Counselor Conversation Prompts

Below is a word-for-word script for the counselor (teacher) to lead a brief role-play with the student and parent. Follow each line, pause when indicated, and encourage the family to speak aloud and adapt the language to their own names and context.

Section 1: Scheduling an Appointment (7 minutes)

Teacher: "Okay, let’s practice scheduling an appointment at the Community Health Clinic. I’ll be the receptionist, and you’ll be the caller. First, say:

“Hello, my name is [Parent Name], and I’m calling to schedule an appointment for my child, [Student Name]. Could you please tell me which documents I need to bring?”

Pause to let the parent practice.

Teacher (as Receptionist): “Sure. You’ll need to bring a photo ID, proof of income, and immunization records. We have an opening tomorrow at 10 a.m. Does that work for you?”

Pause for the parent to respond. Guide them if needed to say something like:

“Thank you—that works perfectly. Could you also let me know which entrance I should use when I arrive?”

Praise effort and offer gentle correction if needed.

Section 2: Clarifying Program Deadlines (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Now let’s practice asking about application deadlines. Say:

‘Hello, I’m calling about the After-School Tutoring Program. Could you tell me what the deadline is to submit my application?’

Pause to let the student or parent practice.

Teacher (as Program Coordinator): “Applications are due two weeks before the end of the semester.”

Teacher: “Now you try responding with a follow-up question, such as:

‘Great—thank you. Is there any additional paperwork I should prepare in advance?’”

Pause and coach as needed.

Section 3: Verifying Your Understanding (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Once you have the information, it’s important to confirm. Say:

‘Just to confirm, I’ll submit my application by [date], include my referral form and recent grades, and drop it off at the main office. Is that correct?’

Pause for practice. Then summarize:

Teacher: “Excellent. You used clear steps and dates. That helps you avoid surprises.”

Section 4: Handling No Answer or Busy Line (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Sometimes lines are busy or no one answers. In that case, leave this voicemail:

‘Hello, this is [Your Name]. I’m calling to schedule an appointment for my child. Please call me back at [your phone number]. Thank you!’

Pause. Then ask:

Teacher: “How would you feel leaving that message? Let’s practice one more time.”

Practice and reassure confidence.

Section 5: Closing & Confidence Check (3 minutes)

Teacher: “You did a great job today. On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel about making these calls on your own?”

Listen to their response.

Teacher: “If you said less than 4, which part would you like to review one more time?”

Quickly revisit any tricky part. Then wrap up:

Teacher: “Fantastic. Next time, we’ll use these same prompts to reach out to [next resource]. You’re building real skills for navigating services—keep it up!”


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Customized Support Timeline

Instructions:

1. Identify 3–5 action steps your family will take next.
2. For each step, specify who is responsible (Student, Parent, Counselor).
3. Set a realistic due date for each step.
4. Define clear checkpoint criteria to know when the step is complete.

Add more rows as needed.

Follow-Up Success Criteria Rubric

Use this rubric to assess the family’s follow-up actions after the session. Circle the score that best reflects their performance for each criterion.

Scoring Guide:
• 16–14 pts: Exemplary follow-through and engagement.
• 13–10 pts: Solid performance; minor areas for growth.
• 9–6 pts: Inconsistent follow-up; needs more support.
• ≤5 pts: Significant gaps; revise plan and increase check-ins.

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