When students have opportunities to reflect on their own development, it supports their self-awareness and offers insights into their own strengths and challenges. One of the best ways to practice social emotional learning is to integrate communication activities into your class or program time. 

How It Works

Incorporating group discussion is a low-stakes way of ensuring that all students have the opportunity to actively engage with their peers and practice the skills they are building. Discussion questions can be incorporated in-person, virtually, or a blend of both. If you’ve been wondering how to build relationships with your students, while helping them practice and build their SEL skills, here are a few easy ways to get started using discussions and conversations as a medium.

• Use engaging questions during circle time, reading time, morning meeting, or before/after activities and games.
• Put one of these questions on the board (or post online if virtual) and have students answer in journals.
• Have students write first and then pair/share to discuss their answers with a partner.
• Include questions within assignments that students may complete at home.

Meaningful Moments

Students don’t necessarily need to share their reflections every time, but sharing answers with peers provides opportunities to strengthen classroom relationships and gives you insight into your students’ lives.

Make connections. When you provide opportunities for students to share their reflections, try to promote a warm, supportive and informal environment. Remind students this isn’t a quiz or test. Kids should feel like they are in a safe space to share without fear of ridicule or embarrassment.

Take notice. How do your perceptions differ from those of your students? Noticing these differences can guide your instruction and help you to better respond to and understand each student individually.

Learn. Different students express and respond to emotions in different ways depending on culture, personality, or context. See what you can learn about your students by actively listening to their responses.

10 Conversation Starters To Try

Try these conversation starters to get students thinking more deeply about their own skills and make connections to the lessons they are learning. Keep in mind that some prompts may overlap into multiple competencies.

Prompts that support self-awareness and self-management:

• What things can you do to help with difficult emotions when trying to learn something new?
• What was a time when you felt confident. What made you feel this way?
• Think of a time you lost your temper and hurt someone with your words or actions? What can you do to calm your feelings before reacting?

Prompts that support social awareness and relationship skills

• What are some things you can do to be a good listener?
• What are some ways you are similar to your family? What are some ways you are different?
• Think of someone who is struggling with something. What is that person thinking? Feeling? How can you help?
• What can you do when you and someone cannot agree on something? Are there other things that you both could agree on?

Prompts that support responsible decision-making

• Explain what you would say to someone if they were trying to talk you into making a negative choice.
• Have you ever made a choice that was different from a choice your friend made?
• What is a new responsibility that you want to have? How can you show that you are ready?

The key to having meaningful discussions in our classrooms is establishing a culture that values all of the voices in the room. The more opportunities we give students to think, talk, and listen to each other, the more empowered they’ll be to join the conversation.