Whose Turn to Talk? Conversation Turns
Seven moments in a conversation or game. The student works out whose turn it is.
Mia asks you what you ate for breakfast. Whose turn is it to talk?
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 each moment aloud and act it out with the student so the turn is felt, not only described. A talking object passed back and forth helps younger students see turns. After choosing, practice the moment: ask the student a question and let them answer, then wait for them to ask one back. Praise the handing back of a turn as much as the answer.
Cueing ladder
Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.
- IndependentSet up the situation and wait for the student to respond on their own.Log as correct
- Nonverbal cueUse a look, a gesture or a point to the visual cue card.Log as cued
- Indirect promptAsk 'What could you say now?' or 'What might they be thinking?'Log as cued
- ModelShow what to say or do, then run the moment again so the student can try it.Log as cued
Adjust it
Pass a talking object back and forth so each turn is something the student can see and hold.
Practice with a peer instead of an adult, or in a game with three or more players.
Matching IEP goal
During structured conversation or play, Student will take a turn and hand it back, for example by asking a question in return, 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 moments where turns matter: a friend asks you a question, you finish your own story, a friend is mid-story, a board game, the teacher talking, a friend who stops and looks at you, two people starting to talk at once. The student works out whose turn it is and what they could do. Conversation and games share the same back-and-forth.
What to listen for
Notice whether the student hands the turn back after talking. Many students answer well but do not ask in return. Listen for how the student handles interruptions; you go first is a gentle tool worth practising. A student who talks over others may be excited or worried they will forget their idea, and a quick note or picture can hold the thought.
Carrying it home
At home, play simple turn games: take turns adding a line to a story or a block to a tower. At dinner, practice asking and what about you? When two people talk at once, model you go first. Keep it fun; turn-taking grows fastest in real games with people the child enjoys.
What's in this activity
- Mia asks you what you ate for breakfast. Whose turn is it to talk?
- Yours
- Mia's
- Nobody's
- You just finished telling your friend about your weekend. What could you do to give him a turn?
- Ask him what he did
- Start another story
- Walk away
- Your friend is in the middle of a story. What could you do?
- Talk at the same time
- Listen and wait for a pause
- Change the topic
- In a board game Ana just moved her piece. Who goes next?
- Ana again
- The next player
- Everyone at once
- You want to say something but the teacher is talking. What could you do?
- Raise your hand or wait until she stops
- Say it louder
- Leave the room
- Your friend stops talking and looks at you. What might that mean?
- It is your turn to say something
- She is angry
- She is done being friends
- Two friends start talking at the same time. What could one of them say?
- You go first
- Be quiet
- I always go first
Questions
- Who is this for?
- Children in kindergarten through third grade learning conversational turn-taking, including students who talk over others or answer without asking back.
- 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 freeFree for SLPs. No card, no trial clock.