BABBLE DAY

Did you know that today is Babble Day? What will they think of next? It might be a good day to talk about what the word "babble" means. How many synonyms can you think of for the word "babble"?

I'm going to get on my soap box about the importance of babbling/talking/oral communication. Download the free app called "dragon." Or, just hit the microphone the next time you want to send a text or email and you'll have an "ah ha" moment! The children in your classroom will probably all have voice activated computers in the near future. They need to be able to organize their thoughts and express themselves clearly for the message to appear accurately on the screen. Like anything else, if we want children to be able to communicate orally, we have to provide them with opportunities to talk, talk, talk.


Babble Breaks
Plan several three minute "babble breaks" where children can talk to their friends today. You could give them a topic to discuss that relates to a unit of study, let them tell jokes, or just chit chat.

Traffic Light
Traffic light colors are a visual way to help children regulate the volume in the classroom. Hold up a green circle when they are free to talk. Yellow means they are a little loud and to turn it down. Red means "stop" talking and focus on the teacher.

Quiet Friends
When I taught I had a lunch box with some little toy figures in it. Before we had sharing time I would explain that my quiet friends wanted to visit our class, but they had teeny tiny little ears. Could everyone remember to use a quiet voice so they wouldn't hurt their ears? I know you think this sounds stupid, but it worked. If a friend got too loud I could count on one of the students to go, "Shhh! Remember the quiet friends." The quiet friends went back in the lunchbox until the next time we had a class discussion.
                               
Whisper Wednesday
If you let your students babble today, why not make tomorrow Whisper Wednesday? Make a sign for your door that explains you will whisper all day long. Whisper read, whisper sing, whisper directions...you might find it such a soothing interlude that you will make every Wednesday WHISPER day!