Asking for Help

Overview

This 30-minute session is the fourth lesson in the unit "Collaborative Communication Skills" designed for Year 4 pupils (ages 8-9). The lesson focuses on developing pupils' understanding of when and how to ask for help effectively during group tasks. It promotes social and emotional learning aligned to the National Curriculum's emphasis on personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) and English speaking and listening skills.

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National Curriculum Links

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)

• Relationships Strand:
  • Learning objective: To develop skills to manage positive relationships and communicate needs sensitively and confidently (DfE Programme of Study, PSHE, Key Stage 2).
  • Relevant competence: Recognising when help is needed and knowing how to ask for it appropriately.

English – Spoken Language

• Learning objectives:
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates (Years 3 and 4 programme of study).
  • Ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge.

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Learning Objectives

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

• Understand why asking for help is important in collaborative settings.
• Use polite and clear language when asking for assistance.
• Practise asking for help through role-play scenarios involving group work.
• Demonstrate active listening and respectful communication during peer interactions.

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Resources

• Scenario cards with different group work challenges requiring help (e.g., difficulty with equipment, confusion about instructions).
• “Help Request Checklist” visual aid to remind pupils of key polite phrases and effective ways to ask for help.
• Whiteboard and markers.
• Timer or stopwatch.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Discuss: Start with a brief whole-class discussion on when pupils have needed help in class or at home.
• Prompt questions:
  • Why is it sometimes hard to ask for help?
  • How can asking for help help us work better with others?
• Link: Explain that knowing how and when to ask for help is a skill that helps everyone work as a team.

2. Teaching Input (5 minutes)

• Introduce the “Help Request Checklist” which includes:
  • Using polite words like “please” and “thank you”.
  • Asking clearly and respectfully.
  • Explaining what help is needed.
  • Listening carefully when someone responds.
• Model a short role-play with a pupil or teacher demonstrating a positive help request and a less effective one.
• Discuss which was better and why.

3. Guided Practice – Role-play (15 minutes)

• Activity: Divide pupils into pairs or groups of three (max 2 groups to keep class size of 5 manageable).
• Give each group a scenario card with a common classroom problem (e.g., “Your group is stuck on a science experiment step” or “You don’t understand a maths instruction”).
• Pupils role-play asking for help using phrases from the checklist with their partners.
• Encourage taking turns being the person who asks for help and the one who offers help.
• Circulate and provide feedback, prompting use of polite phrases and clear communication.

4. Reflection and Assessment (5 minutes)

• Gather pupils and invite them to share how it felt to ask for help and receive help.
• Ask:
  • What phrases worked well?
  • Did you feel more confident asking for help after practicing?
• Use an informal assessment checklist to record each pupil’s ability to:
  • Ask for help politely.
  • Listen attentively and respond appropriately.
• End by reinforcing that asking for help is a strength and key to successful teamwork.

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Differentiation

• Support pupils who find verbal expression challenging by allowing them to write down their help request first.
• Challenge more confident pupils to extend their role-play by adding why they need help and how they might offer help in return.

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Extension Ideas

• In future lessons, build on this skill by introducing non-verbal signals for asking for help in group work or digital collaborative tasks.
• Encourage pupils to keep a “Help Journal” recording occasions when they asked for help and what happened, building self-awareness.

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Reflection for Teachers

• Observe pupils’ comfort level with asking for help–adjust future lesson plans to scaffold or extend.
• Note group dynamics and which pupils support peers well, using this for grouping strategies.
• Consider integrating technology (e.g., video recordings of role-plays) to review and reinforce communication skills.

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This lesson plan cultivates confident communicators who can collaborate effectively by asking for necessary support, thus embedding key social skills essential for lifelong learning and teamwork.