Developing Communication Skills

Lesson 7: Building Respectful Relationships

Year Level: 10

Duration: 45 minutes

Class Size: 30 students

Learning Area: PDHPE (Personal Development, Health and Physical Education)

---

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Develop interpersonal communication skills focusing on active listening and effective communication.
• Collaborate and practice respectful communication through realistic role-play activities.
• Reflect on communication experiences to foster respectful relationships.

---

NSW Curriculum Links

Stage 5 PDHPE outcomes (7-10) relevant to this lesson:

P1.5 — Demonstrate strategies to recognise and promote respectful relationships and challenge discrimination and harassment.
P2.5 — Apply interpersonal skills to establish and maintain respectful and positive relationships.
P3.5 — Understand the elements of effective communication including active listening and non-verbal cues within relationships.
P5.5 — Develop and reflect on personal and social skills to promote positive mental health and well-being.

Source: NSW PDHPE Syllabus (Building Respectful Relationships focus)
These outcomes ensure students embed respectful communication and interpersonal skills critical for healthy relationships and wellbeing.

---

Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Explain what active listening is and why it is important for communication.
• Demonstrate active listening skills during peer role-play scenarios.
• Identify effective communication strategies including body language, tone, and feedback.
• Reflect on interpersonal communication experiences and evaluate their own listening skills.

---

Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction and WALT (5 minutes)

• Teacher outlines the learning intention using WALT:
  “We are learning to develop effective communication skills by practising active listening and respectful interactions.”
• Briefly recap previous lessons in "Building Respectful Relationships" to connect learning.
• Establish classroom expectations for respectful and supportive communication during activities.

2. Mini-Lesson: Active Listening and Communication Skills (10 minutes)

• Explain key aspects of effective communication:
  • Active listening — focusing fully on speaker, showing understanding through verbal and non-verbal signals.
  • Non-verbal cues — facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures.
  • Giving and receiving feedback appropriately.
• Show short teacher demonstration or video example (if available) illustrating poor vs. effective listening in a respectful conversation.
• Highlight common barriers to communication and strategies to overcome these (e.g., distractions, assumptions).

3. Collaborative Activity: Role-Playing Communication Scenarios (20 minutes)

• Divide class into pairs or groups of three (ensure mixed abilities for peer support).
• Provide each group with specific scenarios related to respectful relationships (e.g., resolving a disagreement, offering support to a friend, clarifying a misunderstanding).
• Students take turns practising active listening and communication while role-playing these scenarios.
• Teacher circulates, observes, offers tailored feedback, and prompts reflection on communication skills demonstrated.

Differentiation:

• For students needing extra support — provide simple role cards with sentence starters and example prompts.
• For advanced learners — encourage the use of more complex communication strategies such as paraphrasing, summarising, and open-ended questioning to deepen the communication.

4. Whole-Class Reflection and Discussion (7 minutes)

• Lead a debrief discussion using these guiding questions:
  • What communication strategies did you find most effective?
  • How did active listening change your understanding of the scenario?
  • What non-verbal cues helped you feel heard and respected?
  • How can these skills help in real-life relationships?
• Invite volunteers to share reflections about what was challenging or rewarding.

5. Homework Explanation (3 minutes)

• Students are tasked to:
  "Practice active listening with a family member. Write a short paragraph describing the experience, what you learnt about listening, and how it affected your interaction."
• Encourage them to be mindful of body language, tone, and patience.
• Homework connects classroom learning to home environment, reinforcing interpersonal skill development.

---

Assessment Opportunities

• Informal observation during role-play activities using a checklist of active listening behaviours (eye contact, paraphrasing, feedback).
• Evaluate homework reflections to assess understanding and personal application of communication skills.

---

Extension Activities

• Students advanced in communication skills could create their own scenarios to challenge classmates or design "communication tip" posters to share with the school community.
• Explore the impact of digital communication on respect and active listening in online settings.

---

Additional Notes for Teachers

• Establish a safe, non-judgemental atmosphere for role-plays — emphasise learning from mistakes and supportive peer feedback.
• Encourage cultural sensitivity when discussing communication styles and respect for diverse backgrounds.
• Adapt scenarios to reflect relevant contemporary issues (e.g., social media conflicts, peer pressure).

---

This lesson actively develops students’ interpersonal skills through experiential learning consistent with the NSW PDHPE syllabus focus on respectful relationships and effective communication. It balances clear teaching input, hands-on practice, and personal reflection, with differentiation and extension to meet the needs of all learners.

Such a lesson not only meets curriculum standards but equips students with lifelong skills for relationships within and beyond school.

If you would like, I can also provide a printed student worksheet or teacher checklist to accompany this plan.