Supportive Conversations

Overview

Lesson 7 of 10 in Managing Stress and Seeking Help. Students practise a predictable communication routine for supporting a peer: listen, acknowledge, ask, suggest a coping strategy, and connect the person with a trusted adult. Activities use explicit modelling, guided practice and short role-plays suitable for three students.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify features of a supportive conversation
• use active listening and respectful, calm language
• suggest a suitable coping strategy without taking over
• recognise when and how to seek adult help

Success criteria

• I can listen without interrupting and show I am paying attention.
• I can use kind words to acknowledge someone’s feelings.
• I can ask a helpful question and suggest one coping strategy.
• I can explain when a trusted adult should be involved.

Curriculum links

• Communicating and interacting for health and wellbeing
• Strategies for seeking, giving and denying consent and support
• Identifying emotions, responding respectfully and building positive relationships
• Making healthy and safe choices in everyday situations

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Calm start and learning goal Welcome students at the same seating position and display the lesson goal in the learning goal and visual routine. Briefly explain: “Today we are learning how to support someone, not solve every problem for them.” Review the predictable success routine: eyes or body oriented towards the speaker, quiet hands, listen, respond.

2. 5–12 minutes – Teacher model: the support routine Show the five-step routine in the supportive conversation routine:

3. Listen.

4. Acknowledge: “That sounds hard.”

5. Ask: “Do you want to tell me more?”

6. Suggest: “Would you like to try…?”

7. Connect: “Let’s talk to a trusted adult.” Model one ineffective conversation, then a helpful version. Ask students to identify what changed. Emphasise that students should not promise secrecy when someone may be unsafe.

8. 12–18 minutes – Sort and discuss coping choices Display the Coping Strategies Reference Poster. Read several strategies aloud and invite each student to choose one that could help in a mild-stress situation. Use the coping strategy discussion prompt and ask: “How could we suggest this without giving an order?” Rehearse sentence stems such as “You could try…” and “Would it help if…?”

9. 18–28 minutes – Guided communication practice Distribute the supportive conversation practice sheet. Read each short scenario aloud, allowing processing time. For each one, students identify the feeling or problem, select a helpful response, and practise one sentence using the routine. The teacher prompts in the same order each time: “What did you hear? How might they feel? What could you ask? Who could help?”

10. 28–39 minutes – Role-play stations Set up three clearly marked roles: speaker, supporter and observer. Use the Coping Strategies Scenario Cards for age-appropriate situations. Complete three short rounds of about three minutes, rotating roles so each student practises every position. The supporter uses the five-step routine; the observer gives one specific positive comment and one suggestion using the role-play instructions and feedback prompt. Students may pass, use a puppet or read from the worksheet if role-play feels uncomfortable.

11. 39–43 minutes – Safety and help-seeking check Present the question on the trusted adult decision prompt: “When should we get an adult?” Guide students to identify situations involving danger, ongoing worry, bullying, injury, secrets about safety or feelings that are too big to manage alone. Practise the statement: “I need help. My friend is feeling unsafe/upset, and I think we should tell [trusted adult].”

12. 43–45 minutes – Review and exit response Return to the final review slide. Each student completes the final reflection on the supportive conversation practice sheet by finishing: “A helpful supporter…” and “I can ask a trusted adult when…”. Invite students to share one response, or provide it privately to the teacher.

Resources

• the Effective Communication for Support slide deck
• the supportive conversation practice sheet
• the Coping Strategies Reference Poster
• the Coping Strategies Scenario Cards
• Three role cards: speaker, supporter and observer
• Timer or visual countdown
• Pencils and a calm, low-distraction workspace
• Optional fidget tools or visual communication supports

Assessment

• Observe each student using at least three parts of the support routine during guided practice and role-play.
• Use the worksheet and student responses to assess whether students can identify a helpful coping suggestion and an appropriate trusted adult.
• Record whether each student listens, acknowledges feelings, asks a question and avoids promising secrecy.

Differentiation

• Provide the five-step routine, sentence stems and role cards visibly throughout the lesson. Accept spoken, written, pointed-to or AAC-supported responses.
• For ADHD, keep rounds brief, use a visual timer, assign an active observer role and provide movement between rounds.
• For autistic students, preview the role-play, avoid requiring eye contact, allow scripts or rehearsal with the teacher, and offer a pass or non-personal scenario.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain why a coping strategy fits the situation and how they would include a trusted adult respectfully.