Communicating With Confidence

Overview

In this third lesson of Healthy Choices, Strong Futures, students apply communication strategies to realistic health-related peer-pressure situations. They build on earlier learning about healthy decision-making by practicing assertive responses, active listening, refusal skills, and respectful disagreement.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Explain the difference between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication.
• Use active-listening behaviors during a conversation.
• Apply a clear refusal strategy to a health-related peer-pressure situation.
• Give and use specific, respectful feedback.

Success criteria

• I can use a calm voice, confident body language, and clear words.
• I can refuse an unhealthy or unsafe choice without insulting another person.
• I can show that I am listening by paraphrasing and asking a relevant question.
• I can give feedback that identifies a strength and one next step.

Curriculum links

• North Carolina Healthful Living: interpersonal communication, decision-making, and refusal skills that support healthy and safe choices.
• Speaking and Listening: participate effectively in collaborative discussions, build on others’ ideas, and express ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Reading technical and health materials: follow a multistep communication procedure precisely during practice.
• Writing in health contexts: write brief, discipline-specific reflections and action statements.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook and connect. Teacher displays a peer-pressure prompt in the opening hook slide: “A friend says, ‘Everyone is doing it—why are you being difficult?’ What could you say without starting an argument?” Students silently write one possible response, then share with a partner. Invite two or three responses and identify words or behaviors that sound confident and respectful.

2. 4–9 min · Teach the communication tools. Teacher uses the communication strategies slides to briefly model passive, aggressive, and assertive communication. Introduce the assertive response sequence: state the decision clearly, give a brief reason if helpful, suggest an alternative or repeat the refusal, and leave or seek help when needed. Model active listening through eye contact as culturally appropriate, attentive posture, paraphrasing, and a relevant follow-up question. Students identify which behaviors help a speaker feel heard and record the response sequence on the communication practice worksheet.

3. 9–12 min · Demonstrate and analyze. Teacher performs a short role-play with a volunteer or co-teacher: one person pressures the other to share a private photo, skip sleep to play online, or ride with an unsafe driver. First model an unclear response, then repeat it assertively. Students use the model-and-notice slide to name one effective behavior and one improvement, using respectful language.

4. 12–23 min · Paired role-play and feedback. Teacher places students in pairs and opens the role-play directions and scenario slide. Each pair selects or receives one age-appropriate scenario, such as being pressured to vape, misuse medication, share a private image, drive without a seat belt, or exclude someone from a group. Partner A is the person making the request; Partner B practices an assertive response and active listening. Partners switch roles with a new scenario. Observers complete the checklist on the communication practice worksheet, checking for clear words, calm tone, confident body language, listening, and a safe next step. Circulate, coach privately, and stop role-play if a student feels uncomfortable.

5. 23–27 min · Respectful disagreement circle. Teacher displays the discussion sentence-starters slide and asks: “Which response is most likely to protect both safety and the relationship?” Students discuss in groups of four, using one starter such as “I agree with ___ because…,” “I see it differently because…,” or “Can you explain what you mean?” Each student must paraphrase one peer’s idea before adding a different idea. Groups select one strong response to share.

6. 27–30 min · Reflection and exit check. Teacher shows the closing reflection slide and asks students to complete the final section of the communication practice worksheet: write an assertive response to a new peer-pressure statement and one listening behavior they will use. Students submit the response before leaving; remind them that seeking a trusted adult’s help is an appropriate safety strategy.

Resources

• the complete communication skills slide deck
• the communication practice worksheet
• Projector or interactive display
• Pens or pencils
• Timer
• Board or chart paper
• Optional private space for students who need to observe rather than role-play

Assessment

• During modeling, listen for students’ ability to distinguish passive, aggressive, and assertive communication.
• Use the paired checklist to assess clear refusal language, active listening, respectful disagreement, and an appropriate safety step.
• Exit response: students must write a specific assertive statement and identify one active-listening behavior. Reteach any missing element in the next class.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters such as “No, I’m not comfortable with that,” “I choose not to,” “Please stop asking,” and “Let’s do something safer instead.”
• Allow students to rehearse privately, read from the worksheet, act as an observer, or record an audio response instead of performing live.
• Pair students thoughtfully and avoid requiring personal disclosure; use fictional scenarios and allow students to pass or request a different scenario.
• For multilingual learners and students needing additional support, preteach key terms, provide a visual response sequence, model each step, and use a simplified checklist. Challenge advanced students to adapt tone and wording for a friend, stranger, group chat, or trusted adult.