Topical Talk skills

Topical Talk discussions build the essential skills to engage with the world.
Use our assessment tracker to measure the progress your students make or find out more about the skills they will practice in each lesson.

Topical Talk lessons support students to develop the four critical-thinking and communication skills from the Skills Builder Universal Framework: problem-solving, creativity, speaking and listening. These skills are essential for success at school and beyond and are supported by over ten years of evidence-backed research.

In Topical Talk resources you'll find activities that help students practice their speaking, listening, problem-solving and creativity, as well as opportunities to reflect on their progress.

The skills break down into 16 steps, which are grouped into four stages. Each lesson focuses on one of these stages: getting started, intermediate, advanced and mastery. Read more below.

Listening

GETTING STARTED

Listening to others

  • Step 0: I listen to others without interrupting
  • Step 1: I listen to others and remember short instructions
  • Step 2: I listen to others and can ask questions if I don't understand
  • Step 3: I listen to others and can tell someone what it was about
  • Step 4: I listen to others and can tell why they are communicating with me
  • Step 5: I listen to others and record important information as I do
  • INTERMEDIATE

    Demonstrating listening

    • Step 6: I show I am listening by how I use eye contact and body language
    • Step 7: I show I am listening by using open questions to deepen my understanding
    • Step 8: I show I am listening by summarising or rephrasing what I have heard
  • ADVANCED

    Recognising influence

    • Step 9: I am aware how a speaker is influencing me through their tone
    • Step 10: I am aware of how a speaker is influencing me through their language
  • MASTERY

    Listen critically

    • Step 11: I listen critically and compare different perspectives
    • Step 12: I listen critically and think about where differences in perspectives come from
    • Step 13: I listen critically and identify potential bias in different perspectives
    • Step 14: I listen critically and use questioning to evaluate different perspectives
    • Step 15: I listen critically and look beyond the way speakers speak or act to objectively evaluate different perspectives

Speaking

GETTING STARTED

Speaking clearly and effectively

  • Step 0: I speak clearly to someone I know
  • Step 1: I speak clearly in small groups of people I know
  • Step 2: I speak clearly to individuals and small groups I do not know
  • Step 3: I speak effectively by making points in a logical order
  • Step 4: I speak effectively by thinking about what my listeners already know
  • Step 5: I speak effectively by using appropriate language
  • Step 6: I speak effectively by using appropriate tone, expression and gesture
  • INTERMEDIATE

    Speaking engagingly

    • Step 7: I speak engagingly by using facts and examples to support my points
    • Step 8: I speak engagingly by using visual aids to support my points
    • Step 9: I speak engagingly by using tone, expression and gesture to engage listeners
  • ADVANCED

    Speaking adaptively

    • Step 10: I speak adaptively by changing my language, tone and expression depending on the response of listeners
    • Step 11: I speak adaptively by planning for different possible responses of listeners
    • Step 12: I speak adaptively by changing my content depending on the response of listeners

  • MASTERY

    Speak influentially

    • Step 13: I speak influentially by changing the structure of my points to best persuade the listener
    • Step 14: I speak influentially by changing examples and facts I use to best persuade the listener
    • Step 15: I speak influentially by articulating a compelling vision that persuades the listener

Problem-solving

GETTING STARTED

Completing tasks

  • Step 0: I complete tasks by following instructions
  • Step 1: I complete tasks by finding someone to help if I need them
  • Step 2: I complete tasks by explaining problems to someone to get their advice
  • Step 3: I complete tasks by finding information I need myself
  • INTERMEDIATE

    Exploring problems

    • Step 4: I explore problems by creating different possible solutions
    • Step 5: I explore problems by thinking about the pros and cons of possible solutions
    • Step 6: I explore complex problems by identifying when there are no simple technical solutions
    • Step 7: I explore complex problems by building my understanding through research
    • Step 8: I explore complex problems by analysing the causes and effects
  • ADVANCED

    Analysing complex problems and solutions

    • Step 9: I create solutions for complex problems by generating a range of options
    • Step 10: I create solutions for complex problems by evaluating the positive and negative effects of a range of options
    • Step 11: I analyse complex problems using logical reasoning
    • Step 12: I analyse complex problems by creating and testing hypotheses
  • MASTERY

    Implementing strategic plans

    • Step 13: I implement strategic plans to solve complex problems
    • Step 14: I implement strategic plans to solve complex problems and assess their success
    • Step 15: I implement strategic plans to solve complex problems and draw out learning to refine those plans over time

Creativity

GETTING STARTED

Imagining and generating ideas

  • Step 0: I imagine different situations
  • Step 1: I imagine different situations and can say what I imagine
  • Step 2: I imagine different situations and can bring them to life in different ways
  • Step 3: I generate ideas when I’ve been given a clear brief
  • Step 4: I generate ideas to improve something
  • Step 5: I generate ideas by combining different concepts
  • INTERMEDIATE

    Using creativity and developing ideas

    • Step 6: I use creativity in the context of work
    • Step 7: I use creativity in the context of my wider life
    • Step 8: I develop ideas by using mind mapping
    • Step 9: I develop ideas by asking myself questions
    • Step 10: I develop ideas by considering different perspectives
  • ADVANCED

    Innovating effectively

    • Step 11: I innovate effectively when working in a group
    • Step 12: I innovate effectively by seeking out varied experiences and stimuli
  • MASTERY

    Supporting others to innovate

    • Step 13: I support others to innovate by sharing a range of tools
    • Step 14: I support others to innovate by evaluating the right creative tools for different situations
    • Step 15: I support others to innovate by coaching them to be more creative

How to measure progress

Topical Talk students make up to 7x the progress of their peers when they take part in regular lessons for at least six weeks, compared to those who have no skills interventions.

To measure the progress of your class, simply use our Skills assessment tracker at the start and end of a series of Topical Talk lessons (we suggest a minimum of six).

Skills assessment tracker

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