communication assignment for high school students

10 Interesting Communication Skills Activities For High School Students

High school – it’s like a rollercoaster ride full of twists, turns, and awkward encounters with your crush in the hallway. But amidst all the drama and excitement, there’s one thing that can’t be overlooked: communication skills. Yes, it’s true, being able to express yourself clearly and connect with others is a vital part of navigating the high school experience (and life in general!).

Luckily, there are plenty of quirky and fun activities that can help you hone those skills. So whether you’re practicing mock interviews, creating persuasive advertisements, or busting out some improv, these activities will challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and develop your communication abilities. Get ready to unleash your inner extrovert and take on the world with confidence!

The skills you’ll develop here will not only benefit you in your academic and professional life but will also help you build stronger relationships with your friends and family. So get ready to unleash your inner wordsmith, and let’s see what kind of magic we can create together!

Effective communication skills activities for high school students

Good communication skills are essential for success in both personal and professional life. High school students need to learn these skills to communicate effectively and build positive relationships with their peers and teachers.

Here are ten engaging activities that can help high school students improve their communication skills and become better communicators. These activities will also serve as great life skill activities , as after all, communication is a crucial life skill! 

1. News Reporting 

Welcome to the world of journalism, where the stories are always breaking and the truth is always sought after. Have students create their own news program, with each team responsible for creating their own theme song, graphic design, and set design. 

In this activity, students will work in teams to create their own news program. Each team will be responsible for creating their own theme song, graphic design, and set design. The goal is to develop communication skills while flexing their creative muscles, as this activity will also encourage creative writing skills among students.

Students will learn how to report breaking news, conduct interviews, and create human interest stories. Through this activity, students will gain an understanding of how journalists work and how news is produced.

2. Cross-Cultural Communication 

In today’s global society, it’s more important than ever to learn how to communicate effectively across cultures. Have students create a multicultural festival or fair where they can share their cultures with each other through food, dance, music, and other cultural activities.

In this activity, students will partner up with someone from a different cultural background to explore the similarities and differences in their cultures through interactive and engaging activities. The goal is to develop intercultural communication skills. Students will learn about different cultural practices, values, beliefs, and traditions. 

Being a great cultural diversity activity as well, students will create a multicultural festival or fair where they can share their cultures with each other through food, dance, music, and other cultural activities. This activity will help students to appreciate diversity and learn how to communicate effectively across cultures.

3. Podcasting 

Do you have something to say but don’t know how to say it? Have students incorporate different types of media into their podcast, such as music, sound effects, and guest interviews. 

In this activity, students will learn how to create a podcast that showcases their unique voice and ideas. They will work in teams to research, write, and produce engaging content that will captivate their audience. The goal is to develop communication skills and explore different forms of media and creativity.

Students will be encouraged to incorporate different types of media into their podcast, such as music, sound effects, and guest interviews, to make it more engaging and interesting. Such activities are also conducted at various public speaking camps which have been essentially beneficial for the kids. 

4. Collaborative Storytelling 

In this activity, you’ll explore the power of storytelling as a means of communication. Have students create a unique story using a variety of storytelling mediums such as video, audio, animation, and graphics.

 In this activity, students will explore the power of storytelling as a means of communication. They will work together to create a story that incorporates different creative mediums, such as writing, art, and technology, to bring their narrative to life. The goal is to develop communication skills and explore different creative mediums.

Students will be encouraged to create a unique story using a variety of storytelling mediums such as video, audio, animation, and graphics. By working collaboratively, students will also learn how to work effectively in teams or in workplaces and how to communicate their ideas effectively.

5. Non-Verbal Communication 

Communication isn’t just about what you say, but also about how you say it. In this activity, you’ll explore the power of non-verbal communication through fun and interactive games that challenge you to convey a message without using words.

The objective of this activity is to help students understand the significance of non-verbal communication in conveying a message. To get started, divide the class into groups of 3-5 students and provide each group with a set of different objects or materials such as paper, markers, cardboard, or scissors.

Next, assign each group a message to convey, such as “I am happy,” “I am sad,” or “I am confused.” Students are then required to use the objects or materials given to convey their message without using any words. The group that effectively communicates its message in the most creative and clear way wins.

This activity challenges students to think outside of the box and use their creativity and communication skills to convey a message through non-verbal means. It also encourages students to be mindful of their own non-verbal communication, which can often communicate just as much as spoken words.

6. Persuasive Advertising 

In today’s world, advertising is everywhere. In this activity, you’ll learn how to create persuasive ads that capture your audience’s attention and motivate them to take action. You’ll work in teams to create ads that showcase your creativity and communication skills.

Have students create a persuasive advertisement using only found objects or recycled materials. The objective of this activity is to teach students how to create persuasive ads that capture their audience’s attention and motivate them to take action. To get started, divide the class into teams of 3-5 students and provide each team with a selection of found objects or recycled materials.

Next, instruct each team to create a persuasive advertisement that showcases their creativity and communication skills while also promoting a sustainable practice. Encourage students to think critically about their message and how they can effectively communicate it to their audience.

Once the advertisements are complete, have each team present their advertisement to the class, explaining the message they are trying to convey and the sustainable practice they are promoting. This activity helps students to develop their persuasive oral communication skills while also raising awareness about sustainable practices and the importance of taking care of our environment.

7. Mock Interviews 

Getting ready for the job market can be challenging, but in this activity, you’ll learn the skills you need to ace your interviews. You’ll practice your communication and interpersonal skills as you role-play as both the interviewer and interviewee in a variety of scenarios.

Have students create a unique character to interview for their mock interview. The purpose of this activity is to help students prepare for job interviews by practicing their communication and interpersonal skills. To get started, divide the class into pairs and assign one student to be the interviewer and the other to be the interviewee.

Provide a list of common interview questions or scenarios for students to role-play, such as “Tell me about yourself,” “Why do you want this job?” or “How do you handle conflict?” After the initial round, have students switch roles and repeat the exercise.

To add an extra level of creativity, instruct students to create a unique character to interview for their mock interview. This allows students to flex their creativity while also developing their communication and interpersonal skills.

8. Public Service Announcements 

Do you have a cause you’re passionate about? In this activity, you’ll learn how to create a public service announcement that raises awareness and motivates others to take action. You’ll use your creativity and communication skills to craft a message that makes an impact.

The aim of this activity is to teach students how to create a public service announcement that raises awareness and motivates others to take action. To get started, have students brainstorm a list of causes they are passionate about and would like to raise awareness for.

Next, assign each student or group a specific art form such as poetry, dance, or visual art to create a unique public service announcement. Encourage students to use their creativity and communication skills to craft a message that makes an impact and motivates others to take action.

Once the public service announcements are complete, have each student or group present their message to the class. This activity allows students to explore different artistic mediums while also developing their communication and persuasive skills. Additionally, it raises awareness for important causes and helps students feel empowered to make a positive difference in their communities.

9. Social Media Campaigns 

In today’s digital age, social media is a powerful tool for communication. In this activity, you’ll learn how to create a social media campaign that captures your audience’s attention and motivates them to take action. You’ll explore different platforms and learn how to create engaging content that communicates your message.

Have students create a social media campaign using only Instagram stories or TikTok videos. Through this activity, students learn how to create a social media campaign that effectively communicates a message and engages with their target audience. To get started, have students choose a topic or cause they are passionate about and would like to raise awareness for.

Next, instruct students to create a social media campaign using only Instagram stories or TikTok videos. Encourage students to think creatively about how to communicate their message in a short amount of time while still being engaging and effective.

To add an extra level of challenge, you could also assign specific target audiences for each campaign, such as millennials, Gen Z, or parents. This activity allows students to develop their digital communication skills while also raising awareness for important causes.

10. Improvisation 

Communication isn’t always about having the perfect words or the right answers, sometimes it’s about thinking on your feet and adapting to unexpected situations. In this activity, you’ll explore the power of improvisation as a means of communication. You’ll work together to create unique scenarios that challenge you to think creatively and communicate effectively.

Have students create a unique improv scenario that involves a specific theme or issue. This activity can be used to explore the power of improvisation as a means of communication. To get started, have students work in small groups to create a unique improv scenario that involves a specific theme or issue.

For example, a scenario could involve a job interview gone wrong, a first date with an unexpected twist, or a family dinner with a surprise guest. Encourage students to think creatively about the scenario and how they can effectively communicate and adapt to unexpected situations.

Next, have each group perform their scenario in front of the class. This activity challenges students to think creatively, communicate effectively, and problem-solve in high-pressure situations. Additionally, it can help students develop confidence in their communication and adaptability skills, which can be useful in many areas of life.

Communication is an essential skill that allows us to connect with others, share our ideas, and make an impact in the world. Through these communication activities for high schoolers, you have the opportunity to sharpen your skills, express yourself with confidence, and learn to connect with people from all walks of life. 

Whether you become a master of non-verbal communication, a social media wizard, or a persuasive speaker, the skills you learn here will serve you well in your academic and professional pursuits, as well as in your personal relationships. After all, we all have “improving our communication skills” on our bucket lists , don’t we? 

So don’t be afraid to experiment, try new things, and push yourself out of your comfort zone. With a little bit of practice and a lot of enthusiasm, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. So go forth and communicate with confidence!

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

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Public Speaking Activities for Secondary Students

Read on for six public speaking activities. Then, sign up for a free download of the activities that you can hopefully use in diverse ways, even as public speaking games. 

I earned an endorsement in “speech” for my teaching license. (I’m in Illinois.) In college, I took extra communication courses and observed high school speech classes. Plenty of my extracurricular activities (plus my classes) required me to prepare and deliver speeches. When I started teaching, I had experienced public speaking activities as a student and a teacher observer.

Still, I felt underprepared to teach public speaking. I had zero speech activities for high school students. My first year of teaching, I thought materials were lacking on the Internet, from textbooks, from anywhere (and I searched). This was pre-TpT and I was sinking or swimming. My textbook for the class was about sixty years old, and I had no teacher edition.

That first year I did lots of paddling, but over the years I grew confident in teaching a speech class. I developed fun impromptu speech activities and other speech activities for high school students.

That isn’t to say that I didn’t make mistakes ; I made plenty. Through messy lessons, too-short of lessons, and confused students, I learned to provide structure for students without squashing them. I realized how much preparation was needed. I changed basic rubrics to rubrics that encouraged students to set goals and take ownership of their improvement. Scaffolding and modeling became part of my class.

So! I improved and reflected. After years of teaching public speaking, I crafted ideas for what would help young speakers. Hopefully, these activities help your speech classes too.

What are some ice-breaker exercises that can be used in a public speaking activity?

Some ice-breaker exercises that can be used in public speaking activities include “Two Truths and a Lie,” where participants share two true statements and one false statement about themselves, and “Would You Rather,” where participants are asked to choose between two options and explain their choice.

What about public speaking games?

Sometimes, structure helps young speakers, so I created these public speaking activities to address common areas of concern with high schoolers. Most students fear the nature of a speech class, use too many fillers when speaking, and focus on one area, such as volume and forget about the rest: non-verbal communication, tone, eye contact, etc.

Through coaching speech, spending many weekends at speech tournaments, and teaching public speaking, I created these public speaking activities. I’ve seen variations of these or adapted these from activities geared toward younger students. These speech activities should work well with high school students, but you can modify them for middle school or college speech classes.

These are included in my public speaking unit as well because they can be used numerous times.

Fillers can distract an audience from hearing a really well-developed speech. First, not all fillers are bad. We naturally pause and add fillers. The abundance of fillers, however, can be distracting.

Sometimes speech students are unaware that they use fillers. Other times, students become nervous, pause, and fill the empty time with a filler. Talk with students about the reasons why fillers occur and if they have a time they rely on one. Showing compassion and understanding about a common problem during speeches will relax students, and they will be more likely to work on eliminating an abundance of fillers.

After showing compassion, play public speaking games to address filler words.

Before starting, choose your topic and write a list of common fillers that don’t positively add to spoken communication: um, yeah, like, uh. Ask students to contribute to the list. I normally write the list so that students can consult it.

Instruct students to speak for 30 seconds (vary the time if necessary) and not use any fillers. Students should realize how easily fillers creep into their speech. NOW! Everyone uses some fillers, and fillers can make public speaking natural. However, too many fillers can distract audiences.

Each student will give a short speech for 30 seconds. The topic isn’t too important. You can choose one for the entire class or allow students to choose.

Students must restart their speech if they use a filler. Some students will try to pause and draw out the speech by not speaking, but most students speak at a normal pace. Overall, the audience is compassionate toward the speaker because everyone realizes the difficulty of not relying on these words.

This activity is perfect after the first formal speech. Students need to decompress, but they also need to eliminate fillers. When I ask students to write goals for their future speeches, eliminating fillers is a common goal.

2. Nonverbal practice

Nonverbal communication matters. To help students experience that, ask them to perform an activity where the focus is nonverbal communication.

Students will line up in alphabetical order only using nonverbal communication. I have students line up by order of their middle names since they typically know everyone’s last names. They experiment with different forms of nonverbal communication and have fun. Most often they make a capital letter with their fingers. If some students know middle names, they will switch classmates around.

The real practice is when students realize many of them have a middle name that starts with the same letter. “A” is a common one. Then students must figure out how to communicate the second letters of Aarron, Ann, Alice, and Abraham. I will say I’ve never had a class line up correctly.

This activity is the perfect introduction to nonverbal communication. As students continue through the semester, they’ll be able to focus on purposeful movements that emphasize their points. This nonverbal activity breaks the ice as you start to work on nonverbal communication. I never plan on this nonverbal practice becoming a public speaking game, but it often does.

3. One goal

Speeches can overwhelm students. Help students focus on one goal. The best part about the “one goal” activity is that students choose their focus which creates less work for you and buy-in for students.

As students continue with class, ask them what area they see as the greatest potential for improvement. Brainstorm areas as a class. There is no right or wrong! Students normally list eye contact, proper volume level, appropriate nonverbal communication, and natural movement. Then let students decide what they desire to improve.

Students will individually decide what they want to improve in their speaking—they will each have a goal. Some students want to work on eye contact, others want to balance their volume, others want to stop fidgeting. Then I divide students into small groups. Students will practice the current speech they are creating, receiving constructive feedback when they need to correct an action to meet their goal. Their group will also tell them when they did well and moved toward meeting their goal.

(This is a bit like #1 but fillers are such a huge issue with high school orators that it gets its own activity.) I normally do this activity later in the year after students are comfortable with each other. I also don’t do this activity if I feel a class may not give meaningful feedback. Finally, I share with students that improving in an area is part of most jobs. In teaching, for example, teachers often record themselves and reflect on the video later. They then develop goals for improvement in their profession. (Sometimes it is a public speaking goal!)

This activity works well to meet individual goals and to build classroom community. My speech rubrics contain a spot for consideration on improvement of a goal. Plus, the art of reflection will serve students in any field or career, so I stress that message to them. This focused practice works well because it encourages students to work on a goal in which the teacher had very little involvement.

4. M&M/ Skittles

Who doesn’t like candy? With this fun exercise, students share information about a topic. You’ll get students talking in a low-stress, engaging way.

This candy activity is fun and quick. Bring a large bag of small candies like M&M or Skittles to class. Ask students to take as many pieces of candy as they like, but stress not to eat the candies yet. Pass the bag around. Then, students must tell a fact about themselves for each piece of candy. 15 pieces of candy? 15 facts.

This also works with review. 5 pieces of candy? Review 5 facts with the class concerning public speaking terms. After speaking, students may eat their candy. I’ve used a similar process in other classes to review material.

This activity works well as a review or as a first day of school activity. Students are publicly speaking in their speech class on the first day of school without any feedback or real regulations. Since the process is fun, their first experience in class is a positive one. Plus, the candy aspect lends itself to making a public speaking game.

5. Impromptu

Most speeches in real life are actually impromptu speeches. Interviews, business meetings, and proposal presentations require people to think quickly and to speak eloquently, all while proving their point. Body language matters too!

Activate prior knowledge with a bit of an anticipatory set. Ask students about a time they gave an impromptu speech (even though they did not probably label it “impromptu” at the time!). Most people can relate to the frustration of having ideas but not conveying them well. Many times, people think of what they should have said days later! Students probably face this frustration. Acknowledge that feeling, share they you’ve experienced it too, and supply a solution.

Thinking and speaking on your feet might come naturally to some people. With practice, even those who struggle to articulate their ideas under pressure can improve.

Have students organize a speech quickly by delivering an impromptu speech. Often I would ask a class to write a topic on a piece of paper. (Sometimes I would say that the topic needed to be persuasive or informative—but it always needed to be clean.) Students would write their topic, add it to a box, and draw from a box. The topics were great because I didn’t make them and because students knew they had the potential to draw their own.

After drawing, provide 30 seconds to outline their speech. Then, students will talk about the topic for one minute. As the school year continued, I would increase the speaking time.

Older students who have been in class for a bit will probably organize their speech with a general introductory statement, two concepts, and a concluding statement. (That varies, of course.) If students struggle with the format, create a quick outline they can apply to their topics.

Students enjoy creating their own topics and learn to speak on the spot in a mature, organized manner. At first, students groan about impromptu speaking. This area is actually where I see the most growth. Students gain confidence that they can think and speak quickly, and they start to enjoy the process.

Tone matters! Many adults don’t realize the tone that they convey shapes their communication. We should certainly work with our students concerning tone so that they are aware of its power. Not only can the wrong tone hurt speakers, but the right tone can also emphasize their message.

Define “tone” for students. Brainstorm times that students know their tone has affected them. (Normally students share stories about times they were in trouble with their parents for having the wrong tone.) Then think of times that the right tone conveyed the correct message. Students might struggle to come up with examples for best use of tone. Oftentimes, a tone that matches a speaker’s message doesn’t stand out, and that is probably because the tone was woven into the message so well.

Experiment with tone with students. Put students into groups, and assign a speaker. (Everyone will have the chance to be a speaker.) Give the speaker a list of emotions and a list of generic statements. Then ask the speaker to choose a question and an emotion that conveys tone.

Finally, the rest of the group must decide the speaker’s tone. This opportunity allows for discussion about intentional tone and miscommunication. You’ll want to circulate as students practice this.

Public speaking activities can be engaging and memorable. Students might be nervous about giving speeches, so provide a variety of opportunities for them to practice. As you build a classroom community, these activities easily can become public speaking games.

Work on material slowly and purposefully. By helping students see success with public speaking, they will gain more confidence in your speech class and in life. Soon, your speech activities for high school students will be personalized and fit your community.

As you incorporate these public speaking games and activities into your speech units, you’ll discover that they are easily adaptable. Plus, you’ll find the perfect timing for each exercise. Teaching public speaking requires experimentation and reflection. I hope these help!

Would you like these public speaking activities at your fingertips? Download these six lesson plans (plus many more!) when you sign up for library access.

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Home » Blog » General » Building Strong Communication Skills: A Guide for High School Students

Building Strong Communication Skills: A Guide for High School Students

Keywords: teaching Communication best practices highschool

I. Introduction

A. Importance of strong communication skills in high school

Effective communication is a vital skill that plays a crucial role in a student’s success in high school and beyond. It is the foundation for building relationships, expressing thoughts and ideas, and resolving conflicts. Strong communication skills empower students to navigate social interactions, collaborate effectively, and advocate for themselves. By developing these skills, high school students can enhance their academic performance, improve their relationships, and prepare for future career opportunities.

B. Overview of the blog post

In this blog post, we will explore the various aspects of communication skills and provide practical strategies for teaching and building strong communication skills in high school students. From understanding the components of effective communication to overcoming communication challenges, this guide will equip educators and students with the knowledge and tools necessary to foster effective communication in the high school setting.

II. Understanding Communication Skills

A. Definition of communication skills

Communication skills refer to the ability to convey and receive information effectively. It encompasses both verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as active listening and empathy. Strong communication skills involve expressing thoughts and ideas clearly, understanding and interpreting others’ messages accurately, and adapting communication style to different situations and audiences.

B. Components of effective communication

Effective communication comprises several key components:

• Clear and concise expression
• Active listening
• Nonverbal cues
• Empathy and understanding

C. Benefits of developing strong communication skills

Developing strong communication skills offers numerous benefits for high school students:

• Improved academic performance
• Enhanced social interactions
• Increased self-confidence
• Better problem-solving and conflict resolution abilities
• Greater career prospects

III. Teaching Communication Skills in High School

A. Incorporating communication skills in the curriculum

Integrating communication skills into the high school curriculum is essential for providing students with opportunities to practice and develop these skills. Teachers can incorporate communication-focused activities and assignments across various subjects, such as class presentations, group projects, and written assignments that require effective communication.

B. Creating a supportive learning environment

A supportive learning environment is crucial for students to feel comfortable and confident in practicing their communication skills. Teachers can foster such an environment by promoting open communication, encouraging respectful dialogue, and providing constructive feedback. Creating a safe space where students feel valued and heard is essential for their growth and development.

C. Utilizing various teaching methods and techniques

1. Role-playing activities

Role-playing activities allow students to practice different communication scenarios and develop their skills in a controlled environment. Teachers can assign roles and provide prompts for students to engage in realistic conversations, debates, or negotiations.

2. Group discussions and debates

Group discussions and debates encourage students to express their opinions, listen to others, and engage in respectful dialogue. Teachers can facilitate these discussions by setting ground rules, providing guiding questions, and encouraging active participation from all students.

3. Public speaking exercises

Public speaking exercises help students build confidence in presenting their ideas to a larger audience. Teachers can assign presentations, speeches, or debates that require students to research, organize their thoughts, and deliver their message effectively.

D. Encouraging active listening and empathy

Active listening and empathy are essential components of effective communication. Teachers can encourage active listening by teaching techniques such as paraphrasing, summarizing, and asking clarifying questions. Additionally, promoting empathy and understanding helps students develop a deeper connection with others and fosters a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.

IV. Best Practices for Building Strong Communication Skills

A. Developing verbal communication skills

1. Clear and concise expression

Encourage students to express their thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely. Emphasize the importance of organizing their thoughts before speaking and using appropriate language for the audience and context.

2. Using appropriate language and tone

Teach students to adapt their language and tone based on the situation and audience. Help them understand the impact of their words and the importance of using respectful and inclusive language.

3. Practicing effective public speaking

Provide opportunities for students to practice public speaking, such as class presentations or debates. Teach them techniques for managing anxiety, using visual aids effectively, and engaging the audience.

B. Enhancing nonverbal communication skills

1. Body language and facial expressions

Teach students to be aware of their body language and facial expressions, as these nonverbal cues can convey messages and emotions. Encourage them to maintain open and confident body posture and use appropriate facial expressions to support their verbal communication.

2. Eye contact and posture

Explain the importance of maintaining eye contact during conversations to show attentiveness and interest. Additionally, teach students about the significance of good posture in projecting confidence and professionalism.

3. Gestures and hand movements

Guide students on using gestures and hand movements to enhance their communication. Help them understand cultural differences in gestures and encourage them to use gestures that are appropriate and respectful.

C. Improving written communication skills

1. Proper grammar and punctuation

Emphasize the importance of using proper grammar and punctuation in written communication. Teach students grammar rules, proofreading techniques, and the use of editing tools to improve the clarity and effectiveness of their writing.

2. Organizing thoughts and ideas

Teach students strategies for organizing their thoughts and ideas before writing. This includes creating outlines, using graphic organizers, and structuring their writing in a logical and coherent manner.

3. Proofreading and editing

Guide students on the process of proofreading and editing their written work. Teach them to review their writing for clarity, coherence, and grammar errors. Encourage peer editing and provide feedback to help them improve their written communication skills.

V. Overcoming Communication Challenges

A. Addressing communication barriers

1. Language barriers

For students who are non-native English speakers or have limited English proficiency, provide additional support and resources to help them overcome language barriers. Offer language support programs, bilingual dictionaries, and encourage peer collaboration to enhance their communication skills.

2. Cultural differences

Teach students about cultural differences in communication styles and norms. Encourage them to be respectful and open-minded when interacting with individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Foster an inclusive environment that values diversity and promotes understanding.

3. Shyness or social anxiety

For students who struggle with shyness or social anxiety, provide a supportive and nurturing environment. Offer opportunities for small group interactions, provide positive reinforcement, and gradually expose them to more challenging communication situations to build their confidence over time.

B. Developing strategies for effective communication

1. Active listening techniques

Teach students active listening techniques, such as maintaining eye contact, nodding to show understanding, and asking clarifying questions. Encourage them to practice reflective listening by paraphrasing and summarizing what others have said.

2. Conflict resolution skills

Guide students in developing conflict resolution skills, such as active listening, expressing emotions appropriately, and finding mutually beneficial solutions. Teach them strategies for managing conflicts constructively and promoting positive relationships.

3. Building rapport and empathy

Encourage students to build rapport and empathy by understanding others’ perspectives, showing genuine interest, and practicing kindness and respect. Foster a classroom culture that values empathy and encourages students to support and uplift one another.

VI. Conclusion

A. Recap of key points

Developing strong communication skills is essential for high school students to succeed academically, socially, and professionally. It involves clear and concise expression, active listening, nonverbal cues, and empathy. By incorporating communication skills in the curriculum, creating a supportive learning environment, and utilizing various teaching methods, educators can help students build these skills effectively.

B. Importance of continuous practice and improvement

Building strong communication skills is an ongoing process that requires continuous practice and improvement. Encourage students to seek opportunities to practice their skills in various contexts and to reflect on their communication experiences to identify areas for growth.

C. Encouragement to develop strong communication skills in high school

Developing strong communication skills in high school sets the foundation for success in college, career, and personal relationships. By investing in their communication skills, high school students are equipping themselves with a valuable asset that will benefit them throughout their lives. Start your EverydaySpeech Free trial today to access a wide range of resources and activities designed to help high school students develop their communication skills.

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39 Communication Games and Activities for Kids and Students

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.

This Article Contains:

What are communication activities, exercises, and games, the importance of teaching kids communication skills, 5 tips on how to teach communication skills to children, how to spot communication difficulties in all ages, 6 games and exercises for toddlers and preschoolers in kindergarten, a look at communication in the classroom, 4 ways students can improve communication skills, 6 communication games and activities for elementary students, 7 games and activities for middle and high school students, 5 communication games and activities for college students, 5 nonverbal communication activities and games, 5 active listening games and exercises, 5 assertive communication activities for teens, a take-home message.

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):

• Conversation skills;
• Established listening and speaking procedures;
• Respectful vocabulary;
• The power of the pause;
• Practice speaking and listening in natural settings;
• Introspection;
• 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.

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).

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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

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.

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.

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.

Improve communication skills in children with highly effective games – Kreative Leadership

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.

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

• Active listening skills through reinforcement
• Group projects with collaboration
• Know the benefit of open-ended questions
• Developing empathy

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.

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.

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

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.

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;
• 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.

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.

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?

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.

• Red Light, Green Light
• 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.

Saying ‘yes’ to every request or opportunity can be harmful, especially when it stands in the way of us living in line with our values.

In Greg McKeown’s book ‘ Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less ,’ the idea of saying ‘no’ to increase valued living is put forward. McKeown suggested that we can learn to say ‘no’ gracefully to prioritize doing things that serve us. However, saying ‘no’ is often easier said than done.

So, here are guideposts to help you learn to say ‘no’ gracefully.

• Saying no to someone can be made easier by tapping into our values. Research shows that living our lives according to our values benefits our health and wellbeing. Thus, saying yes to someone or something that commits you to something that feels ‘wrong’ is doing yourself a disservice. When we feel the tension between what we feel is right and what someone asks us to do, we experience value-incongruence. Navigating these moments by tuning in to our values will allow us to say ‘no’ more easily.
• Saying no to someone’s request can often feel like we are saying no to the person. Learning to recognize that declining the request is not the same as declining the person enables us to do what’s right for us without fearing that we are hurting someone’s feelings.
• Rather than focusing on what we will lose by saying no, consider what we will gain. We can reorient our attention to what we will gain by ‘missing out’ to make it easier to say no.
• When someone asks us for something, they ask us to give them something. This is a cost. Recognizing what we are giving away by saying yes can help us say no.
• Finally, communicate clearly. Vague attempts to ‘soften the blow’ with non-committal language only lead to confusion and make our eventual ‘no’ that much harder.

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.

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.

17 Exercises To Develop Positive Communication

17 Positive Communication Exercises [PDF] to develop help others develop communication skills for successful social interactions and positive, fulfilling relationships.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

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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• McCroskey, J. C. (1977). Oral communication apprehension: A summary of recent theory and research. Human Communication Research , 4 (1), 78-96.
• Nørgaard, B., Ammentorp, J., Ohm Kyvik, K., & Kofoed, P. E. (2012). Communication skills training increases self‐efficacy of health care professionals. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions , 32 (2), 90-97.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). The darker and brighter sides of human existence: Basic psychological needs as a unifying concept. Psychological Inquiry , 11 (4), 319-338.
• Stanfield, J. (2017). 8 Tips to teach effective communication skills. Retrieved from https://stanfield.com/8-tips-teach-effective-communication-skills/
• Zeki, C. P. (2009). The importance of non-verbal communication in classroom management. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences , 1 (1), 1443-1449.

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Communication is the key. People need other people to survive. Great communication can lead to great achievements. That’s why we need to teach our kids to converse their thoughts and emotions with each other. I have some info on communication skills as well. Check out here https://aliciaortego.com/communication-skills-for-kids/

Hey Kelly Your article gave me lot of information and encouragement as I am taking up a communication course for some teachers. Thanks a lot dear

I teach Communication skills in a Nursing School. I find your activities very engaging and allows the student to realise the importance of good communication.

I am a teacher in a High School Medical academy. We are working on Communications skills and I cant wait to use some of these games with my students. They are so technology oriented that They will need to learn these skills for the medical field. I wanted to share too that a game I used for team work and communication was the one where yo have items on a table covered and you have them peek for a few seconds then cover back up and they have to make a list. They will need to work together and communicate in order to make the list correct. Tank you for your suggestions.

Ms Miller, You’re article was so helpful for me, as a mother of a a child whose anxiety is increasing related to a language based LD recently diagnosed. Oral expression is a challenge esp as she is entering middle school. I am in Toronto Canada and in search of a good Speech Pathologist who can help. Given that Covid has created a remote reality, could you suggest a a good SP taking patients remotely?

Thank you for sharing these articles. They are very interesting and useful

The article was very beneficial with different activities one could do with the students in class or they could do with parents at home. I particularly like the fact that those activities build students’ self-efficacy since this is an important aspect for the primary years program.Thank you very much.

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Learning to Interview Builds a Range of Communication Skills

Tips from the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs help students develop skills that are useful across the curriculum and in project-based learning—both now and when they are back in schools.

There’s nothing like the smile on a student’s face after they complete an interview with an expert. When done right—with preparation and practice—such a conversation gives teenagers a sense of accomplishment, relevance, and agency in the world.

Interviewing requires students to listen, focus, think on their feet, and react appropriately to what the other person says. When students plan for an interview, they need to assess what they don’t know—a metacognitive skill—and learn a lot about the interview subject because otherwise the interview will be awkward. This is real life, with real consequences if they’re unprepared and a real payoff if they do well—the heart of project-based learning.

Listening and really trying to appreciate where the other person is coming from is also an exercise in empathy and discovering how to connect. These life skills will help prepare students for college and jobs, and interviewing is a great way to address high school ELA and NGSS standards around communication, evaluating pertinent information, pulling important quotes, and emphasizing salient points, as well as ISTE and media literacy standards of digital production and multimedia presentations.

The interview is a core component of the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL) program that I created 10 years ago to empower teenagers through the production of video stories on important issues in their lives and communities. SRL is in 150 schools in 46 states, and more than 15,000 students have produced videos published on public media broadcast and digital platforms.

Here’s an example of a remote interview conducted in April 2020 with an epidemiologist working on Covid-19. Notice the student interviewer’s questions and poise during the interview.

Students in SRL are coached by NewsHour youth media producers and local PBS station journalists, but there are activities teachers can use to emulate this kind of coaching in any high school classroom.

Practice General Interview Skills

Before taking students through the process of crafting good questions, make sure they know the basics of interviewing. You can give them practice with interview skills by having them work in groups of three: Two students role-play an interview while a third, the evaluator, offers coaching and suggestions on the points below as they practice.

They should practice several skills:

• Prepare a list of questions, realizing that they don’t have to ask every one of them
• Maintain good eye contact, including looking up again if they look down to consult their list of questions
• Ask follow-up questions when a response leads them to think of a question they didn’t plan for
• Write open-ended questions, using the five Ws—who, what, where, when, and why (plus how)—to encourage the interview subject to speak at length.

An interview is not just a conversation, though, so let students know that they need to control the flow of the back-and-forth. If the discussion is moving to a topic they don’t want to talk about, they can change things up by asking a different question from the list, or move to a different topic. The interviewer student can practice asking the subject to restate an answer if it goes on too long, or seems incoherent.

Exploring the Art of Asking Questions

A lesson plan on how to ask questions, which indicates the Common Core standards covered, is one of SRL’s most popular activities. It provides a scenario with a hypothetical reporter and source and describes the three-student protocol—interviewer, subject, and evaluator—described above.

Guide students to think about how improving their questions can lead to getting more interesting answers. SRL teacher Mike Conrad of Royal Oak High School in Michigan has a good exercise for this. He leads students through the process of digging a little deeper to come up with better questions:

• Do you like pizza?
• Do you like pizza? Why?
• What’s your favorite pizza?
• Tell me about your favorite pizza or pizza restaurant.

Students should also practice composing and asking questions using sentence starters like, “Tell me...,” “Describe...,” “Please explain...,” and “Help me understand....”

A really fun and engaging way to give students practice composing better questions is to have them reverse engineer Humans of New York , a project that started when photographer Brandon Stanton decided to tell the stories of 10,000 random people. Stanton meets people on the street, takes their picture, and interviews them. He publishes each picture with a snippet of the interview in which the person describes something significant from their life. Iowa English teacher Sarah Brown Wessling uses a reverse-engineering exercise that I love—she asks her students to read a post and try to figure out: What question did Stanton ask to get the person to tell that story?

Rev Up the Feedback

SRL has resources to help students record high-quality video . In the classroom, when students record simple phone videos of their interviews, the teacher or their peers can give “warm” and “cool” feedback on the questions and communication style. Warm feedback is positive and acknowledges strengths. Cool feedback offers comments and suggestions to help the learner reflect and improve.

Receiving feedback is a great life skill, but it’s hard—who likes to hear that they did something wrong? At SRL, we talk about the feedback sandwich: strength, criticism, strength (or warm, cool, warm in the model above). Offer something the student did well (e.g., “great eye contact” or “you asked a good follow-up question”) and then give specific, constructive suggestions for next time. End with encouragement and positive feedback about effort or originality.

Try a Virtual Interview

As schools moved to remote learning over the past several weeks, the SRL team created a curriculum called Making Sense of the Coronavirus Through Storytelling and Media Making . It includes a guide to remote interviews, and we’re hearing from educators that experts of all kinds are generally receptive to spending time talking to students now that most are working from home, so encourage your students to follow their curiosity.

“I have found ‘famous people’ are very willing to talk to high school students,” Trina Moore, a journalism teacher at Rouse High School in Leander, Texas, told SRL. One of her students is conducting a Zoom interview next week with Damon Lindelof, Emmy-winning producer of the series The Watchmen , The Leftovers , and Lost .

“Encourage students to branch out beyond the walls of their own school for interviews.... There are so many experts who want to share their knowledge,” Moore said. “They just need to be asked."

To help students record these conversations, SRL producer Eli Kintisch created a guide to recording interviews and a webinar with step-by-step instructions . Our hope is that learning to do interviews is the sort of positive discovery students can take with them into post-pandemic life.

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6 Communication Skills Activities for High School Students

If your children perform well on their language tests but still struggle in public speaking, it may be because you place too much emphasis on their academic performance rather than their overall development. In the modern world, books might not be sufficient to learn something new, particularly if your child needs to improve their communication skills. There are a variety of ways for kids to communicate besides books and lessons that can be more effective for them.

• Telephone. Have students gather together in a circle. …
• Emotional Charades. Write-out scenarios that might provoke emotion in participants. …
• Audio Book Interaction. …
• Internet Resources. …
• Role-Playing. …
• The Follow All Instructions Activity.

What are communication skills activities for high school students?

High school teachers can use communication skills activities to help their students learn how to communicate clearly, practice active listening, think critically, and interact with others in appropriate ways. These activities frequently give students the chance to practice different communication modalities, such as written, nonverbal, and verbal modalities, in low-stakes situations to improve their skills. Outside of traditional academic assignments that are typically graded, communication activities give students a safe space to hone and apply their skills.

Through these activities, students can learn how to have civil conversations with others, what standards for speaking and listening are appropriate in various contexts, and how to conduct introspective thought exercises. Students may improve their ability to listen intently, take turns, act sympathetically, and use precise, succinct vocabulary. These fundamental skills can aid students in having more positive interactions with others, both in the classroom and once they begin working after graduation.

6 communication skills activities high school teachers can implement

Teachers of high school students can use a range of communication skills exercises in their lessons. These exercises range in difficulty and take a variety of forms, including games and academic exercises. Consider these six different exercises to aid your students in improving their communication skills:

1. Guide the blindfolded

A game called “Guide the blindfolded” involves one student wearing a blindfold while the others direct them using only verbal instructions to complete a specific task in a set amount of time. To play, arrange the students in pairs, divide the class into teams, and give each team a task. Give a blindfold to each pair of students, and have them alternate wearing it. Students can carry out the activity and come up with inventive ways to communicate so that they can successfully guide their partners through the unfamiliar space.

2. Back to back

Back to back is a listening and instruction exercise that can aid students in understanding and identifying key details. Divide the class into pairs, and have them sit back-to-back for this activity. The students can alternately take on the roles of drawer and describer. Start the activity by having one person describe a difficult drawing to their partner, who then tries to recreate their partner’s description on a piece of paper. You can review all of the students’ drawings after their allotted time has passed, compare them, and decide which drawing best represents them.

3. Team debate tournament

Team debate competitions can aid students in enhancing their capacity for cooperation, information analysis, and expression of diverse viewpoints. Assign students to teams and provide them with a topic to research and gather information about before the debate competition begins. Give each team a side of the debate to debate after they finish their research, and give them a five-minute window to prepare their speeches. Once the allotted time has passed, begin the debate by serving as the judge and letting the students present their viewpoints and refute the claims of the opposing team.

4. You dont say

Students can practice reading nonverbal cues through the activity You Don’t Say, which can improve their ability to empathize with others and communicate more effectively. Divide your class into groups of five to seven students to begin this activity, and then provide each group with a list of nonverbal cues, such as:

Pose these behaviors for the groups to interpret by jotting down what they each communicate. Ask the class to reconvene once each group has completed the activity and share what they learned about nonverbal cues during the activity.

5. Charades

Students play the game of “charades,” in which they are given a clue and must pantomime it in order for others to guess what it is. This can help them hone their own nonverbal communication skills. Divide the class into two teams and have them come up with clues using book titles, celebrity names, movie or song titles, etc. Students should choose one clue at a time to pantomime to their team, who must correctly guess the clue within 45 seconds. Allow the other team to guess the clue if their team is unable to do so within the allotted time.

6. Emoji awareness

Emoji awareness is a task that can assist students in growing their capacity for reflection and empathic thought. Give students a worksheet containing a range of emojis expressing various emotions to begin this exercise. Next, divide the students into groups and give them scenarios that could potentially elicit particular emotions. Ask your students to identify the possible emotions that the characters in those situations might feel and then match those emotions to an emoji. In order to practice expressing their emotions and comprehending others, have the students share the emojis they selected in a full group setting after their discussions and explain why.

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

Which are the activities used to develop communication skills?

• Telephone Exercise. …
• Stop Listening Exercise. …
• Listener and Talker Activity. …
• Memory Test Activity. …
• Just Listen Activity.

What are the 5 oral communication activities?

• Role-play. Role-playing is a classic method for teaching communication skills.
• Group games. To teach verbal and nonverbal communication, persuasion, collaboration, and relationship-building skills, group games are an interactive, engaging method.
• Films. …
• Introspection. …
• Turn-talking. …
• Asking questions. …
• Record and reflect.

How can students practice communication skills?

• staff meetings, business meetings and other face-to-face meetings.
• personal discussions.
• presentations.
• telephone calls.
• informal conversation.
• public presentations such as speeches, lectures and conferences.
• teleconferences or videoconferences.
• interviews.

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Communication Skills Lesson & Activities

• Is it possible to not communicate?  Explain
• Finish the phrase “Communication is…”
• Projector & Screen
• Laptops or Electronic Devices
• Individual white boards & markers (optional)
• Ask students how easy it is to communicate effectively and to brainstorm a list of things that could go wrong.  Students can add to their lists as they view this YouTube clip . Discuss their answers before going over the characteristics of effective communication which include eye contact, active listening, feedback/responses and a clear message.
• Practice identifying whether communication is effective or not by viewing Clip #1 and Clip #2

• Next, we discuss the types of communication but focus on non-verbal communication.  Here is a short YouTube clip to introduce it and one to learn more about it before engaging in the activities.
• Students then take an emotional intelligence quiz to see how well they can read other people by their facial expressions.  Students then practice with pictures found within the PPT below.
• To learn more about the levels of communication students complete take notes using the notes slide found in the Communication Skills attachment below and they practice applying the information by sorting the examples and placing them on the magnetic board.  We discuss and correct card placements as a class.
• At this point we discuss the Do’s and Don’ts of communication skills and practice identifying as such by playing Kahoot  (search Communication Do’s and Don’ts in public Kahoots) and identifying and discussing the do’s and don’ts as they appear in Clip #1 and Clip #2 .
• The last part of this mini-unit is to discuss “I-messages” and look at what the key phrases are and how they are used at the workplace as well as with parenting.  Students then refer back to the pictures used for non-verbal communication practice (in the PPT) to practice writing “I-messages” based on what they wrote was happening in the picture.  Students then trade “I-messages” with a class mate and they peer edit each other’s “I-messages” by making sure all the parts are present.
• This worksheet can be used for more practice or as an “I-message” quiz.
• Finally, a test is given on all communication information.

Attachments

• Communication_Skills_updated 2018  (PDF)
• Communication Skills Notes  (PDF)
• Level of Communication Sorting Game  (Word–editable)
• Communication Drawing Activity  (PDF)

Note:  If you are using the old Communication Skills PDF, you will need to use the below slide of notes in place of the web activity for the 3 levels of communication previously used as that link is corrupt and no longer working or just download the updated version above.

• Levels of Communication Notes  (PDF)
• Greater Good Website
• Therapist Aid  Website

Image courtesy of Ambro at Free Digital Photos

Digital Resources

• Communication Skills Slide Presentation (please make a copy) Updated for digital use 8-18-2020. The ability to social distance will determine if I am able to do the drawing activity.
• Communication Notes–digital (please make a copy) Updated 8-18-20 for use with updated slide presentation.

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Career Readiness | Communication Skills | 21st Century Skills

How Do I Teach Workplace Communication Skills to My High School Students?

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January 5th, 2022 | 13 min. read

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In the modern workplace, communication can make or break a career. High school students who develop strong communication skills early go on to nail that interview, negotiate that pay raise, or make a great case for that promotion. However, those who fail to communicate effectively often end up getting passed over--no matter how smart or skilled they are. 

As an instructor, you want to ensure your kids have the best chance at success in their careers, and communication is a key element in that. But teaching communication skills to students can be tricky. What are these workplace communication skills, and where do you begin when teaching them in your career readiness course ?

Many high school teachers have approached AES asking these questions, and in response, we've developed a list of the different types of communication your kids will encounter every day in the workplace.

In this article, you'll discover a breakdown of the three different kinds of workplace communication and how you can teach them in a high school setting:

• Verbal Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Email Communication

By the end of this article, you'll have a better sense of each of how you can teach interpersonal skills and communication to your students. 

Workplace Communication Skills Breakdown: Verbal, Non-Verbal, & Email

Traditionally, workplace communication is made of   verbal and non-verbal communication. However, with the rise of technology, email has also taken a central role in workplace communication, and will be one of the primary methods your high schoolers use to collaborate with coworkers day-to-day. 

What Is Verbal Communication?

Verbal communication is any conversation that takes place vocally.

While that primarily means face-to-face discussions, it could also include phone calls, video conferences, voicemails, and voice messaging.

The most important advantage of verbal communication is that speakers can use tone of voice to help convey the context of what they’re saying.

That context could be anything from sincerity to sarcasm — but either way, it's a major benefit that verbal communication has over non-verbal.

On the other hand, verbal communication is almost always temporary, which means it’s the responsibility of the listener and speaker to remember the discussion without any aid.

This isn’t true for voicemails or voice messaging, but it   does   apply to phone calls, video conferencing, and face-to-face conversations.

Because the latter three situations occur much more frequently than voicemails and voice messaging, it’s important to note that two people may have different interpretations of how a conversation actually goes.

These different interpretations — whether they’re accurate or not — can vary from mild misunderstandings to major miscommunications.

After all, with no central source of truth (like a written document or recording), any disagreements over a verbal conversation are up in the air when it comes to determining what was actually said and intended.

Fortunately, verbal communication isn’t the only method of conversing in a business setting.

In fact,   non-verbal communication   is becoming the preferred conversation and planning format for many companies, especially those involved in cutting-edge technology.

What Is Non-Verbal Communication?

Non-verbal communication is any form of discussion in which vocal tone doesn't play a part. 

This includes several forms of communication, like instant messaging, text messaging, note-writing, social media posts, letters, data analysis, and even email--though email is special for a few reasons. 

Oftentimes, non-verbal communication entails some form of writing, which gives it one major advantage over any other form of conversation: documentation.

Documentation provides that central source of truth for what someone said, when they said it, and how they said it. This helps provide a strong sense of clarity and can resolve conflicts much more effectively than verbal communication. 

However, it's important to note that non-verbal communication entails more than just writing. It also includes crucial social cues like eye contact, body language, gestures, and even physical touch! As a result, you have a   lot   more areas of opportunity to teach interpersonal skills when it comes to non-verbal communication.

Take social cues, for instance. These non-verbal gestures and visual accents help to complement verbal communication. After all, combining the right words and gestures at the right time can make all the difference between appearing selfish or helpful!

Context is everything in this case — and social cues help establish that context when used in conjunction with speech.

Still, there’s one form of specific non-verbal communication that merits more of a breakdown, and it’s become the single most important communication method in the working world: email. 

What Is Email Communication?

It's strange to think that email was once considered a quaint or informal way of conducting business. After all, these days you'd be hard-pressed to find a business that doesn't use it as a central pillar of their operations. 

The bottom line is that email is one of the most-used communication methods for companies today. Using it, you can direct projects, hold discussions, make decisions, and grow a business to new heights!

This is why it’s so important for students to know about email, how it works, and why it requires professional etiquette.

After all, emails are responsible for individuals taking action in a company. They’re the best way to make sure people stay in the loop on different ideas and projects. 

With the right email, someone can open themselves up to new opportunities that they never knew were possible. With the wrong email, they could truncate their career and end up looking for another job.

Email is taken seriously in the business world. It’s significantly different from text messaging, instant messaging, note-writing, and chat.

If a student goes into a job with the expectation that they can treat email   like   a messaging service, they’re starting off on a bad foot. To get them on the best start possible, it’s crucial that today’s educators teach   email communication skills.

But that’s easier said than done, right? In fact, all of these communication skills can be tricky to teach. So how do you actually teach interpersonal skills and communication to high schoolers in the best way you can?

Teaching Communication Skills to Students

When it comes to teaching communication skills to students, you’ll find a lot of variety in terms of approach and methodology.

That’s because what workplace communication actually entails — like many   soft skills   — isn’t set in stone. Many states in the US have completely different standards when it comes to communication education in general.

However, that doesn't mean there aren't great teaching strategies out there. 

On the rest of this page, we’ll take an in-depth look into some of the most popular and successful online resources for teaching communication skills in high school. These resources provide excellent guidelines to help you think about how you’ll teach these skills.

How Do I Teach Verbal Communication Skills?

One effective method to teach   verbal communication   to students of any age: have them watch videos  that demonstrate conversational skills .

For the videos themselves, you can use clips from popular movies that your high schoolers know, like   The Avengers , or even popular YouTubers who work in groups, like   The Slo Mo Guys . This may help engage them further by making each lesson focus on characters or people that your students love to watch. 

Regardless of what you choose to show, the goal is always the same. You want your students to demonstrate that they’re aware of what conversations look like along with positive communication traits and negative communication traits. This is essential if you want to effectively teach interpersonal skills to your kids. 

During the videos, you have students take notes that:

• Summarize/paraphrase the dynamic between the speakers
• Pull direct quotes from the conversation
• Mark interesting responses or replies
• Delve into the vocal tone of each speaker and how it affects the conversation

After the video is over and the students are done taking notes, you can ask them questions about key parts of the conversation: Why did the vocal tone of one speaker change at a certain point? How did the other speaker reply? How did it impact the conversation as a whole?

Asking these kinds of questions helps students engage with verbal communication in a way that’s relatable and fun — especially when compared to learning from a textbook.

How Do I Teach Non-Verbal Communication Skills?

Non-verbal communication skills   are just as important as their verbal counterparts, and it's essential you use the best resources available to teach them to your high schoolers. 

Upbility , an education thought leader on speech therapy, offers several suggestions to help you get started with teaching social cues.

One of the most direct ways they recommend is through simple roleplaying. This is where you create conversational scenarios in which one student says something, another replies, and the rest of the class takes notes on what they observe.

For this roleplay scenario, it’s key that you highlight the subtle areas where social cues add emphasis to a conversation. These areas include:

• Facial expressions
• Body language
• Eye contact
• Personal touch
• Personal space
• Physical appearance

Have your students take notes, and after each exercise, you can ask the participants and observers to discuss what happened, why they interpreted a conversation a certain way, and how that interpretation could’ve changed based on non-verbal factors.

As for written communication, your options are surprisingly more limited than when dealing with social cues.

That’s because “writing skills” are an enormous category that includes career readiness, creative thinking, problem solving, and more.

However, there is an excellent resource provided by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which is a branch of the US Department of Education. This thorough guide offered by IES details every step you can take to teach writing skills to teens and adolescents--perfect for high schoolers. 

We recommend downloading the guide yourself (it’s free) and following its information as closely as you can. There's a lot of good information in there!

How Do I Teach Email Communication Skills?

Email--simply put--is one of the most powerful and convenient tools for modern communication. That's why it's essential that high school students learn how to write emails effectively and intelligently before they enter the workforce.

This includes understanding the principles of business writing in general, like common questions and implied tone. It also requires students to practice writing emails of their own — especially emails that they send in response to others.

However, this is all easier said than done, and these concepts include a lot more information than they may seem at first.

But when you approach email communication with an effective teaching strategy--like the Four Phases--  you can take that complicated topic and make it understandable for students of any age.

One way to get your high schoolers thinking is to include an activity in which they need to decide if an email is formal or informal. This takes some prep up front, but it’s a great way to mix up your lesson.

Write 5-8 examples of both formal and informal emails and distribute them to your students. Pick students to read each email aloud, and then ask the class if they think it is formal or informal and why they believe so.

Depending how the activity goes, you may be able to start a class debate or discussion about which emails are appropriate for which setting. 

Once you're done with that part of the activity, have each of your students compose both a formal and informal email using school email accounts. This will be a great way to give them hands-on practice with effective email. 

Need More Lesson Plans to Help You Teach Communication Skills?

Workplace communication skills are essential for your high schoolers to learn. After all, soon enough they'll be joining the workforce full time, and if they find they can't communicate in a professional setting, they could end up falling behind--or worse. 

In this article, you've learned about the three main methods of workplace communication and strategies you can use to teach them in your high school course. If you use these strategies well, you'll be providing your kids a solid foundation for effective communication. 

However, these activities and strategies are just the beginning when it comes to teaching communication skills to students. If you need even more material to teach your students workplace collaboration and communication, check out the Business, Marketing, Finance, IT & Media Curriculum in our catalog. 

8 methods for effectively improving student communication skills

If you still believe cellphones are a distraction best left out of the learning environment, then you may be limiting your students’ development. In this article, we’ll walk you through how using the Remind texting app feature for teachers and parents can help improve your students’ communication skills.

The importance of communication skills for teachers, students, and families

Communicating is an essential skill used in every aspect of our lives. Whether It's placing a restaurant order, answering job interview questions, or apologizing to a friend, the ability to effectively and clearly express yourself is integral to making the interaction a success.

Communication is important to ensure a good learning environment. Teachers know their relationships with students don't end at the end of the school year. Some may even think that the parent-teacher relationship ends after meeting them in a conference twice a year. This undermines the importance of communicating with parents and students. 

For a parent, knowing how their child is doing in school can be a source of pride or of shame. If their child is struggling with schoolwork, it’s important they hear about it before the end of the school term, when it may be too late for them to help.However, if they are involved more often with teachers communicating via calls or texts, they can contribute to their student’s learning at home.

For a student, learning good communication skills—which involve reading, writing, listening, and speaking—will not only help with socialization and classroom performance, but will serve them well in all areas of their life.

For a teacher, communication skills are vital. They are responsible for demystifying complex information s and responding to student questions about the material. They also must help their students develop their own communication skills. The following section gives examples of methods for achieving this.

Methods for teaching communication skills

The role of teachers in classroom communication is an essential one. If you’re a teacher constantly in search of improvements to communication techniques for the classroom, here are some methods you can use for effectively improving student communication skills:

• Use material that showcases conversation skills. If you watch films or videos in class, look for moments where characters are conversing and teach students about elements like body language, eye contact, summarizing, paraphrasing, and responding.
• Create a learning environment that fosters critical thinking. Instead of asking, “did you like the movie?”, ask “what did you like most about the movie?” in order to encourage discussion and allow students to come up with their own answers. 
• Promote teamwork through group assignments. In smaller groups, some students may be more encouraged to communicate their ideas and connect with their peers.  
• Promote active listening. Listening is as integral to communication as speaking. You can lead by example by asking clarifying questions when talking to students and encouraging them to do the same.
• Offer feedback. Giving positive feedback is a good way to build confidence and promote the right behavior. Another method for feedback is recording or videotaping presentations so students can reflect on their performance and learn to receive constructive criticism.
• Use every moment as a teaching opportunity. There is no need to be confined to a lesson plan when thinking of ways to teach students. Teaching communication skills can start with something as simple as reading through a textbook and asking students about any unfamiliar concepts or words and clarifying them.
• Turn Taking. An essential to any effective use of communication is learning to take turns.  Use an object, such as a talking stick as a signal for turn-taking. Teach your students that when they have the object, it is their turn to talk or pass while others are expected to listen.” It is a wonderful idea to involve students in other activities that practice the skill of turn-taking, such as board games.
• Make the most of technology—use an SMS message app for schools. Now in the digital age, many tools are available to make teachers’ jobs easier. One such tool is an SMS app such as Remind , which allows for effective communication between administrative teams, teachers and students, and teachers and parents. This also models appropriate, professional use of digital tools.

While all of these methods should be used in tandem to truly create the best space for teaching students communication skills, one is always evolving and it is the one concerning technology. 

With the recent need to move towards online learning, some teachers and parents may be struggling with how to look after the students’ learning in the ways they were accustomed to before. This is where you can use an app for SMS messages to help bridge the gap and open up a more direct line of communication.

Using a teacher-student messaging app to improve communication

If you’re unfamiliar with using a teacher messaging app, there’s no need to worry. A texting app for teachers and parents is as easy to use as your regular SMS app for sending a text message. However, unlike a simple SMS texting app, it comes with features designed with students, families, and educators in mind.

With Remind , whether you are an educator, student, or a parent, you can directly connect with everyone involved in the learning process. You can send messages to individuals or groups without publicizing anyone’s personal information. There is also a feature to translate your messages into more than 70 languages, which is ideal for classes that have exchange students that don’t understand the local language.

With the ease of staying connected, parents and teachers can coordinate to make sure that the students are supported both at home and at school. Having consistency between the teachings in class and the environment at home can help reinforce the personal, academic, and social development of the student. 

Teachers can text parents about the skills they are teaching in school, and advise them on allowing the child to practice them in a setting outside of the classroom. Aside from parents, it also allows students to reach their teachers more easily, fostering a more comfortable relationship where students feel as though they can communicate freely. To students that may feel too shy to talk in person, this is an extremely helpful space to let them grow their communication skills.

Remind is also highly valuable for sending messages that students and parents can’t miss. Whether it’s a reminder for an exam schedule or an encouraging message, the read receipts will let you know exactly who’s been reached.

With regular communication between the student, teacher, and parent through the SMS app, a collaborative community will naturally form. This collaboration ensures that everyone is on the same page and offers the student an opportunity to improve their communication skills with every interaction.

Essential communication skills

With communication skills being essential to the success of a student, it’s important to make full use of the tools available for teaching (such as an SMS text app) and reinforce them. The Remind texting app for teachers, parents, and internal administration is simple to use—as easy to adopt and use as sending a text message. It creates instant two-way communication and a direct line between the people who matter most to student success. Remind was built for education and designed with students, families, and educators in mind.

Reach out to learn more about connecting to your students and their families today. 

https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/remind

https://blog.futurefocusedlearning.net/8-methods-improving-student-communication-skills

https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2019/05/30-useful-communication-apps-for-your-school

https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/healthsafety/Documents/Messaging%20Apps%20and%20Websites%20for%20Students,%20Teachers,%20and%20Parents.pdf

https://www.theasianschool.net/blog/how-to-improve-effective-communication-skills-in-students/  

https://www.owis.org/blog/the-importance-of-communication-between-our-teachers-and-the-parents

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/building-parent-teacher-relationships

https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/communication-skills-for-teachers/

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-01-09-how-can-online-instructors-get-students-to-talk-to-each-other

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August 10, 2023 VG Seasonal Activities Fall , VG Writing with Vocabulary 6-12 , Vocab Gal , ELA Seasonal - Winter , ELA Seasonal Back to School , ELA Resources - Activities , ELA 9-12 , ELA PD - Leadership , ELA PD - Other , ELA PD - Classroom Management , ELA PD - Vocabulary , ELA Resources - Games , ELA Focus - Vocabulary

5 team-building activities for high school students, by: vocab gal.

In this article, you'll discover how team-building activities benefit high school students, ways to ensure team-building activities will be successful, and a variety of classroom-tested activities. Plus, download free printable team-building activities that can be used at the start of a new school year or new semester!

Benefits of Team-Building Activities for Students

Many students might groan and roll their eyes if asked to participate in these activities, but they do have significant benefits. Furthermore, many teachers might be loath to take the time to conduct these activities, although they bring with them enormous gains. Benefits of team-building activities for students include:

Provide a common experience among peers

Allow students to feel more comfortable in group settings

Require students to develop communication skills through conversations

Encourage students to learn academic content with and from one another

5 Fun Team-Building Activities for Students  

It’s critical to help develop students’ social interaction skills, which can easily be done in the classroom through team-building activities. When team-building activities are used routinely in classrooms, the classroom space becomes a shared, safe zone where students feel comfortable and ready to learn. These short games not only allow students to gain valuable skills but also develop empathy and often improve their self-esteem. 

Most activities should only take between five and ten minutes and can be used once or on multiple occasions. Classroom time is valuable, and these activities are designed to minimize time and maximize outcomes.

Activity #1– Make a Burger

Class time: 5–10 minutes, group size: 5–7 students, resources needed: burger template cut out into pieces, tape, skills focus: teamwork, trust-building.

This is a rather quick and silly team-building activity for high school students. Instruct the class that they are to work in groups to make a full hamburger that starts with a bun, and that has pickle, lettuce, tomato, cheese, meat, and another bun in that order. Tape one ingredient onto each student’s back and instruct students to work together to find all the necessary ingredients and then line up in order. The first group to do so correctly wins.

You can either play silently, or you can tell students to say what ingredient is on their backs, but instead only provide hints.

Academic Focus: Replay this game using vocabulary words and definitions, planet names, math problems and solutions, and so on.

Activity #2– Vocab Improv

Group size: any range between five students and a full class, resources needed: list of academic vocabulary to use, example video, skills focus: trust building.

Have students stand in a circle. The first student chooses a subject-related word and acts out a motion that corresponds with the word’s meaning in some way. The rest of the students in the group then echo the word and the motion together. The next student in the group chooses a new word and acts out a corresponding motion. The rest of the students then echo that word and motion, followed by the first student’s word and motion. This sequence repeats until all students in the group have their own word and motion and have reiterated everyone else’s word and motion.

To begin the game, the first student says his/her word and motion and then says another student’s word and motion. That student must say his/her word and motion and pick another student’s word and motion.

The game repeats until a called-upon student cannot recall another’s word and motion fast enough (three seconds) and is “out.” When only two people are left, both are winners.

Caveat: no student can reiterate the previous student’s word and motion.

Academic Focus: By creating motions tied to academic vocabulary and reiterating these words and motions numerous times, students develop deep connections to these words.

Try playing this game throughout the year, and have students use their peers’ previous words and motions to call upon them, as well as current words and motions.

Activity #3– Best Parts of Our School

Class time: 5–20 minutes (each part of this activity can take place on a separate day), group size: 4–6 students, resources needed: best parts of our school handout, skills focus: teamwork, leadership.

Often, students feel disgruntled about school, so this team-building activity for high school students encourages everyone to look for the positive, rather than the negative.

First, each individual should complete the top of the handout, listing three specific aspects of the school they like. Then, assign students to groups of approximately four to six, making sure that students work with people they do not know well, rather than simply working with friends. Have the students each share three ideas in their groups, and then work together to choose which ones to include in a group list of five positive aspects about their school. Next, each group selects a representative to go to the board to write down his or her group’s list.

Finally, the representatives work with the whole class in order to combine the top five lists into one class-wide top ten list. Try to post this list so students remember both working together and the positive aspects of school!

Academic Focus: Ask students to use academic vocabulary in their lists or to utilize strong writing techniques, such as action verbs or figurative language, when creating each point.

Activity #4– Create a Vocabulary Game Board

Class time: 10–60 minutes (each part of this activity can take place on a separate day), group size: 2–3 students, resources needed: activity directions, game board instruction sheet, two game board templates, game piece template, blank game cards.

Students love to play board games, so asking them to design their own provides them with a new and exciting challenge. Have students work together, possibly by formatively assessing their understanding of a concept and then grouping them in high-medium-low understanding groups. Alternatively, grouping them in like-understanding (all highs, all mediums, all lows) partnerships can also allow for thoughtful outcomes.

Have students discuss and agree upon an overall theme for the game, then complete each aspect of the board game including:

Activity Directions

Game Board Instruction Sheet

Two Game Board Templates

Game Piece Template

Blank Game Cards

Academic Focus: Take any unit that needs further review or understanding and ask students to create a board game that highlights various aspects of the concept.

Activity #5– Your Enigmatic Self

Class time: 5 minutes (spread out over multiple days), group size: 3–4 students, resources needed: enigmatic self handout.

Students write down three aspects of themselves that no one else knows. Assign students to groups of three or four and ask them to read their information to each other.

Each day, have one member of the group read all of the group’s fact sheets to begin the class and have the rest of the students guess which group member is which. Have students celebrate one another’s unique selves, and make sure to reiterate the need to respect each other.

Academic focus: Encourage students to use academic vocabulary when describing themselves.

How to Ensure Team-Building Activities Are a Success

In order for activities to be successful, classroom leaders must establish clear expectations.

INSIST ON A SAFE ZONE The most important aspect of team-building activities is that they demonstrate that the classroom is a safe zone. When working through the team-building activities with students, I emphasize my number one rule, which is mutual respect and acceptance. Students must remain positive and respectful toward their fellow learners, and that includes me!

ESTABLISH TRUST TO BUILD COMMUNITY In a classroom, a sense of community is vital in order for students to produce authentic writing, receive constructive feedback from peers, and have meaningful discussions. Emphasizing in each activity the importance of trusting one another, classroom leaders build a sense of classroom community.

EMPHASIZE EMPATHY AND ESTEEM These team-building activities encourage students to empathize with their classmates who may be different from them and will also help to build up their own self-esteem as they work with others. Classroom leaders must stress the need for students to learn from one another and to respect the similarities and differences that all of their classmates bring to each activity.

ENCOURAGE LEARNING I always like to ensure that there is an academic purpose to all aspects of classroom activities, so, as a classroom leader, I ask students to use academic vocabulary and utilize their prior learned knowledge during discussions.

(SOMETIMES) FRAME AS A COMPETITION Finally, if a classroom leader faces significant resistance from students, framing the activity as a challenge or competition can motivate them. Do remember to emphasize that the competition or challenge being carried out can be completed by everyone and that respect and ethical behavior are paramount, as some students may attempt to cheat in order to win.

The Best Time to Use Team-Building Activities

Team-building activities can happen throughout the school year. They can be used for a myriad of reasons and for a multitude of purposes.

Some classroom leaders may want to use these activities at the beginning of the school year in order to establish a classroom culture and then continue to use activities once or twice a quarter to re-establish concepts, review learning, or deepen rapport.

Other teachers may use them later in the year or at the start of the second semester in order to re-focus a classroom or for a specific unit of study.

Alternatively, classroom leaders can employ team-building activities at the end of the year to encourage more authentic peer review for assignments or as a new challenge for students.

In Conclusion

Team-building is fun and has a huge number of benefits, from developing classroom community to reinforcing academic concepts. Each of the five team-building activities allows students to learn with and from each other and deepens connections between peers.

As students become more and more disconnected from their peers and their learning because they spend much of their time on social media, team-building activities are a great way to reconnect students to their school and to their education and to have fun while doing so.

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Teacher Secretly Sold His Students’ Art on Mugs and Shirts, Lawsuit Says

Parents of a dozen students at a school near Montreal accused an art teacher in a lawsuit of reproducing portraits from a class assignment and putting them on items that he offered for sale online.

By Sopan Deb

In January, students at a junior high school outside Montreal received an assignment to draw a classmate or a self-portrait in the style of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

“The challenge is to make an original artwork in Basquiat’s style; not to copy one of his images,” the teacher, Mario Perron, wrote to his students on the junior campus at Westwood High School in St.-Lazare, Quebec. “I am very familiar with Basquiat’s work and will return copied work, because it is considered plagiarism.”

The assignment was titled “Creepy Portrait.”

Basquiat was a worthy subject: He was the influential Brooklyn-born artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent who was known for a brief career in which he innovated with graffiti and other types of improvisational pieces. He died at 27 in 1988 .

But parents of some students who completed the assignment were shocked to find that Mr. Perron had copied the portraits and was offering mugs, cushions, bags, apparel and other items for sale online bearing reproductions of the artwork, according to a class-action lawsuit filed last week in Quebec Superior Court.

Joel DeBellefeuille, who learned what was happening from his 13-year-old son, Jax, accused Mr. Perron in an interview of perpetrating a “premeditated” scheme. A portrait of Jax by one of his classmates was among the student artwork being offered for sale, he said.

“ I freaked out,” Mr. DeBellefeuille said. “I was full of emotions. Still now, it’s really unbelievable.”

Mr. Perron, who did not respond to a request for comment, is not listed as a current employee on the school’s website . Darren Becker, a spokesman for the Lester B. Pearson School Board, which is a named defendant in the suit, said the school board “does not comment on internal investigations.”

It was not immediately clear if Mr. Perron had sold any of the items he listed, or how much money, if any, he had made.

Mr. DeBellefeuille first discovered that the art had been repurposed on Feb. 8, when his son, who had done a Google search, showed him that Mr. Perron had created a profile on Fine Art America , an online art marketplace. The profile had thousands of items for sale displaying the work originally submitted by the students, priced between $9.50 and $113 in U.S. currency, all apparently unauthorized.

Each item was labeled with the student’s first name followed by “Creepy Portrait.” The drawings themselves mimic the frenetic style of Basquiat — multicolored portraits that nod to the unconventional and imaginative, including many oddly shaped heads and contorted bodies. Mr. Perron was listed as the artist for all of the works, according to screenshots provided by Mr. DeBellefeuille.

In total, according to a demand letter sent to the school district on Feb. 13, there were 2,976 items for sale using works from the 96 students who were given the assignment. The student artwork was reproduced in 31 categories, including throw pillows, tank tops, tote bags and beach towels, according to the letter.

The works appear to have been removed from the Fine Art America website.

“It is evident that the trust of the public, the students, the parents, and specifically our clients, in the school board and its representatives, has been severely shaken,” the letter said.

Mr. DeBellefeuille’s brother Martin, a lawyer, initially sent the letter on behalf of Mr. DeBellefeuille and Edith Liard, the parent of another child in the art class. The parents of 10 other children have since attached themselves to the suit, Mr. DeBellefeuille said, including two who added their names after it was filed on Friday.

The plaintiffs are seeking 2.16 million Canadian dollars, or about $1.59 million, a figure that includes 5,000 Canadian dollars for each work reproduced in the 31 categories as well as punitive damages and legal fees. They are also demanding that Mr. Perron withdraw the works from all platforms, for him to be suspended and for a written apology.

Under the Canadian Copyright Act, a copyright owner may be entitled to between 500 and 20,000 Canadian dollars for each work that is unlawfully used. Under Canadian law, one does not need to file for a copyright to be considered a copyright owner .

The suit cites the Civil Code of Quebec as the reason the school board is named as a defendant. It says that “the principal is bound to make reparation for injury caused by the fault of his subordinates in the performance of their duties.”

Mr. DeBellefeuille said he expected that the school district would settle rather than go to court.

“For me, it takes a special kind of person to go that deep to do what he did to minor children,” Mr. DeBellefeuille said of Mr. Perron. “This is what enrages me.”

Sopan Deb is a Times reporter covering breaking news and culture. More about Sopan Deb

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A former married high school teacher convicted of having sex with an underage student won’t face any jail time despite her victim’s mother claiming the educator’s “predatory actions” stripped the student of his dreams.

McKenna Kindred, 25, who taught at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley, Wash., pleaded guilty Thursday to amended charges of second-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

The teacher’s inappropriate relationship with the 17-year-old student began in June 2022, when the minor discovered Kindred’s Instagram account and the two began messaging each other, according to the Spokeman-Review.

Sometime in November of that year, Kindred and the student had sex inside her home while Kindred’s husband was on a hunting trip.

The teen’s friends shared screenshots of the messages with school officials in December 2022.

Both Kindred and the teen at the time had denied any sexual relationship as rumors began to spread around the school, including the teacher being harassed by someone on social media, the outlet reported.

An investigation was launched into Kindred’s behavior, leading detectives to speak with the teen, who admitted to messaging the teacher and even exchanging inappropriate videos with each other.

The teen admitted to contacting Kindred over Instagram and having sex with the teacher at her home.

The investigation found Kindred sent several sexually alluding messages to the teen, KHQ previously reported.

“I wanted you to be in my room.”

“When other girls talk about you in my class I could feel myself getting mad.”

“I really like being touched by you.”

Detectives seized the teen’s phone and found selfie-styled photos of both Kindred and the student but did not find “any photos that appeared overtly sexual in nature,” according to the outlet.

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The school district placed Kindred on administrative leave in Dec. 2022, before she resigned in 2023.

The victim’s mother claimed Kindred began to groom her son when he was 16, and her actions were an “abuse of power.”

“I barely slept for several weeks in fear of the physical retaliation [my son] might be victim to as McKenna involved him in her adult marital affairs,” Ashley Beckley said during her impact statement to the court, according to KHQ.

Beckley also claimed Kindred’s actions made her son unable to finish school on campus, affecting his social, emotional and academic well-being.

“A light he used to carry has been dimmed,” she said.

Kindred apologized to the teen and his family, acknowledging the pain she caused.

“I know this past year has been incredibly difficult for all involved. As a result of my actions, I’ve lost my career, valuable friendships, freedoms and have let down countless people who placed their trust in me,” she said to the court in a prepared statement.

“My mental health has also significantly been affected by this event. I am deeply ashamed of the pain I have caused.”

Kindred, who has been free on bond since her arrest in 2022, was sentenced to 2 years of probation, handed $700 in fines and fees and ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years

Since her arrest, Kindred voluntarily began seeing a counselor for her mental health, according to the Spokesman-Review.

Kindred’s counselor said the teacher’s mental health, depression, anxiety and marital issues weren’t an excuse for her crimes but had contributed to them.

“She’s suffered severe collateral consequences,” he added.

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How Schools Can Turn the Solar Eclipse Into an Unforgettable Science Lesson

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If the weather cooperates, science students of all ages could be in for quite a show on April 8. The first sign will be a sudden temperature drop. The sky will darken, and winds will shift. A dark shadow will appear on the horizon. Faint waves of light may waft across the ground. A ring of bright light will shine from the outer edges of the otherwise darkened sun. Then the moon will cover the sun completely and, for a few seconds, a thin red layer may appear around its outer rim.

This fantastical display describes a total solar eclipse, which happens in the same place on the planet only an average of once every 366 years, according to experts . It’s also the sort of once-in-a-lifetime occurrence that can get kids super excited about science—a worthwhile goal, especially amid a barrage of reports of disengaged students and sky-high rates of absenteeism .

The impending total solar eclipse raises several questions for educators—from how best to expose students to both its sheer magnificence and its value as a learning tool to, more broadly, how to infuse other ‘real world’ science lessons into the classroom. To get answers to these questions, Education Week reached out to science education guru Dennis Schatz, a senior fellow at the Institute of Learning Innovation, past president of the board of directors for the National Science Teaching Association, and advisor to the Smithsonian Science Education Center.

Schatz advocated for a carnival-like atmosphere to celebrate the coming eclipse; even, as he noted, several school districts will cancel school that day. He also shared his general thoughts on how teachers can generate interest in ‘real-world’ science learning and the obstacles that too often prevent it. Here’s an edited version of the conversation.

What is your overarching philosophy of science education?

A fundamental philosophy of mine is to make science life-long, life-wide, and life-deep.

What do you mean by ‘life-deep’?”

There’s the workforce development focus of this; that is, the demand for STEM professionals. But life-deep also means getting involved and interested in science at a level that’s appropriate for you. You may be an accountant, but you may like to watch the National Geographic Channel or read science books and, if so, that’s an appropriate depth for you.

Where does engagement in science start?

Having been involved in schoolwide reform efforts, I’ve done a lot of work with teachers in the classroom, although I’ve never actually taught in one. Making science more engaging for students is probably the biggest challenge at the elementary school level, because not many elementary school teachers are trained in science. So the real goal, especially at the elementary level, is how to build enthusiasm in teachers so they can then get students excited.

So, what works?

It can start by getting teachers to think about how to use their local environment, or local community, to generate interest in science. For example, in the Northwest, salmon is a big issue [ declining numbers in recent years have been blamed on climate change and human development], so that can be a way to generate interest—either from an environmental perspective or a food perspective. There are a lot of different real-world connections to be made with salmon for people who live in the Northwest.

What about getting students excited to experience the solar eclipse?

Absolutely, the solar eclipse can be awe-inspiring, and it can be fun. I was talking to a teacher recently who said: I don’t want to make it like a fire drill, where you take the students outside, with their glasses, take a look at the eclipse, and go back in. There’s a whole range in how districts are treating the [upcoming] eclipse. It takes two and a half hours, from beginning to end. Watching the eclipse slowly go across the sun is like watching ice melt. So you want to think about ways in which you can make it into a fun experience. Enlightened administrators will encourage building an entire event around it: Think art activities, food, music.

How far in advance would you suggest teachers begin preparing students for the solar eclipse?

It’s about two weeks out, and in the back of my mind, I’m saying: It’s way too late. I guess you could try to cram it all into just one day, but I would recommend spending more time in advance. Ideally, well before the eclipse, teachers will bring some science activities into class that model what’s happening with the phenomenon. There are many other real-life examples to draw from: Every six months, there’s at least one lunar and one solar eclipse somewhere on the Earth.

Will most schools use the eclipse as a learning opportunity?

A huge number of districts are canceling school for a variety of reasons; one is liability. In the Midwest and Northeast, the eclipse happens at the end of the school day, and people are worried about safety issues and higher-than-normal traffic during the point of totality [when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun]. In these cases of school closures, teachers who plan in advance can share information with students about how to experience the eclipse safely , and they can in turn go home and teach their parents.

How do you recommend students experience the eclipse?

I think glasses are overrated. When you look through a pair of glasses, you get this little yellow dot. There are so many indirect ways to view the eclipse. One of my favorites is with a basic kitchen colander . If you stand with your back to the sun and hold the colander so the sun’s light shines through it onto the ground or a wall, inside the colander’s shadow you’ll see many tiny images of the eclipsed sun.

Other tips for good viewing of the eclipse?

You want to find a place in the sun that’s not obscured by shadows, somewhere away from tall buildings. At most schools, this might be a playground area. I recommend going out a couple days ahead of time and finding out where the shadows are going to be, so you can avoid them. And of course, the most important element is clear weather.

When the eclipse is over, how can science teachers maintain students’ excitement about the natural world?

There are so many phenomena to observe and study—certainly in astronomy, from meteor showers to lunar eclipses—and all kinds of weather events, like hurricanes and earthquakes. You have to be sensitized, as a teacher, to think: I’m going to use these events to motivate an interest in science.

What resources do you suggest for teachers who want to stay informed about real-world science lessons?

The NSTA publishes three journals for educators, targeting elementary, middle, and high school students. I also like the New York Times’ science section. There’s also Scientific American magazine, which has moved from being a journal for scientists and now is much more geared for the lay audience.

So, if resources are available, what gets in the way of teaching real-world science lessons?

For teachers, it’s often a matter of figuring out: How do I feel like I have the freedom to move away from what I’m supposed to teach? Things are so standards-driven these days, there’s just no time or ability to deviate. Plus, you’re worrying about how kids are going to do on tests, and so many other things—social-emotional learning, safety. But if you aren’t generating an ongoing interest in the scientific phenomena that you can see and experience, then you’re doing a disservice to students.

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‘Predatory actions’: High School teacher pleads guilty to sexually abusing a student

McKenna Kindred sexually abused a 17-year-old student, authorities said. (Screenshot: KHQ)

A Washington state teacher carried on a so-called relationship with a 17-year-old boy until the victim’s classmates found out he was writing her on Instagram, authorities said in a report from The Spokesman-Review .

McKenna Kindred, 25, having resigned from Central Valley High School, reportedly pleaded guilty on Thursday to amended charges of second-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. These are gross misdemeanors under Washington law.

The state and defense agreed that she would receive no time behind bars. Instead, Spokane County Superior Court Judge Dean Chuang reportedly sentenced her to two years of probation and $700 in fines and fees. Kindred must register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Authorities reportedly said the abuse surfaced when the boy’s classmates discovered him inappropriately writing Kindred on Instagram, and that he was defensive when they asked him about it.

According to investigators, the mother told them that her son had a sexual relationship with Kindred, that he’d been alone with the woman in the house, and they had been sharing explicit photos over Instagram.

Detectives said they did not find pictures “that appeared overtly sexual in nature,” but there were messages mentioning masturbation.

The boy admitted to authorities he started messaging her in June 2022, and they had relations in her home. He acknowledged sending explicit pictures and videos with her, according to the Spokesman-Review report. The teacher’s husband had reportedly been away at the time.

On Thursday, the boy’s mother told the court that Kindred engaged in “predatory actions” and “abuse of power.” This upended her son’s life, who played soccer since he was 18 months old but could not finish high school on campus.

“A light he used to carry has been dimmed,” she said.

The mother reportedly agreed to the plea deal so that the case would not drag out.

Speaking on Thursday, Kindred voiced an apology, saying she was “deeply ashamed.”

“I know this past year has been incredibly difficult for all involved,” she said, according to Spokane NBC affiliate KHQ . “As a result of my actions, I’ve lost my career, valuable friendships, freedoms and have let down countless people who placed their trust in me. My mental health has also significantly been affected by this event. I am deeply ashamed of the pain I have caused.”

More Law&Crime coverage: Catholic school ignored warning signs of teacher indicted for creating child porn from yearbook images, lawsuit alleges

The post ‘Predatory actions’: High School teacher pleads guilty to sexually abusing a student first appeared on Law & Crime .