Understanding Conflict Together

Overview

Year Level: Year 10
Subject: Work Education – Social Sciences
Curriculum Focus: NSW Syllabus – Years 7–10 Work Education
Strand: Core 3 – Communication and Collaboration
Duration: 55 minutes
Class Size: 7 students (ESL learners)

This lesson will explore real-world interpersonal conflicts and equip students with age-appropriate conflict resolution strategies. It will advance communication skills through language-rich, student-driven activities tailored for ESL learners using visual, kinaesthetic, auditory and interactive methods. The focus is on giving students a toolkit for dealing with conflict respectfully and effectively — a crucial soft skill in both education and future workplaces.

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Curriculum Outcomes

NSW Work Education Syllabus — Core 3: Communication and Collaboration

By the end of this session, students will:

• Outcome: WE3-1 – Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration skills to maintain positive relationships in the workplace and community.
• Outcome: WE3-4 – Examine and apply problem-solving and decision-making strategies in workplace and community contexts.

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Learning Intentions

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

• Identify different types of conflict and their causes.
• Recognise the importance of emotional regulation and respectful conversation during conflict.
• Practise conflict resolution techniques using real-world inspired scenarios.
• Reflect on their own communication style and identify areas for growth.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

✅ Participate in group discussions and role-plays
✅ Accurately describe a conflict type and response strategy
✅ Demonstrate understanding through active engagement and brief self-reflection

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Lesson Breakdown (55 minutes)

⏰ Introduction (10 minutes)

Engage & Set Context

• Welcome & Warm-Up (5 mins)
  Begin with a simple icebreaker:
  “In one word, how would you describe ‘conflict’?”
  Write responses on the board to form a word cloud. Use this to begin a short discussion. Ask:

  • Does conflict always mean fighting?
  • Can conflict be useful?

• Preview Objectives (5 mins)
  Share the lesson plan in student-friendly language:
  “Today we’re going to explore what causes conflict, how we can deal with it peacefully, and practise resolving conflict in teams — just like in real life.”

📺 Video Stimulus & Discussion (10 minutes)

Visual Learning for ESL Accessibility
Play a short, animated Australian-made educational video (approx. 3–5 mins) on conflict resolution in the workplace setting, such as a retail shop or café.
(Use a saved/downloaded resource; avoid streaming – e.g. a DET-recommended resource.)

Guided Discussion (5 mins)
Pause at key moments to clarify vocabulary:

• Conflict
• Misunderstanding
• Compromise
• Mediation

Ask students:

• “What happened here?”
• “Who handled it well, and why?”
• “What could have made the outcome better?”

🧩 Group Brainstorm – Types of Conflict (5 minutes)

Collaborative and Visual Learning
Provide small whiteboards or large sticky notes, and ask students to pair up and write down different types of conflict (e.g., between friends, co-workers, manager/employee). Examples can be acted out or drawn to assist comprehension.

Conclude by grouping conflicts into two categories:

• Personal conflict
• Workplace conflict

Facilitator draws a Venn diagram to show the overlapping areas.

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🎭 Scenario Role-Plays (20 minutes)

Role Play 1: “The Double Shift Dilemma”

• Scenario: Two café workers (students) have a misunderstanding about who is meant to cover a shift.
• Divide students into groups of three (one manager, two workers).
• Focus: Listening, staying calm, negotiating.

Role Play 2: “The Group Project Clash”

• Scenario: One person in a team isn’t contributing, leading to frustration.
• Each group includes a team leader, non-contributor, and a mediator (or switch roles).
• Focus: Assertive communication, finding fair solutions.

Provide each group with a Conflict Resolution Toolbox Card with phrases such as:

• “I feel frustrated because…”
• “Can we find a solution together?”
• “Let’s listen to each other first.”

💬 ESL Support Tip: Use image prompts or role-play cue cards with expressions and emojis if needed.

Debrief Questions (as a whole class):

• “How did it feel to play each role?”
• “What worked well?”
• “What would you do differently in real life?”

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✍️ Reflection and Exit Task (10 minutes)

Silent Reflection (5 mins)
Each student completes the sentence starters:

• “One thing I learnt about conflict is…”
• “Next time I’m in a conflict, I will…”

Collect these on sticky notes to post on a shared “Conflict-Smart Wall” for ongoing reflection.

Exit Ticket (5 mins)
Hand each student an “emoji card” (happy, neutral, unsure, sad) and ask them to hold up how they feel about their ability to handle conflict after today’s class. Quickly collect feedback and note follow-up areas.

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Differentiation & ESL Strategies

Strategy	Purpose
Visual prompts and diagrams	Strengthens vocabulary retention
Video with Australian accents	Builds listening comprehension in local context
Role-play cards with cues	Reduces language pressure during performance
Paraphrasing student input	Models correct language while valuing contribution
Small groups	Encourages speaking in a low-pressure setting

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed scenario cards
• “Conflict Toolbox” laminated cards for each group
• Short video (pre-downloaded)
• Sticky notes and reflection pages
• Emoji feedback cards
• Venn Diagram template (digital or printed)

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Assessment Opportunities

Formative:

• Observation during role-plays and brainstorming
• Reflection sheets and exit cards
• Participation in discussions and group activities

Next Steps / Ongoing Learning:
Encourage students to write a script or storyboard their own conflict scenario based on real or imagined school or workplace experiences. Can be developed into a short video or skit in next lesson.

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Teacher Reflection

At the end of the lesson, consider:

• Which students engaged confidently during the role-play?
• Did students appear to understand the resolution techniques?
• How can this tie into next week’s topic on communication in customer service?

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This lesson champions real-world employability skills through layered collaboration and language support — making communication personal, practical, and powerful for every learner.