Assertiveness: Your Voice, Your Power!

Donna Nelson

Tier 1

Warm Up

What Would You Do?

Think about a time someone wanted you to do something you didn't want to do. How did you react?

Write down your initial thoughts or a brief description of the situation and your response.

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Lesson Plan

Assertiveness: Your Voice, Your Power!

Students will be able to define assertiveness, distinguish it from passivity and aggression, and identify strategies for assertive communication in various situations.

Learning assertiveness helps students advocate for themselves, build healthier relationships, and navigate social situations with confidence and respect. It empowers them to use their voice effectively.

Audience

Youth

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, role-playing, and guided practice.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Assertiveness Slide Deck, What Would You Do? Warm Up, Assertiveness Discussion Prompts, Role-Play Activity Cards, Assertiveness Scenario Game, Assertiveness Skills Worksheet, Assertiveness Quiz, Assertiveness Quiz Answer Key, and Assertiveness Cool Down

Prep

Review Materials

10 minutes

Review the Assertiveness Slide Deck, Assertiveness Discussion Prompts, Role-Play Activity Cards, Assertiveness Scenario Game, Assertiveness Skills Worksheet, Assertiveness Quiz, and Assertiveness Quiz Answer Key.
- Prepare whiteboard or projector for slides.
- Print copies of the What Would You Do? Warm Up (1 per student), Assertiveness Skills Worksheet (1 per student), and Assertiveness Quiz (1 per student).
- Cut out Role-Play Activity Cards and Assertiveness Scenario Game cards if needed.

Step 1

Warm Up: What Would You Do?

5 minutes

Distribute the What Would You Do? Warm Up to each student.
- Instruct students to silently reflect and write their responses.
- Briefly discuss a few anonymous examples, setting the stage for the lesson.

Step 2

Introduction to Assertiveness

7 minutes

Use the Assertiveness Slide Deck to introduce the concepts of passive, aggressive, and assertive communication.
- Define each style clearly, using examples provided in the slides.
- Facilitate a brief discussion using Assertiveness Discussion Prompts to check for initial understanding.

Step 3

Understanding the Styles

8 minutes

Divide students into small groups for the Role-Play Activity Cards.
- Each group will act out scenarios demonstrating passive, aggressive, and assertive responses.
- Circulate to provide support and guidance. After, bring the class back together and have a few groups share their role-plays and discuss the differences they observed.

Step 4

Applying Assertiveness Skills

5 minutes

Introduce the Assertiveness Scenario Game as a quick way to apply their learning.
- Present scenarios and have students identify the best assertive response or categorize responses as passive, aggressive, or assertive.
- Distribute the Assertiveness Skills Worksheet for individual practice as homework or if time permits.

Step 5

Wrap-Up and Assessment

5 minutes

Administer the Assertiveness Quiz to assess understanding.
- Collect quizzes and provide the Assertiveness Quiz Answer Key for self-correction if appropriate.
- Conclude with the Assertiveness Cool Down to encourage reflection on what was learned and how they might apply it.

Slide Deck

Assertiveness: Your Voice, Your Power!

How do you speak up for yourself?

Welcome students and introduce the topic of communication styles. Start by asking them what comes to mind when they hear the word 'assertive.'

Communicating Effectively

Understanding different communication styles

Explain that today we'll explore different ways people communicate and learn how to use our voices effectively.

Passive Communication

What it looks like:

Not speaking up when something bothers you
Letting others make decisions for you
Avoiding eye contact
Soft voice

The impact:

Feelings of resentment
Others might take advantage of you
Your needs aren't met

Introduce the passive communication style. Emphasize that passive individuals often avoid conflict and may let others make decisions for them.

Aggressive Communication

What it looks like:

Demanding your way
Using put-downs or name-calling
Loud voice, glaring
Interrupting others

The impact:

Hurts others' feelings
Damages relationships
People might avoid you
Doesn't solve problems peacefully

Introduce the aggressive communication style. Highlight that aggressive individuals prioritize their own needs at the expense of others, often using harsh language or actions.

Assertive Communication

What it looks like:

Standing up for yourself calmly and firmly
Respecting others' rights and feelings
Clear, steady voice
Good eye contact
Using "I" statements (e.g., "I feel...", "I need...")

The impact:

Your needs are heard
Problems can be solved fairly
Builds respect in relationships
You feel more confident

Now, introduce the assertive communication style. Stress that assertiveness is about expressing your needs and feelings clearly and respectfully, without being passive or aggressive.

Putting Assertiveness into Practice

Examples of Assertive Statements:

"I understand you want me to help, but I need to finish my homework first."
"I feel frustrated when you interrupt me. Please let me finish speaking."
"I need more time to think about this before I give you an answer."
"I'm not comfortable with that activity. I'd prefer to do something else."

Provide examples of assertive statements. Ask students if they can think of situations where these statements would be helpful.

Time to Practice!

Let's try out these communication styles.

Today, you'll practice being assertive in different situations.

Transition to the activity where students will practice identifying and using assertive communication. Explain the role-play activity.

Your Voice, Your Power!

Remember:

Being assertive means being confident and respectful.
It's okay to say no.
Your feelings and needs matter!

How will you use your assertive voice this week?

Briefly recap the main points and encourage students to think about how they can use assertiveness in their daily lives.

Script

Assertiveness: Your Voice, Your Power! Script

Warm Up: What Would You Do? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Let's start with a quick warm-up. I've handed out a sheet called What Would You Do? Warm Up. I want you to silently read the prompt and write down your honest thoughts or a brief description of how you might react in that situation. Take about 2-3 minutes for this."

Pause for students to write.

Teacher: "Alright, pencils down. Now, without sharing specific situations, can anyone tell me generally how they felt when they thought about those moments? Did you speak up? Did you stay quiet? There's no right or wrong answer here, just sharing experiences."

Facilitate a brief discussion, encouraging students to share general feelings or reactions.

Introduction to Assertiveness (7 minutes)

Teacher: "Thank you for sharing. Today, we're going to talk about how we communicate, especially when it comes to standing up for ourselves. We're going to explore what it means to be 'assertive.'"

(Advance to Slide 1: Assertiveness: Your Voice, Your Power! - Title Slide)

Teacher: "Take a look at this title: 'Assertiveness: Your Voice, Your Power!' What does that title make you think of? What does it mean to have your voice, and to have power, when you're communicating?"

(Allow a few student responses.)

Teacher: "Excellent ideas! Being assertive is about using your voice in a way that shows your power – the power to express yourself respectfully. Let's dig deeper."

(Advance to Slide 2: Communicating Effectively)

Teacher: "We all communicate in different ways, and sometimes, our communication style can either help us or hurt us. Today, we'll look at three main styles: passive, aggressive, and assertive."

(Advance to Slide 3: Passive Communication)

Teacher: "First up is passive communication. When someone communicates passively, they often don't usually react when something bothers them. They might give in and not say anything when they are forced to do something they do not want to do. They might avoid eye contact or speak very softly. Has anyone ever felt like this, or seen someone communicate this way?"

(Allow a few student responses. Emphasize that it's common to feel passive sometimes.)

Teacher: "The impact of being passive is that often, it means letting people take advantage of you by not standing up for yourself. Your needs might not get met, and you might feel resentful."

(Advance to Slide 4: Aggressive Communication)

Teacher: "On the other end of the spectrum is aggressive communication. People who are aggressive stand up for themselves, but they step on others' rights in the process. They might use put-downs, name-calling, or even violence to get their way. Their voice might be loud, or they might glare."

(Allow a few student responses, reminding students to keep examples general and respectful.)

Teacher: "Often, being aggressive means standing up for yourself in a forceful way that disregards the rights, feelings, or beliefs of others. This can hurt relationships and doesn't usually solve problems peacefully."

(Advance to Slide 5: Assertive Communication)

Teacher: "Now, let's talk about the 'sweet spot' – assertive communication. Being assertive means being able to stand up for yourself calmly and firmly. You act in a strong and firm manner while remaining polite. You respect others' rights and feelings, maintain good eye contact, and use a clear, steady voice. A key tool here are 'I' statements, like 'I feel...' or 'I need...'"

(Allow a few student responses.)

Teacher: "The impact of assertive communication is powerful. Your needs are heard, problems can be solved fairly, it builds respect in relationships, and you feel more confident!"

(Advance to Slide 6: Putting Assertiveness into Practice)

Teacher: "Here are some examples of assertive statements. Let's read them together. Can you see how these statements clearly express a need or a feeling without being mean or backing down?"

Use Assertiveness Discussion Prompts to facilitate a brief discussion.

Understanding the Styles: Role-Play Activity (8 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 7: Time to Practice!)

Teacher: "Now it's your turn to practice! I'm going to divide you into small groups. Each group will receive some Role-Play Activity Cards. You'll pick a card and act out how someone might respond in that situation using each of the three communication styles: passive, aggressive, and assertive. We want to see the difference!"

Divide students into groups and distribute cards. Circulate to assist.

Teacher: "After a few minutes, we'll come back together and have some groups share their role-plays. Pay attention to how each style feels and looks."

After 5 minutes, bring the class back together.

Teacher: "Who would like to share one of their scenarios and demonstrate the three different communication styles?"

Facilitate sharing and discussion, emphasizing the observable differences.

Applying Assertiveness Skills (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Great job with the role-plays! It really helps to see these styles in action. Now, let's play a quick game. I have some Assertiveness Scenario Game cards. I'll read a scenario, and you'll quickly tell me if the response is passive, aggressive, or assertive, or how you would respond assertively."

Play the game for about 2-3 minutes, keeping it brisk.

Teacher: "Excellent participation! To help you practice more, I'm handing out the Assertiveness Skills Worksheet. This will be your homework, or you can start it now if we have time. It has more scenarios for you to practice identifying and writing assertive responses."

Distribute worksheets.

Wrap-Up and Assessment (5 minutes)

Teacher: "To see what you've learned today, please complete this short Assertiveness Quiz. Do your best, and remember what we discussed about using your voice!"

Distribute and collect quizzes. If time allows, go over answers using the Assertiveness Quiz Answer Key.

Teacher: "Finally, for our cool-down, please take a moment to complete the Assertiveness Cool Down activity. Think about one thing you learned today and how you can use your assertive voice this week."

(Advance to Slide 8: Your Voice, Your Power! - Concluding Slide)

Teacher: "Remember, being assertive is a powerful skill. It means being confident and respectful, knowing it's okay to say no, and understanding that your feelings and needs matter. Keep practicing, and use your voice wisely!"

Discussion

Assertiveness Discussion Prompts

Introduction to Assertiveness

What does the word "assertive" mean to you?
Can you think of a time when someone was very passive? What happened?
Can you think of a time when someone was very aggressive? What happened?
Why might it be hard for some people to be assertive?

Putting Assertiveness into Practice

Look at the example assertive statements. Which one resonates with you the most and why?
What are some situations at school or home where being assertive would be helpful?
Why is it important to use "I" statements when being assertive?
How can you tell the difference between being assertive and being aggressive?
What are the benefits of being an assertive communicator?

Activity

Aggressive Response:

Assertive Response:

Game

Assertiveness Scenario Game

Instructions: The teacher will read a scenario. Decide if the response is Passive, Aggressive, or Assertive, or suggest an assertive response.