Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Thousands of Teacher-reviewed Resources!

Communicate with Confidence

In honor of Effective Communication Month this June, we've gathered a collection of resources to help students sharpen the skills they'll rely on for life—from writing and public speaking to active listening and collaboration. These podcast makers, video tools, writing activities, and other resources offer engaging ways to explore how we express ideas, connect with others, and communicate with clarity and confidence. Use these tools to spark classroom discussions or to reflect on your own communication style as an educator.

Grades K-12

Relationships & Communication

This collection of lessons helps students build healthy communication skills in digital spaces. Its age-appropriate interactives cover clear expression, boundary setting, conflict resolution, and fostering positive online communities.

Grades 1-12

Spotify for Podcasters

Spotify for Podcasters allows students to record, edit, and distribute podcasts. Students can use it to practice public speaking, interviewing, and storytelling—building confidence in verbal communication while sharing their voices with a real audience.

Grades K-12

TeachersFirst - Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision (Habit of the Mind) Resources

Explore videos, lesson plans, interactive vocabulary activities, graphic organizers, reflection journals, and debate platforms that help students build sharper thinking and move beyond vague language toward thoughtful, precise expression.

Grades 5-12

Soft Skills Development Game

Customize this free Genially template to create an interactive game focused on teamwork and effective communication. Use it to build soft skills through engaging, animated activities that students can complete individually or in groups.

Grades 2-12

Kialo Edu

Kialo Edu is a free platform for structured, collaborative debate. Students map arguments visually and explore multiple perspectives on an issue, which builds critical thinking, clear reasoning, and the ability to communicate viewpoints with precision.

Grades K-12

The Open Canopy

The Open Canopy is a free Harvard Project Zero program inspired by a global walking journey. Students share observations and stories with peers worldwide, building reflective writing, careful listening, and cross-cultural communication skills.

Grades 6-12

Thinkalong

Improve and build students' critical thinking, debate, and media literacy skills. Students can use this site to investigate, contemplate, and debate current issues, helping them practice forming informed opinions and engaging in respectful civil discourse

Grades K-12

Adobe Express Video Maker

Discover a tool that allows students to easily create polished videos with templates, text, music, and effects. It's a powerful tool for visual storytelling, presentations, sharing ideas, and helping students communicate messages clearly and creatively.

Grades K-12

Short Answer

Discover a gamified K-12 writing platform that embeds quick social writing activities into any subject. Students build clear written communication skills through peer feedback from an authentic audience, making writing practice engaging and collaborative.

Grades K-12

Mootion

Mootion's AI-powered Storyteller turns ideas into animated visual stories. Students can use it to develop narrative and storytelling skills and to creatively communicate ideas through video and animation rather than text alone.

This Week at TeachersFirst

Our summer virtual workshops are open for registration—save your spot today! We're also sharing a blog post you won't want to miss. If you’re attending ISTELive 26, be sure to read about our sessions. Finally, explore a paid opportunity to join our team as a part-time contributor.