Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community:
Emerging Literacy: Linking Social Competence to Learning
Module 2

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From Cooing to Talking: Partners in Conversation

Handout 12: Practicing the Conversation Game

Instructions: Choose a child to engage in conversations during routines, play times, and activities throughout the next week. You may want to focus on a child who has a language delay or disorder or one who is learning a second language. Record what happens on the following form. Make as many copies as needed to record your conversations with this child.

Child:____________________________________

Age:______________________

Why did you choose this child?

Setting (time, place, other children, and/or adults present):

1. Who started the conversation? What did you or the child do or say?

   
   

   
   

2. What happened next?

   
   

   
   

3. What was the verbal and/or nonverbal response? (Repeat items 2 and 3 as often as needed to complete your description of the conversation.)

   
   

   
   

4. How did the conversation end?

   
   

   
   

5. What did you learn about the child during this conversation?

   
   

   
   

6. What conversational skills did the child use?

   ____Looked at the speaker
   ____Listened to the speaker
   ____Took his or her turn at the appropriate time
   ____Let the other person take a turn
   ____Continued the conversation by taking more turns (nonverbal or verbal)
   ____Started or joined a conversation
   ____Waited until the speaker was finished before responding
   ____Added information related to what the previous speaker said
   ____Asked questions to clarify what the speaker said
   ____Stuck to the topic being discussed
   ____Took a short turn so someone else could speak
   ____Let the other speaker(s) know when he or she was leaving the conversation

7. What information did you share with the child's family?

   
   

   
   

8. How will you use what you learned about the child?

   
   

   
   

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