That's LIFE! Social Language

Nancy McConnell and Carolyn LoGiudice

Ages: 11-16
Grades: 6-11

Help adolescents be effective, appropriate communicators in a wide variety of situations with these lessons in Basic Communication, Conversation Skills, Emotions and Self-Esteem, Peer Relationships, and Working with Others. Students learn to use specific social behaviors through direct instruction, role-playing, observation, and discussion. 

The practical training helps them:  

• pick up subtle, nonverbal cues from others
• recognizing and express emotions appropriately
• recognize others' perspectives
• maintain self-control
• interpret messages quickly enough to respond appropriately in conversation
• decrease impulsivity and learn not to interrupt
• use past experiences in order to decide how to deal with current situations
• understand and read others' intentions
• relinquish control in groups
• initiate, maintain, and end conversations well
• predict social consequences of actions or comments
• code switch to match communication style to the situation
• resist peer pressure
• support others
• handle conflicts and disagreements while maintaining friendships

The activities are organized into five units—Basic Communication Skills, Conversation Skills, Emotions and Self-Esteem, Peer Relationships, and Working With Others.  

Each unit includes:

• goals & objectives
• indications a student needs training in the target skill
• student handout to introduce the target skill
• activity guidelines
• vocabulary required for comprehension and expression of the target skills
• student activity sheets (12 to 22 in each unit) for practice of the target skills, discussion, role-playing, and critiques

Extra helps include:

• Assessment checklists for teachers, parents, and students
• Conversation evaluation forms
• Phone conversation evaluation form

175 pages,  8.5" x 11", softcover,  ©1998