Asking and Sharing

Overview

This 45-minute session targets Year 4 students (age 8-9) to develop vital communication skills related to travel and safety within their school environment. It links explicitly to the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education strand of the National Curriculum for England, fostering confident and respectful interaction with adults when seeking help or information.

National Curriculum Links

PSHE Education (Personal, Social, Health and Economic)

Relationships Education
- Understand how to ask for and give/not give permission regarding things that affect them
- Recognise safe/unsafe situations and how to respond
- Identify trusted adults in school and know when/how to ask for help
Communication Skills
- Develop confident speaking, listening and questioning
- Use language to express emotions and needs clearly and politely

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, all students will be able to:

Use the 5Ws and H questions (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How) to clarify information related to travel situations in school.
Identify at least three different safe adults in school they can approach if they need help or feel unsure.
Clearly express their needs or concerns verbally when they do not understand something or require support.
Demonstrate polite conversation techniques in role-play dialogues with school staff.

Resources

Large laminated poster with 5Ws & H question words
Photo cards or name tags of school staff (e.g., teacher, teaching assistant, school nurse, office staff)
Scenario cards with simple travel-related situations (e.g., bus times, lost on playground, finding classroom)
Role-play props (e.g., phone, notebook)
Whiteboard and marker

Timetable

Time	Activity	Description	Assessment Focus
0-5 mins	Introduction & Starter Discussion	Teacher explains session purpose. Introduce 5Ws & H poster.	Engage pupils, check prior knowledge
5-15 mins	Guided Questioning Practice	Using scenario cards, students practise asking questions using 5Ws & H to clarify situations related to travel at school.	Observe use of question words
15-25 mins	Identifying Safe Adults	Show photo/name cards of staff. Discuss roles and why they are safe adults. Each pupil lists who they would ask for help in various scenarios.	Assess understanding of trusted adults
25-35 mins	Expressing Needs Clearly	Teacher models sentences expressing needs politely (e.g. “I am not sure where my classroom is, could you help me please?”). Pupils practise with partner.	Check clarity and politeness of expression
35-45 mins	Role-Play Conversations	Pupils role-play common school conversations with ‘staff’ (teacher or TA). Focus on polite greetings, asking questions, and sharing concerns clearly.	Evaluate polite interaction and confidence

Activity Details

Starter Discussion

Teacher asks: “Who can tell me the kinds of questions that help us understand something better?”
Introduce 5Ws & H poster, briefly explain each word’s role in asking questions.

Guided Questioning Practice

In small group, each pupil picks a scenario card, e.g., “You need to ask where the school bus stop is.”
Pupils practice forming questions using 5Ws & H to get needed information.
Teacher prompts and supports if pupils struggle.

Identifying Safe Adults

Show pictures/names of school staff. Discuss briefly who they are and why they are safe to talk to (e.g., “The teacher can help if you feel lost.”)
Pupils then verbally or in writing match scenarios from earlier to a trusted adult they would approach.

Expressing Needs Clearly

Teacher shares example polite phrases to express uncertainty or requests for help.
Pupils practise saying these sentences aloud in pairs, focusing on clear, calm tone.

Role-Play Conversations

Assign roles (student and staff member).
Pupils take turns initiating conversations based on travel or safety scenarios, practising greeting, asking questions, and sharing information politely.
Teacher provides immediate feedback, reinforcing success and suggesting improvements politely.

Assessment

Formative: Teacher observes pupil participation and use of question words during questioning activity.
Learning conversations during role play to assess ability to ask for help politely and identify trusted adults correctly.
Use a simple exit question: “Who would you go to if you felt lost at school?” and “Can you ask me a question to find out where the library is?”

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters and visual aids for pupils who find verbalising difficult.
Challenge: Encourage pupils who grasp quickly to create their own travel-related questions and extend role-play to include more detailed conversations.

Reflection and Follow-Up

Conclude with a brief group reflection: “Why is it important to ask clear questions and talk to safe adults?”
Set a simple homework task: Observe 3 trusted adults in school and write down their names and roles.

Teacher Tip:
Use praise to build confidence, especially highlighting polite phrases and good listening. Capture the lesson’s key vocabulary on a learning wall to reinforce over time.

Teaching Instructions