Drawing from recent research, this paper focuses on communication games and activities that can be used to teach speaking and listening skills ("referential communication skills"). Following a brief review of the research, the paper offers a set of eight criteria for evaluating curriculum materials intended to teach speaking and listening, and applies these criteria to existing materials that make use of communication activities. The paper then describes activities that have been used in research and that appear to have potential as educational activities: picture choosing, placing in an array, map directions, and model building. Appendixes contain a six-page list of references, suggestions for the development of additional curriculum materials for teaching speaking and listening and a discussion of other evaluation criteria. (FL)