Digital Communication Etiquette

Overview

This 45-minute lesson is designed for mixed-ability 5th and 6th year students in an ASD-specific Irish school, following the IE Curriculum (Curriculum framework for IE), tailored for LCA and L2 students. The focus is on understanding and practising effective digital communication, with a strong emphasis on tone, professionalism, and etiquette in online interactions such as emails and social media. This is Lesson 5 of 6 in the unit Communications in Action.

IE Curriculum Alignment

Strand: Communications
Strand Unit: Oral Language; Reading; Writing and Representing
Learning Outcomes/Competencies:

Develop effective communication through digital media (L2, LCA level)
Demonstrate understanding of appropriate tone and style in various contexts
Utilise appropriate social behaviours and etiquette in digital communication
Reflect on the impact of online communication on relationships

Learning Objectives

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

Identify key principles of effective digital communication (LCA KI)
Explain why tone and professionalism matter in emails and social media (L2 EL)
Apply correct etiquette in creating a digital message (email or social post)
Recognise inappropriate language or tone in digital messages and suggest improvements

Success Criteria

Students can:

Describe three principles of digital communication etiquette
Identify formal and informal tones in sample texts
Compose a short, professional email or post that respects etiquette rules
Give constructive feedback on peers’ digital communication examples

Resources and Materials

Whiteboard and markers
Projector and screen for visuals/examples
Dyslexia-friendly printed handouts with large font, clear spacing, and bullet points summarising etiquette rules
Example emails and social media posts (both appropriate and inappropriate)
Laptops/tablets (if available) or printed templates for composing messages
Visual prompt cards with emoticons illustrating tone
Checklist for students’ own message composition

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Icebreaker: Tone Detective

Display 3 short text messages (1 formal, 1 informal, 1 inappropriate) on the board.
In pairs, students identify the tone of each message and explain their choice.
Dyslexia-friendly support: Text printed on cards with colour-coded tone indicators (blue for formal, yellow for informal, red for inappropriate).

Purpose: Develop awareness of tone differences using relatable examples.

2. Introduction to Digital Communication Etiquette (10 minutes)

Brief teacher-led discussion defining:
- What is digital communication etiquette?
- Why is tone important online?
- How professionalism affects others’ perceptions.
Present 5 core etiquette principles summarised on a dyslexia-friendly handout:
1. Use polite language and greetings
2. Avoid slang or inappropriate words
3. Keep messages clear and concise
4. Reread before sending
5. Respect privacy and confidentiality

Visual support: Show emojis and tone visuals linking to each etiquette rule to aid understanding.

IE Curriculum link: Builds competence in social communication skills related to digital media.

3. Main Activity – Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Task 1: Evaluate Email Examples

Students work in small groups of 2, each with printed examples of short emails.
Identify what works well or doesn’t in terms of etiquette, tone, and professionalism using a provided checklist.
Groups share one positive and one negative aspect with the class.

Task 2: Compose a Digital Message

Individually, students write a short professional email (e.g., to a teacher requesting information) or a respectful social media post.
Use the checklist to self-assess tone and etiquette.
Teacher and support staff circulate offering prompts and support as needed.

Differentiation:

Provide sentence starters and email templates for lower ability students.
Advanced learners encouraged to add explanations or suggest improvements to sample texts.

4. Plenary – Reflect and Share (10 minutes)

Each student reads their message aloud or displays it on a device or board (according to comfort and ability).
Peer feedback using the success criteria, led by teacher modelling “What I like & one thing to improve”.
Summarise the lesson by reinforcing how good digital etiquette helps us communicate positively and avoid misunderstandings.

Extension: Discuss consequences of poor tone in digital communication (e.g., misunderstandings, hurt feelings), raising awareness of cyberbullying and respect.

5. Homework/Extension Activity (Optional)

Students find a digital communication from their own experience (email, social media post) and write a short paragraph assessing the tone and appropriateness, applying the etiquette principles learned.

Differentiation Strategies

Use multi-sensory learning: visual aids, verbal explanations, social stories about online communication.
Provide choices: email or social media post writing.
One-on-one support available for students who need scaffolding or reading assistance.
Use larger fonts, bullet points, and clear spacing for all printed materials.
Allow for oral or typed responses according to individual strengths.

Assessment and Feedback

Formative assessment through observation during group work and individual composition task.
Use checklist-based peer and teacher feedback.
Success criteria evaluated through student self-assessment and teacher notes.
Feedback focuses on understanding of tone, polite language, and correct etiquette use.

Teacher Reflection Notes

Monitor engagement with tone identification activity; adapt examples based on student interests.
Be sensitive to social anxiety around sharing writing aloud—allow alternative sharing methods.
Note which students benefit most from structured templates for writing.
Prepare additional real-life scenarios for teaching cyber etiquette in follow-up lesson if needed.

This lesson carefully follows the Curriculum framework for IE, developing key communication competencies relevant to daily and future digital interactions, using inclusive and supportive teaching methods tailored for an ASD-specific secondary classroom.

Teaching Instructions