George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

Communication Skills

Prepare students for academic and life success by helping them develop their listening, speaking, writing, and digital media skills.

  • Student Voice

    60-Second Strategy: Participation Cards

    A quick formative assessment tool also encourages all students—even shy ones—to participate in discussions.
  • Communication Skills

    Teaching Communication Skills

    A framework for exploring with students what good communication looks like and for helping them develop the necessary skills.
  • Communication Skills

    Teaching Students to Disagree Productively

    Teachers can scaffold discussions from the early grades on in ways that show students how to respectfully share dissenting opinions.
  • Teaching Strategies

    How Learning Happens

    In this video series, we explore how educators can guide all students, regardless of their developmental starting points, to become productive and engaged learners.
  • Communication Skills

    Scaffolding Discussion Skills With a Socratic Circle

    Students deepen their understanding and build a sense of community by engaging with their peers’ reasoned arguments.
  • Classroom Management

    60-Second Strategy: Equity Sticks

    Looking for a simple way to ensure all voices are heard in your classroom? Try equity sticks.
  • Social and Emotional Learning

    Morning Meetings: Building Community in the Classroom

    Starting the day with this 15-minute activity helps students regulate their emotions and focus on the day’s learning.
  • Communication Skills

    Encouraging Academic Conversations With Talk Moves

    Sentence starters that students use to join a class discussion encourage both academic thinking and social connectedness.
  • Literacy

    60-Second Strategy: 7-Minute Writes

    Looking for a simple way to get your students writing? Try a low-stakes timed exercise.
  • Critical Thinking

    Talking Politics: Valuing Different Perspectives

    Students learn how to share and listen to opposing beliefs with empathy.
  • Formative Assessment

    6 Hand Signals That Bring Learning to Life

    Nonverbals are gestural cues that can help students quickly and respectfully communicate their reactions, needs, and levels of understanding in a fast-paced classroom.
  • Trading Places

    Birmingham Covington: Building a Student-Centered School

    Educators take on the role of guides and motivate students to direct their own learning.
  • Communication Skills

    A Strategy for Effective Student Collaboration

    A well-known protocol can help student teams reflect intentionally on their work—a necessity for improvement and learning.
  • Communication Skills

    Talking in Class

    Strategies for developing confident speakers who can share their thoughts and learning.
  • Communication Skills

    60-Second Strategy: Fishbowl Discussion

    A discussion technique based on peer feedback helps students delve into complex texts and develop communication skills.