Facilitator’s Conversation Prompts

Below is a word-for-word script you can follow at each stage. Feel free to adjust names of volunteers as needed.

1. Introduction & Hook (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Good morning, everyone! Today we’re going to learn how to ‘talk it out’ when we have disagreements. By using simple steps, we can show respect, solve problems, and keep our friendships strong.”


Teacher: “I want you to think for a moment: How do you feel when someone doesn’t really listen to you?”
(Wait for a few hands.)


Teacher: “Who can share a quick example of a disagreement you’ve had, maybe with a friend or a sibling?”

• Follow-up prompts:
– “That sounds frustrating—thank you for sharing!”
– “What did you wish had happened in that moment?”
 
 

2. Teaching Active Listening Demo (10 minutes)

Teacher: “Active listening is one of our superpowers for good conversations. It means paying full attention with your eyes, your body, and your heart.”


Teacher: “Let’s look at the Active Listening Skills slide on Steps to Respectful Dialogue. Notice the actions: eye contact, nodding, paraphrasing, and asking questions like ‘Can you tell me more?’.”


Teacher: “I need two volunteers. One will share a short story, and the other will practice active listening. Who wants to try?”

• (Call up Student A and Student B.)


Teacher: “Student A, please tell us a quick story about something that made you upset or excited today—just one or two sentences.”

• (Listen.)
Teacher: “Great! Now, Student B, practice active listening: look at Student A, give a nod or say ‘uh-huh,’ then paraphrase what you heard. You can start with, ‘So you feel…’ and finish with, ‘…because…’ When you’re done, you can ask, ‘Can you tell me more about…?’”


• (After Student B responds.)
Teacher: “Excellent! You said, ‘So you feel ___ because ___.’ That shows you were really paying attention. Thank you both—let’s give them a round of applause!”


Teacher: “Now, let’s switch roles. Student B will share, and Student A will listen.”

 
 

3. Modeling Respectful Dialogue (10 minutes)

Teacher: “Our next step is to use the four steps of respectful dialogue: Describe, Feelings, Needs, and Request. I’ll be Speaker 1, and [Student C] will be Speaker 2. Our scenario: borrowing a pencil case without asking.”


Teacher (Speaker 1):

1. “Step 1—Describe: ‘When you opened my pencil case and took my colored pencils without asking…’”
2. “Step 2—Feelings: ‘I feel upset and surprised…’”
3. “Step 3—Needs: ‘I need to know that my supplies will be returned when I ask.’”
4. “Step 4—Request: ‘Can you please ask me before borrowing my things?’”
   
   
   Teacher: “Thank you. Now, [Student C], you’re Speaker 2. Please use the same four steps to respond: describe what happened, express your feelings, share your needs, then make a request.”
   
   • (Guide Student C as needed—cue the steps if they get stuck.)
    
    

4. Debrief Observers (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Nice work! Now let’s notice how our steps helped. Turn to your partner and discuss one of these questions for 30 seconds:”

• “Which step helped the speaker share their feelings best?”
• “How did asking a clear request make the conversation better?”


(After 30 seconds, bring class back.)


Teacher: “Who would like to share what they discussed?”

• Follow-up prompts:
– “Great example—thank you!”
– “How do you think using these steps can help us tomorrow in class?”


Teacher: “You all did a fantastic job practicing active listening and respectful dialogue. Remember, when we follow these steps, we keep our classroom and friendships strong.”

Peer Listening Pairs Activity

Instructions:

1. Find your partner and decide who is Speaker (A) and who is Listener (B).
   
   
2. Speaker uses the Speaker Tasks column to practice respectful dialogue. Listener uses the Listener Tasks column to practice active listening.
3. After 3–4 minutes, switch roles and repeat with a new scenario.

Choose a Scenario

1. Your partner borrowed a book and returned it late without telling you.
   
   
2. Your friend switched teams in a game without asking.
   
   
3. Someone ate your snack from the lunch table.
   
   
4. Your classmate drew on your homework without permission.

Use the checklist to guide your role-play conversation. After each round, give each other one positive feedback and one suggestion for improvement.

Reflection Circle Guide

Setup: Arrange students in a circle so everyone can see one another. Explain that this is a time to share briefly and listen respectfully.

Directions:

1. Teacher reads each prompt aloud.
2. After each prompt, allow students a moment to think, then invite 2–3 volunteers to share one-sentence responses.
3. Encourage listening without interruptions.

Reflection Prompts:

1. What made you feel listened to today?
   
   
   
2. Which step of respectful dialogue was most helpful for you?
   
   
   
3. When might you use these active listening skills outside of class?
   
   
   
4. What is one new thing you learned about expressing your feelings or needs?
   
   
   
5. What can our class do tomorrow to keep practicing respectful conversations?
   
   
   

Closing Affirmation:

To end, lead the class in this chant together:

“I listened well.
I spoke with kindness.
We solve problems together!”

Repeat three times, growing a little louder each time to celebrate the skills we’ve practiced.