Grade: 8

Duration: 60 Minutes

Student: Individual (1:1 Instruction)

Theme: Advocating for Yourself and Speaking Up

Subject Area: Other (Social-Emotional Learning / Communication Skills)

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Alignment:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1 – Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1 – Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 8 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.6 – Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

• Understand the importance of self-advocacy and speaking up in various situations.
• Identify personal rights and responsibilities in communication contexts.
• Demonstrate verbal and non-verbal strategies for effective self-advocacy.
• Use key vocabulary related to advocacy with confidence.

Success Criteria (I Can Statements):

• I can describe what it means to advocate for myself.
• I can identify situations where speaking up is important.
• I can use words and phrases to ask for help or express my needs.
• I can complete activities that show I understand how to advocate clearly.

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Materials & Resources

• Dyslexia-friendly reading passages on self-advocacy (larger font, sans serif, colored overlays available)
• Worksheet packet including:
  • Categorizing cards (scenarios and responses)
  • Coloring pages illustrating assertive vs passive communication
  • Crossword puzzle with advocacy-related vocabulary
  • Word search with key terms
  • Solve-the-mystery puzzle involving advocating for a peer in a story
• Visual supports with simple icons and clear wording
• Timer or visual countdown
• Comfortable, quiet workspace

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up and Introduction (10 minutes)

Objective: To activate prior knowledge and introduce the theme of self-advocacy.

• Use a dyslexia-friendly short story or passage describing a teenager who speaks up in a difficult situation. Read aloud together, or have the student use text-to-speech tools.
• Ask simple, guided questions with visual supports:
  • “What did the person do to help themselves?”
  • “Have you ever needed to speak up for something?”
• Use the “I can describe what it means to advocate for myself” statement here.

Engagement Strategy: Use a graphic organizer where the student can draw or write in short phrases what they think advocacy is.

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2. Vocabulary Exploration (10 minutes)

Objective: To introduce and practise key vocabulary words related to advocacy.

• Present 8-10 vocabulary words (e.g., advocate, assertive, rights, respectful, communicate, support, confident, responsibility).
• Use flashcards with word, simple definition, and icon. Dyslexia-friendly font and spacing.
• Play a simple matching game: match cards with words and their definitions or symbols.
• Complete the crossword puzzle to reinforce spelling and meaning.

Success Criteria:

• I can say and spell advocacy-related words.
• I can match words with their meanings.

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3. Interactive Categorizing Activity (15 minutes)

Objective: To identify appropriate ways to speak up in different scenarios.

• Present categorized scenario cards that depict everyday situations (e.g., telling a teacher about bullying, asking for help with homework, disagreeing respectfully with a friend).
• Student sorts cards into categories: Assertive (healthy speaking up), Passive (not speaking up when needed), Aggressive (too forceful).
• Discuss why each example fits its category, showing non-verbal and verbal cues with images.
• Use visual timers to keep pacing manageable and reduce stress.

Success Criteria:

• I can sort examples of speaking up into correct categories.
• I can explain why speaking up in a certain way works best.

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4. Creative Expression: Coloring and Puzzle Time (15 minutes)

Objective: Apply learning creatively to reinforce understanding of assertive communication.

• Coloring pages: Two side-by-side images illustrating passive, aggressive, and assertive communication styles. Discuss each with simple prompts.
• Word search: Find the advocacy terms learned earlier. This is a low-pressure vocabulary reinforcement.
• Solve-the-mystery puzzle: guided by visual clues and simple questions, the student helps a character “solve” a problem by advocating for themselves.

Differentiation:

• Provide options: auditory instructions, minimal text, use of highlighters or stickers to mark found words, verbal storytelling for the mystery puzzle.
• Allow breaks or movement between coloring and puzzles as needed.

Success Criteria:

• I can recognize assertive communication in pictures.
• I can find advocacy words in the puzzle.
• I can talk through a story about self-advocacy with help.

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5. Reflection and Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

Objective: To consolidate understanding and set personal goals.

• Use “I can” checklist review verbally and visually.
• Student chooses 1-2 personal goals for self-advocacy (e.g., “I can tell a teacher when I need help” or “I can use a calm voice to say what I feel”).
• Practice a short role-play where the student uses one goal statement in a safe scenario. Teacher models and supports scaffolded responses.

Success Criteria:

• I can say an advocacy goal for myself.
• I can practice speaking up in one situation.

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Differentiation & Scaffolded Supports

• Present all reading materials with dyslexia-friendly fonts and breaks.
• Use multi-sensory approaches: visual aids, oral reading, hands-on card sorting, and creative coloring.
• Use positive reinforcement and allow flexible response modes (speech, drawing, pointing) to express knowledge.
• Provide vocabulary cheat sheets and sentence starters (e.g., “I feel ___, and I need ___.”)
• Allow movement breaks or sensory tools as needed for regulation.
• Repeat instructions as needed and confirm understanding via simple yes/no or thumbs up/down checks.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation of sorting activity, crossword completion, and role-play.
• Use “I can” statements as a self-assessment tool with visual checkboxes.
• Verbal feedback focusing on strengths and encouragement on areas to improve next time.
• Provide a simple “Advocate Achievement” certificate at session end to celebrate progress and encourage continued practice.

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Summary

This highly scaffolded, multisensory lesson plan offers a dyslexia-friendly, engaging approach to teaching an essential social skill: self-advocacy. Aligned to CCSS standards with adult-supported literacy and communication goals, this lesson empowers a student to speak up confidently, understand their rights, and apply vocabulary and strategies socially. It models respect, student choice, and sensory supports tailored to neurodiverse learners, ensuring accessibility and success.