Turning Criticism Into Support

Overview

This is lesson 3 of 10 in Building Resilience Together. Students explore how reprimanding behaviours—such as harsh criticism, shaming, threatening or repeatedly blaming someone—can affect friendships, confidence and willingness to seek help. They practise identifying these behaviours and role-play respectful alternatives.

Use fictional scenarios only. Remind students they do not need to share personal experiences; any concern about safety or harm should be taken to a trusted adult.

Learning intentions

• WALT explore how reprimanding behaviours affect friendships.
• Students will identify behaviours that may damage trust, confidence and wellbeing.
• Students will practise responding to difficult interactions using respectful, supportive language.
• Students will organise and perform a short paired role-play.

Success criteria

• I can identify a reprimanding behaviour in a scenario.
• I can explain one possible effect on a friendship or a person’s wellbeing.
• I can role-play a respectful response or supportive alternative.
• I can suggest when a trusted adult or support service may be needed.

Curriculum links

• Protective behaviours and evaluating community resources to seek help for themselves and others.
• Planning and implementing strategies using health resources to enhance safety, relationships and wellbeing.
• Engaging in modelled signed and visual exchanges with peers to organise activities and negotiate turn-taking, where Auslan is being used.
• Creating and presenting a short informative or imaginative multimodal text through a role-play, using clear communication and appropriate expression.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook and safety agreement. Open with the hook and learning intention slides and ask, “What might happen to a friendship when one person is constantly told off, blamed or made to feel small?” Students silently consider the question, then offer general ideas; establish the agreements “fictional examples only”, “pass if needed”, “listen respectfully” and “speak to a trusted adult if something feels unsafe”.

2. 4–9 min · Teach and model. Use the behaviour and impact slides to define reprimanding behaviour as repeated harsh criticism, blaming, shaming, threatening or speaking in a way that puts another person down. Model two brief versions of the same situation: “You always ruin everything—don’t bother helping” and “That did not work as planned; let’s work out what to do next.” Students identify which version is reprimanding and describe likely effects such as embarrassment, anger, withdrawal, reduced confidence or loss of trust.

3. 9–13 min · Sort and discuss. Distribute the behaviour-and-impact worksheet. Read the four short fictional examples aloud while students read along, or allow students to read independently. Students label each example “reprimanding”, “respectful feedback” or “need more information”, then match it to a possible impact on the friendship. Check answers together, accepting more than one reasonable explanation when supported by evidence.

4. 13–21 min · Paired role-play preparation. Display the role-play steps and sentence starters. Place students in pairs, with one student able to work with the teacher if preferred. Each pair selects one worksheet scenario and prepares a 30–45 second role-play: first show the unhelpful reprimanding behaviour, freeze, then replay the moment using a supportive response. Encourage sentence starters such as “I felt uncomfortable when…”, “Please speak to me respectfully”, “Let’s solve this together” and “I’m going to ask a trusted adult for help.” Students decide roles and rehearse twice, swapping roles where appropriate.

5. 21–27 min · Perform and identify. Each pair performs for the group. After each performance, the audience identifies the reprimanding behaviour, names one likely effect on the friendship and explains what changed in the supportive version. The teacher gives feedback on accurate identification, respectful language, clear turn-taking and safe help-seeking. Students may present the role-play in Auslan, spoken English, signed and spoken communication, or with written cue cards, according to class needs.

6. 27–30 min · Plenary and exit check. Return to the reflection and plenary slides. Students complete the final section of the personal reflection and exit response: “One reprimanding behaviour is…”, “It might affect a friendship by…” and “A supportive response or help-seeking action is…”. Invite each student to share one key idea or pass. Collect responses to identify students needing clarification or follow-up.

Resources

• the resilience and respectful communication slide deck
• the behaviour-and-impact worksheet
• Board or display screen
• Timer
• Optional written cue cards and pencils
• School wellbeing and trusted-adult information available for private follow-up

Assessment

• During discussion, check whether students can distinguish reprimanding behaviour from respectful feedback and explain a possible impact.
• Observe role-plays for accurate identification, respectful alternatives, turn-taking and appropriate help-seeking language.
• Review the exit responses for understanding of behaviour, impact and support strategy. Follow up privately if a student indicates a current safety concern.

Differentiation

• Support dyslexic learners with the dyslexia-friendly worksheet: clear sans-serif font, generous spacing, short bullet-point instructions, one scenario per section and the option to hear all text read aloud.
• Provide sentence starters, a vocabulary bank with simple definitions, highlighted key words and permission to use cue cards or demonstrate through freeze-frames rather than memorised dialogue.
• Use mixed-ability pairs, allow students to rehearse with the teacher, and offer spoken English, Auslan, signed and spoken communication or written responses.
• For students ready for greater challenge, ask them to include a bystander who safely interrupts the reprimanding behaviour and connects the person with a trusted adult or appropriate support service.

Extension

• Write a fictional scenario in which reprimanding behaviour is turned into positive support.
• Include the original words, the revised words and an explanation of how the change could improve trust, confidence or wellbeing.