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Chatting Smarter: Read the Room!

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Janice Zimmerman

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Chatting Smarter Lesson Plan

Students will learn to identify social cues (facial expressions, body language) and practice reciprocal conversation by taking turns and asking follow-up questions to improve their social awareness and communication skills.

Developing social awareness and reciprocal conversation skills helps students build stronger relationships, communicate effectively, and navigate social situations with greater confidence in school and daily life.

Audience

11th-12th Grade Students with Borderline Intellectual Disabilities and Low Executive Functioning

Time

25 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and guided practice will be used to teach and reinforce social awareness concepts.

Materials

  • Chatting Smarter Slide Deck, - Social Cues & Conversation Worksheet, - Reciprocal Conversation Activity, and - Discussion Prompt Cards

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

  • Review all generated materials including the Chatting Smarter Slide Deck, Social Cues & Conversation Worksheet, Reciprocal Conversation Activity, and Discussion Prompt Cards to ensure familiarity with content.
    - Prepare the classroom for small group work, arranging desks or chairs to facilitate interaction.
    - Print enough copies of the Social Cues & Conversation Worksheet for each student.
    - Print and cut out the Discussion Prompt Cards (if applicable for the activity).

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's the Vibe?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt like you knew what was going on, even without anyone saying a word? How did you know?" (e.g., people laughing, someone looking upset).
    - Introduce the concept of social awareness and 'reading the room'.

Step 2

Explicit Teaching: Cues & Conversations

7 minutes

  • Present the Chatting Smarter Slide Deck to introduce social cues (facial expressions, body language, tone of voice) and explain reciprocal conversation (taking turns, asking follow-up questions).
    - Use visuals and simple examples to illustrate each point.
    - Emphasize that reciprocal conversation is like a game of catch, not a game of dodgeball where only one person talks.

Step 3

Worksheet Application: Spot the Cues

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Social Cues & Conversation Worksheet.
    - Guide students through the worksheet, helping them identify social cues in presented scenarios or images and practice simple reciprocal conversation starters.

Step 4

Activity & Discussion: Talk It Out!

8 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups (2-3 students).
    - Introduce the Reciprocal Conversation Activity which involves using Discussion Prompt Cards to practice turn-taking and asking follow-up questions.
    - Circulate among groups, providing support and prompting deeper engagement.
    - Bring the class back together for a brief discussion. Ask: "What felt easy? What was challenging? How can you use these skills in your daily life?"
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Slide Deck

Chatting Smarter: Read the Room!

Understanding Social Cues & Reciprocal Conversations

Today, we'll learn how to:

  • Understand what people are thinking and feeling without them saying a word.
  • Have conversations where everyone gets a chance to share.

Welcome students. Briefly introduce the topic and the goal of the session: to become better at understanding others and having balanced conversations.

What is "Social Awareness"?

It's knowing what's happening around you and how people are feeling.

  • Reading the Room: Understanding the unspoken rules and feelings in a situation.
  • Social Cues: Signals people send with their bodies, faces, and voices.

Why is this important? It helps us know how to act and what to say!

Explain that social awareness is like having "social superpowers" that help us understand others without them saying a word. Ask students for examples of how they might "read the room" (e.g., seeing someone crying, someone laughing loudly).

Decoding Social Cues: Look & Listen!

People tell us a lot without speaking! Look for these clues:

  • Facial Expressions: Happy, sad, angry, confused, surprised.
  • Body Language: Arms crossed (closed off), leaning forward (interested), slumped shoulders (tired/sad).
  • Tone of Voice: Loud (excited/angry), soft (calm/sad), fast (nervous/excited), slow (bored/serious).

What do these cues tell you?

Go through each type of cue. Ask students to demonstrate different expressions or body language. Emphasize that these cues help us understand how others feel.

Reciprocal Conversation: A Two-Way Street

Imagine playing catch. You throw the ball, someone catches it, and then they throw it back.

  • Conversation is like catch!
    • You talk, then the other person talks.
    • You listen, then the other person listens.
  • It's about taking turns talking and listening.
  • It's not just one person talking all the time.

Use the "playing catch" analogy. Ask students what happens in a game of catch if one person never throws the ball back. Relate it to conversation.

Keep the Conversation Going!

How can you be a good conversation partner?

  1. Listen Actively: Really hear what the other person is saying.
  2. Ask Follow-Up Questions: Show you're interested! (e.g., "Tell me more!" "How did that feel?")
  3. Share Your Thoughts: Connect your thoughts to what they said.
  4. Watch for Cues: Are they still engaged? Do they want to talk more or are they ready to switch topics?

Go through each point with examples. Model good follow-up questions. Stress the importance of not dominating the conversation.

Let's Practice!

Now, we're going to put these skills to the test!

Remember to:

  • Look for social cues.
  • Take turns talking.
  • Ask follow-up questions.

This is where you get to try out being a social detective and a great conversation partner!

Transition to the worksheet and activity. Reiterate the key learning points.

You've Got This!

Today, you learned about:

  • Social Awareness: Understanding others around you.
  • Reciprocal Conversation: Having balanced, engaging chats.

Keep practicing these skills every day!

How will you use what you learned today?

Encourage students to use these skills in their daily lives. Offer positive reinforcement.

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Worksheet

Social Cues & Conversation Practice

Name: _________________________
Date: _________________________

Part 1: What Do You See? (Understanding Social Cues)

Read each situation. Circle the social cues you notice and write what you think they mean.

  1. Situation: Your friend is sitting alone at lunch, looking down at their plate. Their shoulders are a little slumped.

    • What facial expression might they have?


    • What does their body language (slumped shoulders) tell you?


    • What do you think your friend might be feeling?





  2. Situation: Your teacher is explaining a new project. They are speaking quickly and their voice sounds a little louder than usual. They are also moving their hands a lot.

    • What does their tone of voice (quick, loud) tell you?


    • What might their hand movements mean?


    • How do you think your teacher might be feeling about the project?





Part 2: Keeping the Conversation Going! (Reciprocal Conversation)

Read each statement. Write a follow-up question or a connected thought to keep the conversation going.

  1. Friend says: "I got a new video game yesterday! It's super fun."

    • Your response (question):


    • Your response (connected thought):





  2. Classmate says: "I had a really busy weekend. I helped my aunt with her garden."

    • Your response (question):


    • Your response (connected thought):





  3. Teacher says: "Remember, the school play is next month!"

    • Your response (question):


    • Your response (connected thought):





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Discussion

Reciprocal Conversation Discussion Prompts

Instructions for Teachers: Print and cut out these cards. Distribute them among small groups of students for discussion or use them as whole-class prompts.

Prompt Card 1

Describe a time you might have misunderstood someone because you didn't notice their facial expression or body language. What happened?







Prompt Card 2

What is one simple thing you can do to show someone you are actively listening to them, even if you don't say anything right away?







Prompt Card 3

Why is it important to ask follow-up questions in a conversation? What does it tell the other person?







Prompt Card 4

How does it feel when you are trying to talk to someone, but they only talk about themselves and don't ask you any questions?







Prompt Card 5

Share one strategy you can use to help keep a conversation balanced, where both people get a chance to talk.







Prompt Card 6

What would you do if you notice someone seems uncomfortable or bored during a conversation you are having with them? What social cues would you look for?







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Activity

Reciprocal Conversation Activity: Let's Talk!

Goal: To practice using social cues and having balanced conversations.

Instructions for Students:

  1. Get into groups: Work with a partner or a small group (2-3 people).
  2. Choose a scenario: Pick one of the scenarios below (or use one of the Discussion Prompt Cards if your teacher provides them).
  3. Role-Play: One person starts the conversation based on the scenario. The other person(s) must:
    • Listen actively: Really pay attention to what the speaker is saying.
    • Look for social cues: Notice their facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
    • Take turns: Make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.
    • Ask follow-up questions: Show you are interested and keep the conversation going.
    • Share connected thoughts: Add something relevant to what was just said.
  4. Switch roles: After a few minutes, switch who is leading the conversation or move to a new scenario.
  5. Reflect: After each role-play, discuss with your group:
    • What social cues did you notice?
    • Did the conversation feel balanced? Why or why not?
    • What was easy? What was challenging?
    • What could you do differently next time?

Conversation Scenarios:

Scenario 1: Weekend Plans

  • Person A: "I'm really excited for this weekend! I'm going to watch a new movie that just came out."
  • Person B: Respond by asking a question or sharing a connected thought about movies or weekend plans.

Scenario 2: Favorite Hobbies

  • Person A: "I love to draw in my free time. It helps me relax."
  • Person B: Respond by asking a question or sharing a connected thought about drawing or other hobbies.

Scenario 3: School Project

  • Person A: "This history project is really tough. I'm having trouble finding good sources."
  • Person B: Respond by asking a question or sharing a connected thought about the project or getting help.

Scenario 4: Future Dreams

  • Person A: "I've been thinking about what I want to do after high school. Maybe go to a trade school."
  • Person B: Respond by asking a question or sharing a connected thought about future plans or different types of schools.
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