Tenants’ Group Roles

Overview

In this lesson you will learn what tenants’ groups are and how they can help people in a community by speaking up, sharing ideas, and working together to solve problems.

Learning intentions

WALT: Describe how tenants’ groups help the community.

Success criteria

• I can explain what a tenants’ group is.
• I can name one benefit tenants’ groups bring to the community.
• I can role-play how a group might meet and share an idea.
• I can say how listening to others helps a group.

Curriculum links

• Personal wellbeing and relationships: working well with others and understanding community roles.
• Living in the wider world: contributing to the community and being aware of rights and responsibilities.
• Citizenship focus: taking part in decision-making in the school or local community.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 mins: Welcome and focus

• Begin with a simple circle chat: “Who helps people in our community?” Show 2–3 example roles (shop staff, school caretakers, community helpers).
• Explain today’s focus: tenants’ groups and how they help communities.

2. 5–15 mins: Story and key idea

• Read a short, age-appropriate story about a tenants’ group discussing a community issue (for example: safer pathways, better lighting, fixing a shared play area).
• Pause and emphasise key benefits using clear, short sentences: “They share problems. They make plans. They speak to decision-makers. They help everyone.”

3. 15–25 mins: Mini-teach with visuals

• Use a simple “Group meeting” visual (3 steps): Meet → Talk and listen → Decide what to ask for.
• Guide students to repeat phrases: “Our group meets,” “We share ideas,” “We listen,” “We ask for help,” “We try to make things better.”

4. 25–35 mins: Role-play practice (tenants’ meeting)

• In small groups of 2–3, assign roles using props or picture cards: Tenant speaker, Listener, Chairperson, Helper (notes).
• Provide sentence starters on cards: “I notice…”, “I think we should…”, “We can ask…”, “Let’s listen to your idea.”

5. 35–45 mins: Whole-class rehearsal

• Choose 1–2 groups to role-play a short meeting (30–60 seconds each).
• After each role-play, ask: “What benefit did the group bring?” and collect answers on a class “Benefits” list.

6. 45–55 mins: Apply learning to a community issue

• Present a clear, concrete scenario relevant to daily life (for example: “The bins are often overflowing” or “The shared area needs tidying and repair.”).
• Students suggest one request a tenants’ group could make. Teacher records one simple question the group could ask.

7. 55–60 mins: Exit reflection and assessment

• Students complete a brief oral check-in (or choose from two picture options): “What is one benefit of tenants’ groups?”
• Close by affirming respectful listening and teamwork: “When we listen, groups can help the community.”

Resources

• Short story text with large print and simple sentences about a tenants’ group
• Visuals for “Meet → Talk and listen → Decide what to ask for”
• Role-play cards or picture prompts (Chair, Speaker, Listener, Notes)
• Simple prop items (timer, clipboard, paper slips for ideas)
• “Benefits” anchor chart with 3 example benefits written in kid-friendly language
• Scenario cards with one community issue and a guiding prompt
• Sentence starter cards for students who need support
• Optional: emotion/behaviour cue cards to support self-regulation during role-play

Assessment

• Formative observation during role-play: can the student use a sentence starter and show listening?
• Quick oral responses at the end: “one benefit tenants’ groups bring” (teacher records a simple tally).
• Checking understanding in scenarios: can students link the group action to a community outcome?

Differentiation

• Support for students with Autism/ADHD: clear role assignments, predictable routine, visual schedule, and short time-boxed activities (with a timer).
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: provide the story in large print, with colour-highlighted key sentences (“share problems”, “listen”, “ask for help”), and offer audio reading if available.
• Additional support: use sentence starters and allow students to point to pictures instead of speaking for one part of the role-play.
• Extension for advanced learners: ask students to add “why” and “how” (for example, “We will ask because it helps everyone, and we can start by collecting ideas from tenants.”)

Extension (optional)

• Simulate a tenants’ meeting on an issue: in pairs, students create a “group request” with two parts—(1) the problem they notice and (2) the simple thing they would ask for. Then each pair shares one request with the class.