Communication and Consent

Overview

This 70-minute lesson is designed for a small group of 6 young adults working predominantly at Entry Level 1 in PSHE, focusing on communication, consent, and advocacy within relationships. The content and activities are carefully adapted for SEN learners with physical and learning disabilities, ensuring accessibility, respect, and age-appropriate engagement consistent with the National Curriculum for England PSHE Programme of Study (Health and wellbeing strand, Relationships and Sex Education framework, key stage 1 and post-16 adapted for SEN).

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National Curriculum Links

• PSHE Education framework (Dfe 2019):
  • Key Stage 2: Recognise personal boundaries; understand and respect the differences in others (R3).
  • Core Theme Health and Wellbeing: Managing risks to health and wellbeing; protecting self and others (H1, H5).
  • Relationships Education: Recognise safe and unsafe situations; the meaning of consent; assertive communication (R1, R2).
• SEND Code of Practice (2015): Emphasis on personalised learning, accessible teaching, and supporting communication needs.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, learners will:

1. Use simple assertive phrases to express needs, boundaries, and feelings confidently.
2. Understand consent as permission needed in everyday interactions (not only related to intimacy).
3. Recognise body language indicating comfort or discomfort.
4. Practise ways to support peers who are upset or need help.

Success Criteria:

• I can say “I feel… when… I need…” to express myself.
• I can explain what consent means using my own words.
• I can identify when someone looks happy or uncomfortable by their body language.
• I can suggest how to help a friend who is upset or being treated unkindly.

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Resources Needed

• Visual aids with key vocabulary and sentence stems
• Simple prompt cards for roleplays
• Emotion and body language picture cards
• Whiteboard and markers for group discussion
• Reflection journals or personalised communication books
• “Consent Toolkit” sheets with scripts and pictorial support
• Sensory objects for calm/distract (for sensory breaks)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction and Warm-up (10 minutes)

• Welcome & ground rules: Respect, listening, and kindness.
• Discussion: What does ‘consent’ mean? Use pictures and simple definitions: “Consent means saying yes when someone asks for permission.”
• Connection to themselves: Ask “Who do you ask before you borrow something?” Use examples relevant to their lives.

Differentiation:

• Use gesture and symbol supports for understanding “consent” (e.g. thumbs up/down).
• Offer alternative ways to respond (verbally, signing, or selecting pictures).

2. Assertive Communication Roleplay (20 minutes)

• Explain and model: “I feel … when … I need …” sentences.
• Learners practice in pairs using roleplay cards:
  • “Can I sit here?”
  • “Can I borrow your pencil?”
  • “Do you want to join our group?”
• Encourage clear, assertive but polite expression.

Differentiation:

• Sentence frames and pictures provided for scaffolding.
• Use of communication aids for non-verbal learners.
• Pair with a peer mentor or teaching assistant support if needed.

Challenge:

• Advanced learners try changing the context and creating new sentences independently.

3. Body Language Charades (15 minutes)

• Show pictures or act out comfortable/uncomfortable body signals (crossed arms, smiling face, stepping away, frowning).
• Learners guess and label the feelings or comfort level.
• Discuss why body language matters in understanding consent.

Differentiation:

• Use clear, exaggerated gestures and facial expressions.
• Provide visual emotion flashcards.
• Allow multiple methods for learners to indicate answers (pointing, verbalising, signing).

4. Peer-Support Discussion (10 minutes)

• Discuss situations where a friend is upset or being treated unkindly.
• Brainstorm supportive phrases: “Are you OK?”, “Do you want help?”, “I’m here for you.”
• Roleplay a short supportive conversation.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters and visuals.
• Model scenarios with a teacher or assistant for demonstration.

5. Creating a ‘Consent Toolkit’ (10 minutes)

• Collect and record key phrases, visuals, and reminders from today’s lesson onto a sheet.
• Each learner personalises a toolkit page with their preferred method of communicating consent and support.
• Use symbols, drawings, or text according to individual ability.

6. Reflection and Journaling (5 minutes)

• Prompt: Write, draw, or record about “A time I set a boundary” or “A time a friend helped me.”
• Support with scribing or speech-to-text for learners who need it.

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Assessment

• Observe and note learners’ participation in roleplays and discussions; assess ability to use assertive language and identify body language cues.
• Check individual ‘Consent Toolkit’ for understanding of concepts and personalised communication strategies.
• Review reflection journals for self-awareness of boundaries and peer support.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Use multisensory teaching: visual, auditory, roleplay, and sensory breaks.
• Small group size allows tailored pacing and individual attention.
• Adapt language complexity to ability level; short, clear instructions.
• Provide extra processing time and repeat key ideas.
• Use assistive technology, communication aids, and dyslexia-friendly fonts (e.g., Open Dyslexic font) for all written materials.
• Incorporate movement or alternative response forms for learners with communication or motor challenges.

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Extension Activities

For learners who progress quickly or are at Entry Level 2 and above:

• Design a simple Healthy Relationships Campaign poster for the college, including slogans about consent and respect.
• Interview a safeguarding lead (with support) about staying safe and reporting worries.
• Perform a short drama illustrating boundary setting or resolving conflict in small groups.
• Sensory exploration activity: exploring touch and space to identify what feels safe or unsafe.
• Create a visual ‘My Relationship Rules’ booklet using photos, symbols, or drawings.

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Additional Teacher Notes

• Remain sensitive to individual sensory or emotional triggers when discussing personal space and consent.
• Reinforce positive social behaviours throughout the lesson.
• Ensure consistency by referencing the toolkit in future lessons.
• Collaboration with speech and language therapists recommended for communication aid use.

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This lesson plan combines practical skills with emotional literacy tailored for SEN learners, reflecting the National Curriculum’s PSHE aims for developing confident, independent, and respectful young adults.