Turn and Talk: 5-8
Turn and Talk: 5-8
Materials:
- List of questions (viewable when downloaded)
Instructions:
- Students will arrange themselves into table groups of not more than 5 students. Each table group will have a mentor “host”
- Mentors will review the skills necessary to be an “exceptional listener”: quiet, eye contact directed towards speaker, non-verbal cues of understanding (nodding, murmurs of agreement) as well as those of an “exceptional speaker”: clear, concise, loud enough for situation, eye contact, posture (even while sitting, one can demonstrate good posture!), full responses
- Once the review is complete, students are given a question to answer. After the mentor reads the question, students are given not more than 30 seconds to ponder before answering.
- Each student answers each question.
- Students not answering questions are expected to demonstrate the skills necessary of an exceptional listener. Students answering are expected to demonstrate the skills of an exceptional speaker.
- When all questions have been asked of the students by the mentor host, students may ask questions of the mentor.
Download activity here
Turn and Talk
(College and Career, Life Skills)
Grade Range: 5-8
Time: 45 Minutes
Synopsis: Students are given a list of questions that they will take a moment to ponder before discussing their answers with their group. This lesson reinforces the importance of good listening skills, eye contact, and the back and forth of conversation. This is a simple lesson, but one that will work to connect you and your students in a really awesome way!