Skip main navigation

How to deliver a STEM activity for young people

What verbal communication, questioning, and listening techniques should you use when delivering a STEM activity?
What verbal communication, questioning, and listening techniques do you want to use when delivering a STEM activity and volunteering with young people? Choose one of the below scenarios, or come up with one yourself, and describe which techniques you would use and why.

Scenario 1

You are working with a group of 4 young people who are doing a project that lasts 4 months. This is your first meeting and you are establishing what they’ve done so far and what they need to do. What verbal communication, questioning, and listening techniques would you use to approach this conversation?

Scenario 2

You are delivering a hands-on activity with 12-13-year-olds at an after-school STEM club. You need to get everyone’s attention. What verbal communication, questioning, and listening techniques could you use to do this?

Scenario 3

You are delivering a hands-on activity with 6-7-year-olds in a village hall for brownies. You need to get everyone’s attention. What verbal communication, questioning, and listening techniques would you use to do this?

Scenario 4

You are doing a ‘guess my job’ careers talk for a class of 15-16 year olds. The young people aren’t asking very many questions about your job and there are awkward silences. How could you give them some help without doing the activity for them? What verbal communication, questioning and listening techniques would you use to do this?

© STEM Learning
This article is from the free online

Volunteering in the Classroom: Communication Skills for STEM Volunteers

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now