Helpful Words, Strong Teams

Curriculum links

• Perform a range of roles respectfully to achieve successful outcomes in group or team activities.
• Select, use and refine personal and social skills to establish, manage and strengthen relationships.
• Practise cooperative skills, offer encouragement and consider how others might feel in challenging situations.

Overview

Students build rapport across Year 3 and Year 4 by practising a simple, respectful problem-solving script for common playground and classroom disagreements. The teacher explicitly models the language and behaviour, then students role-play in mixed-year teams while rotating through speaker, listener and observer roles.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• use respectful words and body language during a disagreement
• listen carefully and show that they understand another person’s perspective
• practise solving a peer problem using a clear language structure
• contribute positively by encouraging others and sharing team responsibilities

Success criteria

• I can say, “I notice…, I feel…, Could we…?” calmly and respectfully.
• I can listen without interrupting and repeat the important idea I heard.
• I can suggest a fair solution that considers both people.
• I can encourage my teammates and complete my assigned role.

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and connection. Teacher displays the learning intention using the welcome and learning intention slide, welcomes students by name and pairs Year 3 and Year 4 students where possible. Students sit in a small circle, share one activity they enjoy at school and practise saying their partner’s name.

2. 5–10 min · Teach the problem-solving script. Teacher shows the three-part problem-solving script and introduces: “I notice…” to describe what happened without blame; “I feel…” to name an emotion; and “Could we…?” to suggest a fair next step. Model a short conflict, such as two students wanting the same ball, first using unhelpful behaviour and then using a calm voice, open posture, listening and turn-taking. Students identify which model would help the relationship and rehearse the three sentence starters with a partner.

3. 10–15 min · Guided listening practice. Teacher models reflective listening: “I heard you say that you felt left out because the game had already started. Have I got that right?” Display the listening and encouraging words slide and provide sentence starters. Students practise in pairs with a low-stakes prompt, such as choosing between two games, while their partner listens, repeats the main idea and says one encouraging comment.

4. 15–28 min · Rotating role-plays. Teacher forms one mixed-year pair and one mixed-year trio. Give each team the conflict resolution role-play cards and explain that scenarios are acted safely, with no grabbing, shouting or personal insults. In each round, students take the roles of speaker, listener and observer; in the pair, the teacher or a student uses the observer role and then roles rotate. Students act out a scenario, use the script to negotiate a solution, and receive one specific positive comment from the observer. Pause briefly between rounds to clarify language or model again if needed.

5. 28–34 min · Team problem-solving challenge. Teacher presents a final scenario on the team challenge slide, such as deciding how to include a new student when equipment or space is limited. Students jointly decide on a solution, ensuring every person contributes an idea. The observer records or reports evidence of calm words, listening, encouragement and fair decision-making on the teamwork reflection sheet.

6. 34–39 min · Helpful words card. Teacher asks each team to create a short “Helpful Words” card with three or four phrases they can use during a disagreement, such as “Can we take turns?”, “I understand your idea”, “Let’s find a fair choice” and “How can we include everyone?” Students write or draw their phrases on the worksheet section, rehearse them together and prepare one student to share the card.

7. 39–40 min · Share and exit check. Teacher invites each team to read its card, celebrates specific examples of cooperation and returns to the reflection and exit prompt slide. Each student completes the oral or written prompt: “One helpful phrase I will use is… because…”.

Resources

• the positive peer interactions slide deck
• the teamwork reflection sheet
• the conflict resolution role-play cards
• Whiteboard or display
• Pencils, coloured pencils and paper/card
• Timer
• Clear floor or table space for role-play
• Visual first–then schedule or lesson sequence
• Optional quiet workspace or headphones

Assessment

• Observe whether students use the three-part script, listen without interrupting, and suggest a solution that considers both perspectives.
• Use the observer role and the teamwork reflection sheet to collect evidence of encouragement, respectful body language and participation in assigned roles.
• Use the final phrase share as an exit check; note students who need further modelling or supported practice.

Differentiation

• Provide the script visually and orally, with one sentence starter at a time. Accept pointing, drawing, reading from the card or rehearsing with the teacher before speaking.
• Use predictable, low-variance routines: show the step, model it, practise it, then repeat with a new scenario. Give clear role badges or say each student’s role before every round.
• For students with ADHD, keep rounds brief, use a visible timer and offer a purposeful movement job such as distributing cards or holding the timer.
• For autistic students or students who find role-play uncomfortable, allow observer, narrator or puppet-based participation, preview scenarios, avoid forced eye contact and provide a quiet reset space.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain why their solution is fair, include a third person in the solution, or respectfully negotiate when teammates suggest different ideas.