Conversation Skills Activity Planning Initiating and Maintaining a Conversation

Do your students struggle with initiating and maintaining conversations? This activity will get your students thinking about conversations and guide them through 4 steps to initiate conversations … Who should I talk to? Where? What should I say? AND How do I keep the conversation going?

Perfect For...

• Middle and High school students with pragmatic language goals
• Exploring the elements of conversations
• Practicing conversational skills
• Perspective-taking

Three ways to use:

• Plan and map out a conversation for fictional characters using the 12 conversation partner cards.
• Plan a conversation for a real-life partner and situation.
• Plan a conversation for a partner you created by using the editable/customizable conversation partner card template.

What’s Included:

Conversation Map-

• First, students discuss and complete the 4 planning steps-Where? Who’s there? What do you know about them? and What could you talk to them about?
• Next, students narrow down a topic and create a conversation starter.
• Then, students use their perspective-taking skills and think of how their conversation partner might respond and what they can say to move the conversation forward…ask a question? make a comment?

12 Conversation Partner Cards-

• Each card contains information about a character that students can use to complete a conversation map.
• There are 8 peer and 4 adult/teacher characters. Students can discuss the similarities and differences between mapping out a conversation with a peer and an adult.
• The editable template allows you to create conversation partner cards customized for your students' needs.

Check Out the Companion Activities!

Conversation Mini-Scripts- How Your Social Filter Affects Conversations

Conversation Mini-Scripts- Using Background Information to Repair Conversations

Conversation Mini-Scripts-Sharing and Participating in Conversations