Mirror Me Listening

Objective: Practice aligning nonverbal cues with verbal messages through mirroring exercises to enhance empathy and awareness.

Materials Needed:

• List of prompts or conversation starters (e.g., “Describe your favorite hobby,” “Tell me about your last weekend,” “Share an opinion on a current event”)
• Timer (stopwatch or phone)

Total Time: 10 minutes

Instructions

1. Introduction (1 minute)
   • Explain the purpose: to align nonverbal signals (tone, posture, gestures) with spoken words and build empathy through reflection.
   • Describe roles: one person is the speaker, the other is the mirror.
2. Round 1: Teacher Speaks, Student Mirrors (2 minutes)
   • Teacher selects a prompt and speaks naturally for 30 seconds, using clear tone, posture, and gestures.
   • Student mirrors the speaker’s words, tone, facial expressions, and posture for 30 seconds.
   • Debrief (1 minute):
     • What nonverbal cues did you notice?
     • How accurate did the mirroring feel?
3. Round 2: Student Speaks, Teacher Mirrors (2 minutes)
   • Student picks a new prompt or the teacher assigns one.
   • Student speaks for 30 seconds with deliberate nonverbal cues.
   • Teacher mirrors the student’s tone, posture, and gestures for 30 seconds.
   • Debrief (1 minute):
     • How did it feel to be mirrored?
     • Which cues were hardest to copy?
4. Round 3: Swap and Challenge (2 minutes)
   • Choose another prompt or allow free choice.
   • Conduct one more full mirror cycle: speaker (30 sec) → mirror (30 sec).
   • Debrief (1 minute):
     • What improvements did you notice compared to earlier rounds?
5. Reflection & Next Steps (3 minutes)
   • Discuss as a pair:
     1. Which role (speaker or mirror) was easier? Why?
     2. What nonverbal cue was most challenging to project or replicate?
     3. How can you use mirroring in everyday conversations to build rapport?
   • Encourage the student to set one personal goal for practicing mirroring in the coming week.

Up Next: Move on to the Reflective Listening Log to journal your insights and areas for growth.

Reflective Listening Log

Use this journal to capture your insights from the Mirror Me Listening exercise and set goals for improving your nonverbal communication.

1. What nonverbal cues did you notice in yourself and your partner?

2. How did it feel to have your nonverbal cues mirrored? What did you learn about how your body language is perceived by others?

3. Which nonverbal cue was most challenging to replicate or interpret? Why?

4. Based on today’s practice, what specific goal will you set to improve your nonverbal communication in your next conversation? (Use the SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.)

5. How will you track your progress toward this goal?

When you’re finished, review your reflections with your teacher and plan your next steps for building empathetic listening skills.

One-Minute Feedback

Teacher Feedback

• What went well in today’s session?

• One suggestion to improve next time:

Student Reflection

1. One key insight I gained today:

1. My personal goal for applying this skill before our next meeting:

Session Script

1. Introduction and Objectives (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Hi [Student Name], welcome! Over the next 40 minutes, we’re going to focus on two skills that help us connect more deeply with others: active listening and nonverbal communication. These skills build empathy and trust in any relationship."

Teacher: "Here’s our roadmap, which you can see in the Nonverbal Signals Unpacked slide deck:

1. Explore nonverbal signals
2. Practice mirroring in Mirror Me Listening
3. Journal insights in your Reflective Listening Log
4. Wrap up with One-Minute Feedback and set a SMART goal

Does that plan make sense?"

Teacher: "Great—let’s dive in!"

2. Explore Nonverbal Signals (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Let’s start by understanding the types of nonverbal signals we give and receive. Please navigate to the slide titled What Are Nonverbal Signals?"

Teacher: "We communicate through our facial expressions, eye contact, posture & gestures, and tone of voice. Think of a time you knew how someone felt without them saying a word. What happened?"

[Pause for student response]

Teacher: "Thank you. Now, on the Facial Expressions slide, you see four faces showing joy, anger, surprise, and sadness. What emotion do you think this first face shows?"
[Wait]
Teacher: "Exactly—joy! Now, please mimic that expression. Notice how your eyebrows lift and your mouth curves."

Teacher: "Next is Eye Contact. Strong eye contact can show confidence; too little can feel evasive. Try this: maintain gentle eye contact with me for 10 seconds and say, ‘I’m really listening to you.’ Ready?"

[Timer for 10 seconds]

Teacher: "Nice work. How did that feel?"

Teacher: "On to Posture & Gestures. Open posture—shoulders back, arms uncrossed—signals approachability. Show me an open posture, then switch to a closed posture by crossing your arms. What differences do you notice?"

Teacher: "Finally, Tone of Voice & Pace. Listen to me say, ‘I can’t believe you did that,’ softly, then with a sarcastic edge. How did the meaning change?"

Teacher: "Great observations. These subtle cues can completely change our message."

3. Mirror Me Listening Exercise (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Now we’ll practice what we’ve learned in the Mirror Me Listening activity. The goal is to match words, tone, and body language to build empathy."

Teacher: "Round 1: I’ll speak for 30 seconds on this prompt: ‘Describe your favorite hobby and why you enjoy it.’ Listen to my words, tone, and posture."

[Teacher speaks for 30 seconds with clear tone, posture, gestures.]

Teacher: "Your turn—mirror my exact words, tone, facial expressions, and posture for 30 seconds."

[Student mirrors for 30 seconds.]

Teacher: "What nonverbal cues did you notice? How accurate did the mirroring feel?"

Teacher: "Round 2: Now you speak. Choose a prompt or use: ‘Tell me about a recent weekend activity.’ I’ll mirror you for 30 seconds. Go ahead."

[Student speaks; teacher mirrors; then debrief.]

Teacher: "How did it feel to be mirrored? Which cues were hardest to copy?"

Teacher: "Round 3: One more cycle—pick any topic you like and let’s see how our mirroring has improved."

[Conduct final cycle; debrief improvements.]

Teacher: "Great! We’re ready to capture our insights."

4. Reflective Listening Log (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Please open your Reflective Listening Log. I’ll give you two minutes per question. Take your time and write honestly."

Teacher: "Question 1: What nonverbal cues did you notice in yourself and in me? Begin now."
[2-minute timer]

Teacher: "Question 2: How did it feel to have your cues mirrored? What did you learn about how your body language is perceived?"
[2-minute timer]

Teacher: "Question 3: Which nonverbal cue was most challenging to replicate or interpret? Why?"
[2-minute timer]

Teacher: "Question 4: Based on today’s practice, set one SMART goal to improve your nonverbal communication in your next conversation."
[2-minute timer]

Teacher: "Question 5: How will you track your progress toward this goal?"
[2-minute timer]

Teacher: "Thank you for journaling. Let’s quickly review your answers to Question 1 and your SMART goal from Question 4."
[Brief discussion]

5. One-Minute Feedback Cool-down (5 minutes)

Teacher: "We’re almost done. Let’s use our One-Minute Feedback form. First, here’s my feedback:"

Teacher: "- What went well today: ________________________________________"
Teacher: "- One suggestion for next time: __________________________________"

Teacher: "Now it’s your turn. On the student section, write:

1. One key insight you gained today
2. Your personal goal for applying this skill before our next meeting"

[Pause for student writing]

Teacher: "Great work! Finally, let’s refine your SMART goal together. What will you focus on, and how will you measure success?"

Teacher: "You did fantastic work today. Keep practicing these skills in your day-to-day conversations, and I look forward to hearing about your progress next time!"

Quick Exit Ticket

1. One key insight I’m taking away today: