Teaching communication to young children can be fun. Here are some activities that develop skills in both listening and speaking that you can incorporate in your usual class repertoire:

Try to do these communication activities early in the morning, when the kids are well-rested and attentive.

Always start with a small group so it would be easier to focus. Simply give a topic to each group and ket them talk about it. Topics can be as simple as “My Favorite Toy.” Moderate each group, making sure that everyone is given a chance to speak, while making sure that the others listen. Ask questions to the rest of th group about what the speaker has just said.

You can also do story telling in class, with the children providing a story. Assign a student to do story telling. It can be true or it can be fiction. Ask the rest of the class questions related to the details of the story.

You can also have them buddy up and let them have a “conversation time” where they can simply chat with their buddy. Make sure that the students end up with a different chat buddy everytime you do this activity.