Conversation Starters: Warm-Up

Think about a recent casual conversation you had. It could be with a friend, family member, or even someone at school.

Answer the following questions:

1. Who were you talking to?
   
   
   
   
2. What was the conversation about?
   
   
   
   
3. What was one thing that made the conversation feel easy or natural?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. What was one thing that might have made it difficult or awkward (even if just a little bit)?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Be prepared to share one or two of your thoughts with the class!

Social Cues Worksheet: Reading the Room

Instructions: Read each scenario below. In your group, discuss the social cues being shown (both verbal and nonverbal) and what those cues might mean. Then, decide how you could respond effectively to improve the communication.

Scenario 1: The Distracted Study Partner

You and your partner are supposed to be studying for a test. Your partner keeps tapping their pen loudly, looking out the window, and every time you ask a question, they shrug and say, "Yeah, I guess." Their body is turned away from you.

1. What social cues are being displayed? (Think about nonverbal and verbal cues)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What might your partner be feeling or thinking based on these cues?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. How could you respond to your partner to encourage better engagement or understand their feelings?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 2: The Enthusiastic Storyteller

Your friend is telling you an exciting story about their weekend. They are speaking quickly, their eyes are wide, and their hands are moving a lot as they describe what happened. They keep leaning closer to you as they talk.

1. What social cues are being displayed? (Think about nonverbal and verbal cues)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What might your friend be feeling or thinking based on these cues?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. How could you respond to your friend to show you are listening and engaged?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 3: The Confused Newcomer

There's a new student in your class. During a group activity, they are quiet, have their arms crossed, and keep glancing at the clock. When someone asks if they understand the instructions, they nod quickly but don't say anything.

1. What social cues are being displayed? (Think about nonverbal and verbal cues)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What might the new student be feeling or thinking based on these cues?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. How could you respond to the new student to make them feel more comfortable or help them participate?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Role-Play Practice: Put Your Skills to the Test!

Instructions:

1. With your partner or small group, choose ONE of the scenarios you just discussed on the Social Cues Worksheet.
2. Assign roles: one person will be the character showing the social cues, and another will be the person responding.
3. Role-play the scenario! Act out the situation and practice the effective response you discussed. Focus on:
   • Recognizing the nonverbal and verbal cues.
   • Using appropriate tone of voice and body language when responding.
   • Trying to understand the other person's feelings.
4. After the first role-play, switch roles and try the same scenario or a different one if time allows.

Be ready to share one observation about what it felt like to give or receive the responses!

One-Minute Reflection: Cool-Down

Take one minute to reflect on today's lesson. On a piece of paper or in your notebook, quickly answer one or both of the following questions:

1. What is one new thing you learned about social cues or conversation today?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What is one way you plan to use your new social signal decoding skills this week?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Decoding Social Signals: Teacher Script

Warm-Up: Conversation Starters (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Let's start by thinking about something we all do every day: have conversations. I want you to quickly reflect on a recent casual conversation you had. Who was it with? What was it about? And most importantly, what made it feel easy or natural, or perhaps a little difficult or awkward? Take about two minutes to jot down some quick thoughts on your Conversation Starters Warm-Up worksheet."

(Allow 2 minutes for students to write.)

Teacher: "Alright, who would like to share one or two thoughts? What made a conversation easy or difficult recently?"

(Facilitate a brief class share-out. Acknowledge various responses and connect them to communication.)

Introduction: What are Social Cues? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Great insights! Often, what makes a conversation easy or difficult isn't just the words we say, but all the other signals we send. Today, we're going to become 'social signal decoders' and learn how to understand these unspoken messages, also known as social cues."

(Advance to Decoding Social Signals Slide Deck - Slide 2)

Teacher: "So, what are social cues? They are the hints or signals people send during conversations. Think of them as clues that tell you how someone is really feeling or what they might be thinking, even if they're not saying it directly. They help us understand the 'hidden' meaning in interactions. Has anyone ever felt like someone was saying one thing, but their body language was saying another?"

(Allow for a few quick student responses.)

Teacher: "Social cues come in two main types: nonverbal and verbal."

(Advance to Decoding Social Signals Slide Deck - Slide 3)

Teacher: "Nonverbal cues are all about body language. These are the signals you send without using any words. For example:

• Facial Expressions: Is someone smiling, frowning, confused, or looking bored? These tell us a lot.
• Eye Contact: Are they looking at you, avoiding your gaze, or constantly looking around? This can show engagement or discomfort.
• Body Posture: Are their arms crossed (closed off), open (welcoming), leaning in (interested), or slouched (disengaged)?
• Gestures: Are their hands moving a lot when they talk, are they nodding along, or are they fidgeting nervously?
• Personal Space: How close or far does someone stand? This can signal comfort levels."

Teacher: "Can someone show me what it looks like if you're really interested in something? How about if you're bored?"

(Have students briefly demonstrate examples.)

(Advance to Decoding Social Signals Slide Deck - Slide 4)

Teacher: "Now for Verbal Cues. These are related to the words we use, but it's how we say them. It's not just the vocabulary:

• Tone of Voice: Is it friendly, annoyed, excited, or serious? The same words can mean very different things with a different tone.
• Volume: Are they speaking loudly, softly, or whispering? This can indicate confidence, shyness, or urgency.
• Pacing: Are they speaking fast, slow, or are there many pauses? Fast talking might mean excitement, slow might mean thoughtfulness.
• Word Choice: Do they use formal language, casual slang, or specific vocabulary? This tells you about their comfort level and personality.
• Silence/Pauses: Is there a hesitation, are they thinking, or is the silence due to discomfort?"

Teacher: "How do you know if someone is interested in talking to you? What kind of cues would you look for?"

(Allow for a few student responses.)

Activity: Reading the Room (7 minutes)

Teacher: "Great! Now that we know what to look for, let's put our detective hats on. I'm going to give you a worksheet called Social Cues Worksheet. You'll work in pairs or small groups to read through a few scenarios. For each one, your task is to:

1. Identify the social cues being shown (both nonverbal and verbal).
2. Figure out what the person might be feeling or thinking.
3. Discuss how you could respond effectively to improve the communication."

*(Distribute the Social Cues Worksheet.)

Teacher: "You'll have about 7 minutes for this activity. I'll be walking around to listen in and help if you get stuck. Go ahead and start with Scenario 1."

(Circulate, listen to discussions, and provide guidance as needed.)

Activity: Role-Play a Response (8 minutes)

Teacher: "Excellent job discussing those scenarios! Now, let's take it a step further and actually practice our responses. I'm going to introduce the Role-Play Practice Activity. In your pairs or small groups, I want you to choose one of the scenarios you just worked on from your worksheet. One of you will act as the person showing the cues, and the other will practice responding effectively. Remember to really focus on those social cues and how your response changes based on them."

(Allow 7 minutes for students to engage in role-play. Circulate, observe, and offer brief coaching on their interactions.)

Teacher: "Alright, bring it back in 1 minute. Try to wrap up your current role-play!"

Share Out & Discussion (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Let's hear what that was like! Who would like to share one observation from their role-play experience? What did it feel like to be the person responding, or the person showing the cues? What did you learn by acting it out?"

(Call on a few groups to share their reflections on the role-play. Emphasize how practicing responses makes communication easier in real life.)

Teacher: "Why is it important to pay attention to these cues in real life?"

(Encourage responses that highlight building better relationships, avoiding misunderstandings, and showing empathy.)

Cool-Down: One-Minute Reflection (2 minutes)

Teacher: "Excellent job today, social signal decoders! To wrap up, I'd like everyone to take one minute for a quick reflection on our One-Minute Reflection Cool-Down worksheet or in your notebook. Think about either one new thing you learned today OR one way you plan to use your new social signal decoding skills this week. No need to share out, just for your own thoughts."

(Allow 1 minute for reflection. Collect materials as needed.)

Teacher: "Thanks everyone! Remember to keep practicing your decoding skills in your conversations this week!"