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Prepare Students with Conversation Starters

Tags

Social-Emotional Learning ^21st Century Skills ^Extra-curricular/At-Home K-8 Strategy

Skills

Anxiety Flexible Thinking Social Awareness

Prepare Students with Conversation Starters

If your student is introverted or is anxious when meeting new people

How To Apply It!

  1. By practicing ways to start a conversation, parents can help calm children who are anxious about meeting new people or being in large gatherings.
  2. Reassure students that often they just need to smile and say hello. More often than not, they can just plan to answer questions when asked to keep the conversation going.
  3. When in doubt, students can always use the "5 W's" to think of something to say or ask: Who? When? Why? Where? What? and How?
  4. Anxious students might feel best if they are prepared with a few good questions they can reliably ask. Practicing these questions in front of the mirror or with an adult could help. Depending on the student's age and situation, questions could include: What was your favorite part of vacation? What do you like best about [name of activity]? Where did you go when you were away? Why is [subject/activity/game] your favorite? Whom did you go with? Would you like to try...? How was your weekend?

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

When students are more prepared to start a conversation they will be more relaxed, can think more clearly, and can have a more comfortable conversation. As they have more successful conversations, they will overcome the fear and will grow more comfortable engaging without relying on structure. Providing children with a strategy to initiate a conversation can provide the additional level of comfort they need.