Clear Health Communication

Overview

In this lesson you will explore how communication works in health and social care and why it can either improve or affect people’s wellbeing. You will practise effective communication, then analyse barriers and how to reduce them.

Learning intentions

WALT (We Are Learning To) explore the role of communication in health and social care by:

• Identifying different types of communication used in support and care
• Explaining how communication supports person-centred interactions
• Assessing common barriers to effective communication
• Applying strategies to improve clarity, trust and safeguarding through better communication

Success criteria

• I can explain types of communication (verbal, non-verbal, written, digital/telecommunication) and give relevant examples.
• I can assess how barriers (attitudes, environment, language, hearing/vision needs, emotion, jargon) can affect outcomes.
• I can propose practical communication strategies for specific barrier scenarios.
• I can justify my choices using reasoning linked to respectful, safe and person-centred care.

Curriculum links

• Personal wellbeing and relationships: recognising how communication affects relationships and wellbeing
• Health and safety in everyday contexts: understanding factors that influence safe interactions and support
• Equality and inclusion: valuing diversity and reducing barriers that prevent people accessing support
• Responsibility and decision-making: using reflective judgement to choose appropriate actions in real situations

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 5 min – Recall & purpose (Mingle): Students mingle with prompts on cards around communication types and impact. They find a partner, exchange an example, then swap partners when signalled.
2. 10 min – Mini-teach: types of communication: Teacher models a quick “communication ladder” showing verbal, non-verbal, written and digital. Students turn-and-talk to add one example from health and social care to each category, including how tone and body language carry meaning.
3. 15 min – Interactive role-play (barrier focus): In small groups, students receive short scripts (e.g., rushed appointment, unclear instructions, emotion/anger, sensory impairment, difficult news, language mismatch). Each group performs twice: first with an intentional barrier, then re-performs using one improved communication strategy.
4. 10 min – Barrier analysis (whole-class discussion): Teacher facilitates a discussion: “What changed for the person receiving care? What changed for the professional?” Students suggest barriers and classify them (environment, interpersonal, language/culture, cognition/emotion, sensory/communication needs).
5. 10 min – Guided tool-building (independent plan): Students complete a planning template to create an “Effective Communication Guide” with 5 sections: purpose, types, barriers, strategies, and how to check understanding (e.g., confirm back, summarise, encourage questions).
6. 7 min – Independent learning: finalise guide: Students refine their guide, ensuring each strategy matches a specific barrier from the role-play (at least two barrier-to-strategy links).
7. 3 min – Exit ticket: Students write one sentence: “One barrier is… because… and my strategy is…” Teacher collects for formative assessment.

Resources

• Scenario cards for role-play (3–5 short scripts with barriers)
• Communication type prompt cards for the Mingle activity
• Role-play planning sheets (barrier to strategy grid)
• “Effective Communication Guide” template (A4 or digital)
• Sentence starters for EAL/SEN support (e.g., “A possible barrier is…”, “A strategy would be…”)
• Timer and simple speaking roles (reader, performer, observer)
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: alternative font handouts (e.g., sans-serif), dyslexia-friendly printed scenario summaries, and access to audio read-aloud where available
• Visual cue posters for communication types and examples of respectful language

Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation of role-play re-enactments and contributions during barrier discussion.
• Mid-lesson checks: teacher reviews barrier-to-strategy links in planning sheets.
• Summative-in-mini: exit ticket evaluates whether students can assess barriers and justify appropriate strategies.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters, a word bank of barriers and strategies, and pre-highlighted key points in scenario cards; allow students to rehearse in pairs before performing.
• Support (SEN): reduce the number of barriers required (e.g., 2 scenarios instead of 3) and provide a partially completed guide template.
• EAL: allow bilingual support for key vocabulary where school policy permits; encourage drawing/diagramming in addition to writing; ensure role-play includes clear “communication goal” statements.
• Extension: ask advanced students to evaluate trade-offs (e.g., balancing reassurance with honesty, maintaining confidentiality while confirming understanding) and include at least one safeguarding- or confidentiality-linked communication consideration.
• Dyslexia-friendly options: offer shorter scenario text with the same meaning, audio read-aloud versions of scripts, and allow responses in bullet points rather than paragraphs.

Assessment-linked alignment note (teacher use)

Use the exit ticket plus role-play observations to ensure students can meet the lesson intentions: explaining communication types, assessing barriers, and applying strategies with clear reasoning.