Head and Face

Overview

This first lesson in an eight-week unit develops recognition and communication of head and face body parts while introducing public and private boundaries. It is a practical Preparation for Adulthood session focused on self-awareness, personal safety, independence and safe participation in a supportive group.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify and match familiar parts of the head and face
• label body parts using speech, sign, symbols, eye gaze, pointing, objects or AAC
• begin to understand that their body belongs to them
• distinguish a public interaction from private personal care
• practise communicating a preference or boundary, such as “stop” or “no”

Success criteria

• I can indicate at least two parts of my head or face.
• I can identify four or more parts using my preferred communication method.
• I can label familiar parts, including head, face, eye, ear, nose, mouth, hair, neck or chest.
• I can communicate “stop”, “no” or “my body”, and show that private care is different from public interaction.

Curriculum links

• UK National Curriculum Languages — Languages key stage 3: speaking with increasing confidence, communicating meaning, asking questions and improving pronunciation and intonation.
• UK National Curriculum Languages — Aims: communicating what they want to say through discussion and alternative supported communication where appropriate.
• UK National Curriculum Mathematics — aims: following a sequence of simpler steps and persevering with routine and non-routine problems, applied here through a familiar practical activity sequence.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Welcome and visual routine. Teacher greets each pupil, displays the visual timetable and welcome slides and explains that pupils may look, point, sign, use symbols or use AAC; students join a greeting song and choose a comfortable way to participate. Establish the safety rule: nobody needs to touch another person, remove clothing or share personal experiences.

2. 8–18 min · Mirror exploration. Teacher models looking in a mirror and slowly names head, face, eyes, ears, nose, mouth and hair, using the same word, sign or symbol consistently; students find and indicate each part on themselves, a doll or a picture. Offer a reduced choice of two cards, tactile outlines, switches or eye-gaze choices, and provide a sensory break or quiet space as needed.

3. 18–32 min · Match and label. Teacher presents a doll or body outline and demonstrates matching the picture, symbol or name card to the correct part, using the head-and-face matching worksheet as a supported recording option; students work individually or with a partner to match and label cards. Accept speech, sign, pointing, eye gaze, object choice, AAC or adapted physical responses. Use hand-under-hand support only after gaining consent; never physically guide a pupil without agreement.

4. 32–43 min · Public and private boundaries. Teacher uses the public-and-private examples to show neutral fictional situations: smiling for a photograph as a public face activity, and brushing teeth in a bathroom as private care. Clarify that “public” and “private” can describe body parts, places and activities, and are not the same as “safe” and “unsafe”. Students sort or indicate “public” and “private” for each example, with no pupil asked to undress, demonstrate personal care or disclose experience. Emphasise that private parts and personal care require a clear reason, respect and permission.

5. 43–53 min · Boundary communication practice. Teacher models a puppet or fictional character saying “stop”, “no”, “my body” and “help”, then shows how a trusted adult should respond by stopping and listening; students practise choosing or communicating one boundary message through role-play with cards, AAC or switches. Partners do not touch one another. The adult can hold the puppet or present a picture, and pupils may watch, opt out or use their chosen communication mode.

6. 53–60 min · Individual plenary and exit check. Teacher returns to the recap and choice slides and invites each pupil to indicate one body-part label and one boundary message; students respond individually using their preferred method. Record the response and level of prompting, then celebrate safe participation and preview that the next session will build on communication and relationships.

Resources

• the visual timetable, body-part images, public/private examples and recap slides
• the head-and-face matching worksheet
• Mirrors
• Doll, puppet or body outline
• Symbol, photograph and name cards with Velcro
• Tactile outlines, object cues and switches
• First–then board and visual timetable
• AAC devices, communication boards and “stop/no/help” symbols
• Large-print, high-contrast cards and access to a quiet space
• Gloves where appropriate for handling shared resources

Assessment

• Observe whether each pupil recognises, matches or indicates two, four or six body parts, recording the communication mode and level of support.
• Check whether pupils generalise by identifying parts on themselves, a doll and/or a picture, and whether they follow the activity sequence safely.
• During the final check, record one body-part label and one boundary message. Note emerging, developing, secure or mastery evidence without requiring speech.

Differentiation

• Support with modelling, repetition, a reduced visual field, two-choice cards, tactile resources, object cues, first–then prompts, a familiar adult and additional processing time.
• Provide accessible communication through signs, symbols, photos, eye gaze, AAC, switches and adapted physical responses; accept non-speaking communication equally.
• Extend confident pupils by asking them to label six or more parts, explain or show that their body belongs to them, or independently choose a boundary message and trusted adult.
• Consider sensory, mobility, vision, hearing, language and cultural needs. Check family communication preferences, use anatomically accurate age-appropriate language and maintain a neutral, respectful tone.
• Follow safeguarding procedures: do not ask leading questions or investigate disclosures. Record and report any disclosure promptly to the designated safeguarding lead, without promising secrecy.