully.
Activities included in the Responsibility unit:
Look at the PREVIEW for a look at this SEL unit up close and the variety of lessons and activities included!

Discussion Starters cards

Anchor Chart pieces

Coloring Posters

Card game

Tons of literature connections & writing activities

Storybook

Sorting activities

Responsible vs. Irresponsible sort

Tease Monster craftivity

Scenario cards

Responsibility jar cards

Poetry activities & templates

Responsible SUPER KID tie craft

Peaceful Problem Solving method

Goal Setting strategies & posters

Bulletin board display for goal setting

& more!

PLUS A BRAND NEW BONUS: Family Partnership Guide
Connect with and encourage families to take part in the social-emotional learning development of their child and the concepts you are teaching at school. Each unit includes a printable guide with a letter to families, strategies and activities they can try at home, and a book guide with video links.
WHY this is the ONE Social-Emotional Learning resource you need to teach kids about responsibility!

1. Each lesson and follow-up activities can extend to cover your SEL time for a month! This is a flexible SEL curriculum that can be taught when teachers have time, while the recommendation is to teach a lesson once a week and extend it throughout the week with the follow-up activities.

2. You will have what you need to facilitate meaningful discussions and impactful activities that build important social and emotional skills and grow your classroom community.

3. You will save time as the planning is done for you.

4. Since this is research-based and follows the CASEL framework for SEL, you know that you are covering the most important lessons kids need!

5. It provides a TON of variety and includes activities that will engage students and help them build important emotional awareness skills.

6. The lessons and activities work great for morning classroom meetings or end of the day lessons, for school counselors, classroom teachers, and in a homeschool setting.

TEACHERS LIKE YOU SAID...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let's grow Dendrites says, "I have a super dramatic class this year, and they still haven't quite figured out how to work like a team and help each other, but they're getting there. This resource helps a lot! We've talked about being peace makers and done a lot of problem solving activities from this pack. It's awesome!"
Try the SEL program that is needed in ALL classrooms! mind+heart Social Emotional Learning curriculum for K-2 mind+heart Social Emotional Learning curriculum for 3-5 Need digital and printable SEL lessons and activities?
♥♥The DIGITAL & PRINTABLE Social Emotional Learning Curriculum COMBO BUNDLE for K-2 is available NOW at a HUGE discount (45% OFF buying the units separately)! Use both bundles together (DIGITAL & PRINTABLE) to offer a well-rounded SEL program in your classroom! ♥♥
Check out the other SEL units for K-2: Emotions & Feelings Self-Regulation & Self-Control Growth Mindset Relationships & Friendship Empathy & Social Awareness Kindness & Bucket Filling Respect & Gratitude Responsibility, Goal Setting, & Conflict Resolution Check out the *DIGITAL* SEL units for K-2: Emotions & Feelings Self-Regulation & Self-Control Growth Mindset Relationships & Friendship Empathy & Social Awareness Kindness & Bucket Filling Respect & Gratitude Responsibility, Goal Setting, & Conflict Resolution Related Products SEL Book Companion Bundle Morning Meeting SEL Bundle Back to School SEL Resource Kindness Classroom Challenge Pack with Calendars Class Management BUNDLE Question of the Day Stay connected with Proud to be Primary
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Just use the "Product Q&A" tab and I will get back to you as fast as I can!

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Terms of Use: This product is licensed for personal classroom use ONLY unless multiple licenses are purchased. Your purchase grants you a license to use in a secure, password-protected online platform (such as Google Classroom) with your students only. You may not transfer or share with another teacher or use it for commercial purposes (Outschool, etc.).

©2013 to Present - Proud to be Primary - Elyse Rycroft

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Responsibility, Goal Setting & Conflict Resolution Activities & Lessons - SEL

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This responsibility SEL curriculum is teacher-approved and includes 6 detailed lessons filled with hands-on and mindful activities that teach children about personal responsibility, goal setting, peaceful problem solving, and bullying. ♥♥The mind+heart Social Emotional Learning Curriculum for K-2 is available for a SPECIAL DISCOUNT.

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Use these activities and corresponding picture books to teach valuable communication skills to your students.

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Support your student's understanding of the IB learner profile communicator with these activities and graphic organizers.

These communicator activities were created so your students can reflect on what being an effective communicators. means and determine if a book character or themselves are effective communicators.
Here's What You'll Get
There are three different categories of activities that focus on the IB Learner Profile attribute communicators:

COMMUNICATOR Characters: These activities focus on the actions and behavior of characters in communicator-related books

I am a COMMUNICATOR: These activities help your students think about their own communication skills and behavior.

COMMUNICATOR Actions: These activities focus on the communication skills of your students or book characters.

You will also find 20 recommended communicators picture books.

This literacy resource is made for elementary and primary-age students. You can use the activities for:

reading and writing workshops

guiding reading

literacy centres

substitute plans

small group instruction

independent work

NOTES

These resources are supplemental products. You can choose the most relevant pages for your needs and the ability and understanding of your students.

The questions and activities are opinion based, so there are NO answer keys. The activities were designed to be open-ended for easy differentiation.

Please ask any questions before purchasing.

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⭐️ Bundle & save for a discount ⭐️
Learner Profile Graphic Organizer BUNDLE Learner Profile Balanced Activities Bundle Learner Profile Caring Activities Bundle Learner Profile Communicator Activities Bundle Learner Profile Inquirer Activities Bundle Learner Profile Knowledgeable Activities Bundle Learner Profile Open-Minded Activities Bundle Learner Profile Principled Activities Bundle Learner Profile Reflective Activities Bundle Learner Profile Risk-Taker Activities Bundle Learner Profile Thinkers Activities Bundle
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Copyright ©Children's Library Lady

This product is for individual single-classroom use only. Copying, altering, redistributing, editing, or re-selling anything from this product is strictly forbidden.

Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.

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Teaching the Communicator Learner Profile | PYP Activity with Picture Books

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Support your student's understanding of the IB learner profile communicator with these activities and graphic organizers.These communicator activities were created so your students can reflect on what being an effective communicators. means and determine if a book character or themselves are effecti...

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Self Assessment for Collaborative Activities

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Self Assessment for Collaborative Activities

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Peer Assessment for Collaborative Activities

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Peer Assessment for Collaborative Activities