Talking About Conversations, social skills

Talking About Conversations, is a pack to develop social skills, verbal reasoning skills, situational understanding & inferencing skills in children.

It was developed from a suggestion by Sarah Purdie, Language Support Teacher, Haringey. It contains 14 large coloured pictures which illustrate common breakdowns in conversations e.g. starting a conversation; turn taking during a conversation; staying on topic etc.

Each large scenario picture is accompanied by four associated smaller pictures which show a variety of repair strategies, some appropriate; some not.

The pack includes full instructions; a ‘script’ for presenting each scenario, plus suggestions for role play extension activities.

Aim: To help teach the skills required to be a good conversational partner.

McFall in 1982 and Spence in 1995 identified a range of verbal and non- verbal responses that influence the perception and response of other people during social interactions. Spence (2003)* states that: ‘it is important that individuals are able to adjust the quantity and quality of non verbal responses such as eye contact, facial expression, posture … according to the demands of different social situations’.

* Spence, S.H.(2003) Social Skills Training with Children and Young People: Theory, Evidence and Practice. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, vol.8, issue 2, pages 84–96.

Children need to integrate these skills into a range of situations which require a sophisticated interplay of behavioural responses.

These include:

• identifying the appropriate moment to start a conversation
• selecting appropriate topics for conversation
• asking to join in
• offering assistance
• requesting help.

Curriculum: PSHE

Age Range: KS3/KS4

Format: PDF file, 82 pages including colour illustrations and black and white alternatives, availabe as download 72 MB or on CD.

Ref: TA5