SHARON’S BLOG
Do your students ever have a hard time knowing what to say to people? Is small talk difficult? Is it easier for them to turn to an electronic device than to a real person?
Join us this week as we explore conversation starters, small talk, and communication.
Great for students in grades 5-12.
To print these prompts, click the Print icon at the bottom of this page.
Conversation Starters Prompts
1. Questions to ask
Do you ever feel tongue-tied when talking with someone you don’t know very well? Do you wish you could think of something to say?
Here’s a list of seven things published by The Ladders that you can ask someone to get the conversational ball rolling:
-What’s the most exotic food you’ve ever tried?
-Which item on your bucket list will be the easiest to tackle? The most difficult?
-Tell me one out-of-the-ordinary thing about your day today.
-What’s your favorite accessory to wear? How many do you own?
-Would you rather explore a new city or relax on the beach when you go on vacation?
-If you could have any superpower, what would you pick?
These are only seven from a list of thirty-nine possibilities that The Ladders posted. Think of at least three more questions to ask someone so you can start a conversation with them.
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2. Small talk
Some people do not like small talk. They feel it is a waste of their time; they’d rather dive right into what to them are the more important topics. Others enjoy the chit-chat.
Answer one of the following questions in at least one paragraph. Use a solid reason for your point or opinion, and include examples.
-How do you feel about small talk? Would you rather skip it, or do you see it as an important way to “warm up” before getting into more serious topics?
-You have a friend who avoids groups of people because he or she never knows what to say. What advice can you give your friend to help him or her conquer the fear?
-What topics do you like to touch on or bring up when you are engaged in small talk or when schmoozing or hanging out with friends?
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3. Let’s talk about me.
People usually like to talk about themselves: their feelings, accomplishments, how their day is going, a funny or frustrating occurrence, and so on. Use a paragraph to answer one of the two questions below:
-How can you draw out a shy person and get them to talk about him or herself? What questions could you ask? Do you think it matters how you feel about the shy person you are talking with?
-When you get the chance to talk about yourself, what do you like to talk about?
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4. I’m right here!
How is talking with someone in person different from communicating electronically: texting, messaging, calling, using Zoom, and so on? Write at least one difference and explain why it is easier or harder to communicate in person.
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5. Huh?
You’ve just been introduced to someone who does not speak your language. How are you going to communicate with him or her?
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6. He’s really good at . . .
When introducing one person to another, it’s a good idea to say something of interest about each person so they have something to talk about. For instance, “Cameron, this is Julia. She just moved here from Hawaii. Julia, this is Cameron. He’s really good at hiking. In fact, he just climbed Mount Hood with his parents.”
Now, each person has something to ask the other one or talk about.
Make a list of six of your friends (or six fictional characters). Then put something of interest next to each name that you could use when introducing them to others.
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Want more fun prompts? Visit our blog, our middle school prompts page, or our high school prompts page.
Yours for more vibrant writing and literature experiences,
