Activity: Active Listening Scenarios

Objective: Practice active listening skills by engaging in short conversations and providing constructive feedback.

Instructions:

1. Pair Up: Find a partner for this activity.
2. Assign Roles: Decide who will be "Speaker A" and who will be "Listener B" for the first round.
3. Scenario Time: Speaker A will choose one of the scenarios below and talk about it for 2-3 minutes. Listener B will practice active listening skills (nodding, eye contact, asking clarifying questions, summarizing).
4. Switch Roles: After 2-3 minutes, switch roles. Listener B becomes Speaker A (choose a new scenario or a different part of the same one), and Speaker A becomes Listener B.
5. Reflect: After both rounds, discuss the reflection questions with your partner.

Scenarios (Choose one to talk about for 2-3 minutes):

Scenario 1: Exciting News
Talk about something exciting that happened to you recently, or something you're looking forward to. It could be a new hobby, a trip, a game, or a school event.

Scenario 2: A Challenge
Describe a small challenge or problem you've faced recently (e.g., a tricky homework assignment, a disagreement with a friend, something that didn't go as planned). Explain how it made you feel.

Scenario 3: My Favorite Thing
Talk about your favorite movie, book, video game, or sport. Explain why you love it and what makes it special to you.

Listener B's Active Listening Checklist:

• Did you make eye contact?
• Did you nod or use other non-verbal cues to show you were engaged?
• Did you avoid interrupting?
• Did you ask clarifying questions (e.g., "What did you mean by...?" or "Can you tell me more about...?")?
• Did you try to summarize what the speaker said in your own words?

Reflection Questions (Discuss with your partner after both rounds):

1. For the Listener: What did it feel like to actively listen? Was it easy or difficult? Why?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. For the Speaker: What did it feel like to be listened to actively? How did it make you feel?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. What was one thing your partner did that showed they were really listening?
   
   
   
   

4. What is one active listening skill you want to practice more?
   
   
   
   

Worksheet: My Communication Toolkit

Name: ________________________

Objective: Practice using "I Feel" statements, empathy, and strategies for navigating challenging conversations.

Part 1: "I Feel" Statements Practice

Complete the following sentences using the "I feel [emotion] when [situation] because [reason]" formula.

1. Your friend borrowed your favorite pencil and didn't return it.
   I feel ____________________ when _________________________________________________________________ because ____________________________________________________________.
   
   
   
   

2. You worked really hard on a group project, but your ideas weren't considered.
   I feel ____________________ when _________________________________________________________________ because ____________________________________________________________.
   
   
   
   

3. Someone keeps talking over you when you're trying to share an idea.
   I feel ____________________ when _________________________________________________________________ because ____________________________________________________________.
   
   
   
   

Part 2: Empathy in Action

Read the scenarios below. How might the other person be feeling? What would you say to show you understand their perspective?

1. Your younger sibling is upset because their toy broke, and they are crying loudly.
   How might they be feeling?
   
   
   
   What could you say to show empathy?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. A classmate looks sad and is sitting alone during lunch after a tough test.
   How might they be feeling?
   
   
   
   What could you say to show empathy?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part 3: Navigating Tricky Talks

Imagine you and a friend both want to use the same book for a report, and there's only one copy in the library. How would you approach this conversation to find a solution?

1. Choose Your Moment: When and where would you talk to your friend?
   
   
   
   

2. Stay Calm: What would you do if you felt yourself getting frustrated?
   
   
   
   

3. Focus on the Problem (not the person): What would you say to your friend to explain the situation without blaming them?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Be Open to Solutions: What are some possible solutions you could suggest or discuss with your friend?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part 4: My Communication Goal

What is one communication skill you will try to practice more this week (e.g., active listening, using "I feel" statements, showing empathy)? Why is this important to you?

Discussion Prompts: Communication Challenges

Objective: Facilitate a meaningful group conversation about communication challenges and strategies for improvement.

Group Discussion Questions:

1. Think about a time when a conversation went really well. What do you think made it successful? What specific communication skills were used?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. On the flip side, when has a conversation gone poorly, or a message been misunderstood? What happened? How did it make you feel?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Why do you think active listening is so difficult sometimes? What are some common distractions that prevent us from truly listening?
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. When is it hardest to use "I feel" statements? How can practicing them help you in those difficult moments?
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Can you share an example (without naming names) of when showing empathy, or trying to understand someone else's perspective, helped improve a situation?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. What is one strategy from today's lesson that you think will be most helpful for you in your daily interactions? How do you plan to use it?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

7. How can we encourage others in our lives (friends, family, colleagues) to communicate more effectively?