Good Follow-Up Questions: Stay on Their Topic

Seven things a friend might say. The student picks the follow-up question that stays on the friend's topic.

Use with a student — free
Page 1 of 7

Your friend says I went camping this weekend. Which question stays on her topic?

This pass0 correct · 0 cued · 0 incorrect · 0/7
Demo — these marks stay on this screen.Save these marks to a student, free →Sign in

Session summary (SOAP)

Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.

Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.

How to run it

Read the friend's comment aloud as the friend, then let the student choose a question and ask it to you. Answer it, and see if they can ask a second follow-up. Then switch roles so the student shares news and you ask. Over sessions, remove the choices and ask the student to come up with their own question.

Cueing ladder

Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.

  1. Step 1IndependentSet up the situation and wait for the student to respond on their own.Log as correct
  2. Step 2Nonverbal cueUse a look, a gesture or a point to the visual cue card.Log as cued
  3. Step 3Indirect promptAsk 'What could you say now?' or 'What might they be thinking?'Log as cued
  4. Step 4ModelShow what to say or do, then run the moment again so the student can try it.Log as cued

Adjust it

Easier

Use a topic the student loves, and keep a picture of the topic in view as a reminder.

Harder

Use the partner's topic instead of the student's, and stretch the talk to more turns before shifting.

Matching IEP goal

Given a conversation topic, Student will make an on-topic comment or question, or bridge to a new topic with a linking sentence, in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions, given no more than a nonverbal cue.

Send it home through the parent portal →

About this activity

Seven things a friend might share: camping this weekend, a grandma's new puppy, learning the drums, moving house, losing a first tooth. For each one the student chooses a follow-up question that stays on the friend's topic, such as did you sleep in a tent? or what is the puppy's name? Follow-up questions are how a conversation grows past one turn, and how a friend knows you were listening.

What to listen for

Notice whether the student chooses questions about their own interests. That pattern is common and is the reason the off-topic choices are there. Listen for wh-words: what, when, how and did you questions keep a topic going. Notice whether the student can ask a second follow-up without the choices, which shows the skill is becoming theirs.

Carrying it home

At home, after school, take turns sharing one thing from the day and asking one question about it. Model your own follow-up questions with curiosity. When the child shares something, ask a follow-up yourself so they experience how good it feels when someone wants to know more.

What's in this activity

  • Your friend says I went camping this weekend. Which question stays on her topic?
    • Did you sleep in a tent?
    • Do you like pizza?
    • What is your favorite color?
  • Your friend says my grandma got a new puppy. Which question stays on his topic?
    • Where is the gym?
    • What is the puppy's name?
    • Do you have homework?
  • Your friend says I am learning to play the drums. Which question stays on her topic?
    • Is it hard to play?
    • Can I borrow a pencil?
    • Did you watch the game?
  • Your friend says we are moving to a new house. Which question stays on his topic?
    • Do you like math?
    • What is for lunch?
    • When are you moving?
  • Your friend says I lost my first tooth. Which question stays on her topic?
    • Did it hurt?
    • Do you want to play tag?
    • What time is it?
  • Your friend says I finished a really long book. Which question stays on his topic?
    • What was it about?
    • Do you have a dog?
    • Are you going to the park?
  • Your friend says my team won the game. Which question stays on her topic?
    • Do you like snow?
    • Did you score?
    • Can you come over?

Questions

Who is this for?
Students in grades 2 through 5 working on asking questions and keeping a conversation on a partner's topic.
Can I change the items?
Yes. Open it in the Activity Studio, edit or add items and keep the same board, or switch it to another template that fits the content.
Is it free?
Yes. It plays free in the browser with no login. An account adds session data, goal scoring and assignment to a student.

Use this board with your caseload

With a free account, every correct, cued and incorrect mark is saved to the student and scored against their IEP goal, with the data written up for you. Assign it as home practice through the parent portal.

Track progress free

Free for SLPs. No card, no trial clock.