Respectful Connections

Overview

Students explore what respectful relationships look like between peers and learn communication skills that support safety, respect, and inclusion. They then practise applying strategies in a structured peer scenario that reflects everyday school interactions.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify strategies to establish respectful, safe relationships with peers.
• Students will explain how communication can promote respect (e.g. tone, active listening, using appropriate language).
• Students will practise using strategies to maintain respectful relationships during common peer situations.
• Students will apply respectful conflict and help-seeking strategies when something goes wrong.

Success criteria

• I can describe what respect looks like in actions, words, and online/offline behaviours.
• I can use communication skills (active listening, calm tone, clear “I” statements) to respond respectfully.
• I can choose a strategy to maintain safety and respect (e.g. pause, seek help, resolve calmly).
• I can explain why my strategy promotes safe and respectful relationships.

Curriculum links

• PHLS-RRL-01 — Students recognise strategies to establish safe and respectful relationships.
• PHLS-RRL-02 — Students recognise and use strategies to maintain safe and respectful relationships.
• PH4-RRL-01 — Students explain and apply strategies for promoting safe and respectful relationships in a range of contexts.
• PDHPE Stage 4 (Year 7–8) focus: building respectful relationships, keeping safe and being respectful online, and applying self-management and interpersonal skills.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook (respect in action). Teacher displays the introduction slides and asks students to quickly decide: “Which interaction is most respectful, and what makes it so?” Students turn-and-talk, then share one respectful behaviour they noticed.

2. 8–18 min · Mini teach: What respectful relationships include. Teacher uses the introduction slides to guide a whole-class discussion on: safety, kindness, fairness, consent/choice, inclusion, and online respect (brief examples, no personal stories). Students complete quick “think” notes: one respectful action and one disrespectful action to contrast.

3. 18–28 min · Communication skills for respect. Teacher moves through the introduction slides teaching 3 skills:

• Active listening (pay attention, reflect back, don’t interrupt)
• Calm, respectful language (tone + word choice)
• “I” statements and asking questions respectfully (“I feel…”, “Can you explain…?”) Students practise with a 30-second prompt in pairs, then swap roles (speaker/listener).

4. 28–42 min · Scenario practice (apply strategies). Teacher explains that respectful relationships include how we respond when tensions happen. Using the introduction slides, teacher assigns each group one short scenario (e.g. team conflict during PE, someone gets left out, a rumour starts in chat, disagreements about sharing equipment). Students work in groups of 3–4:

• Choose 2 respectful communication moves
• Choose 1 strategy to maintain safety and respect (e.g. pause and cool down, use respectful words, include others, seek teacher help)
• Create a 2–3 sentence response they could say.

5. 42–52 min · Share + feedback using criteria. Teacher calls on 3 groups to role-play or read their responses. the introduction slides shows a simple checklist (active listening, respectful tone/language, clear strategy). Students give “glow and grow” feedback to peers: one thing done well and one suggestion.

6. 52–60 min · Exit ticket: choose the best response. Teacher distributes the respectful responses worksheet and students complete it individually: students select the most respectful option and explain why using one communication skill and one relationship strategy. Teacher collects the respectful responses worksheet for quick marking.

Resources

• the introduction slides (hook, key concepts, communication skills, scenarios, feedback checklist, exit prompt)
• the respectful responses worksheet (individual response choices + brief explanations)
• Timer (for pair and group practise)
• Scenario cards or projected prompts (from the deck)
• Student notebooks for quick notes during mini teach
• Teacher pen/markers for modelling “I” statements (if needed)

Assessment

• Formative: observe pair practise for active listening and respectful language during the communication skills segment.
• Formative: check group scenario responses against the success criteria (communication + safety/respect strategy).
• Summative (lightweight): collect the respectful responses worksheet exit ticket to confirm students can explain “why” and not just name behaviours.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters on the respectful responses worksheet (e.g. “I feel…”, “Can you…” “A respectful strategy is…”).
• Support: allow role-play scripts from the deck’s examples; students can read rather than perform if needed.
• Extension: ask an extra question for confident students: “What could you do next time to prevent this from happening again?”
• EAL/SEN: keep scenarios concrete and short; emphasise tone cues and “listen, reflect, respond” steps; allow extra thinking time before speaking.