Conversation Start Ups

Conversation Start-Ups uses an interactive game-board format to introduce students to social language by focusing on the development of conversation skills. The game board features 30 icons that represent familiar topics, such as school, family, and hobbies, to help students begin and continue conversations. Players share personal experiences, feelings, opinions, and information. The other participants respond by asking pertinent questions and making comments.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
The basics of conversation are stressed in this game as players respond appropriately to a topic by asking a question or making a comment. There are no right or wrong answers since the focus is on building oral-language skills. Cues, prompts, and sample dialogues are included in the Teacher's Guide to help elicit responses and ensure a positive experience for each student. Every student has an opportunity to participate during each turn, which helps maintain player focus and interest.

THREE LEVELS OF PLAY
Students have the opportunity to practice conversation skills using three levels of questions. The Level One questions begin with 'Who,' 'What,' 'Where,' and 'When.' The Level Two questions are slightly more difficult and begin with 'Why' and 'How.' Level Three promotes higher-level thinking with language-expansion questions such as 'How is it like...?' and 'How is it different from...?' The three levels of questions make it easy for teachers to adjust the game for students of varying ability levels.

CONVERSATION TOPICS
Game features 30 everyday, universal topics, making the game appropriate for students of all ages and ability levels. The topics will encourage students to share opinions and relate personal experiences. Topic examples include 'Your favorite book' and 'Your favorite food to eat.'

FULL-COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS
Colorful icons represent the 30 topics displayed on the board. These illustrations allow students with limited or no reading skills to participate.

GAME INCLUDES
A Game Board with 30 illustrations; a Spinner; a Teacher's Guide with suggested questions, extension activities, reproducible study sheets, and an assessment; a Game Die; and 6 Playing Pieces.