Speak Up, Be Heard! Script

Warm-Up: What Do You Need? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! To start our lesson today, I want you to think about this question: Have you ever really needed something, but it felt hard to ask for it? Maybe you needed a drink of water, or help with a tricky problem, or even just a quieter place to work. What happened? Take a moment to think about it. You don't have to share out loud yet, just think about a time like that."

(Pause for students to reflect. Observe for understanding and engagement.)

Teacher: "It's common to feel that way sometimes. Today, we're going to talk about how important it is to 'speak up' for what you need or want in a helpful way. Our lesson is all about learning to ask for what you need or want, so you can feel more comfortable and successful in class and at home."

(Transition to Speak Up, Be Heard! Slide Deck - Slide 1 & 2)

Introduction to Self-Advocacy (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Let's look at our first slide. It introduces a very important phrase: Self-Advocacy."

(Display Speak Up, Be Heard! Slide Deck - Slide 3)

Teacher: "Self-advocacy means speaking up for yourself. It means telling others what you need or want, and explaining how you feel. It's like being your own best helper! For example, if you're working on something and you don't understand, saying 'I don't understand, can you please explain it again?' is self-advocacy. If you feel overwhelmed, saying 'I need a break' is self-advocacy. These are simple ways we can speak up for ourselves."

Teacher: "Now, let's think about why this is important. Why do you think it's a good idea to speak up for yourself? Take a minute to turn and talk to a partner about this."

(Display Speak Up, Be Heard! Slide Deck - Slide 4. Listen to student responses and facilitate a brief whole-class discussion, highlighting key reasons like getting help, being understood, and feeling better.)

Teacher: "Great ideas! It helps others understand us, it helps us get what we need, and it can make us feel more comfortable and confident. So, if we're speaking up, who are some people we can advocate to? Who can you talk to when you need to speak up for yourself?"

(Display Speak Up, Be Heard! Slide Deck - Slide 5. Allow students to share ideas. Reinforce that trusted adults like teachers, parents, and guardians are excellent people to advocate to.)

Practice Scenarios Activity (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Excellent! Now that we know what self-advocacy is and why it's important, let's practice! I'm going to hand out an Advocacy Scenarios Activity. You'll work with a partner or in small groups. Each group will get a few scenarios. Your job is to read the scenario and discuss how you would 'speak up' for yourself in that situation. Think about the phrases we just saw on the slides."

(Distribute Advocacy Scenarios Activity. Display Speak Up, Be Heard! Slide Deck - Slide 6 & 7 as a reference. Circulate and support groups, prompting with questions like 'How could you say that kindly?' or 'What do you really need in this situation?')

Teacher: "Remember to use clear and calm voices. It's not about being demanding, but about clearly stating your needs."

My Advocacy Plan Worksheet (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Fantastic work everyone! It sounds like you're getting the hang of identifying your needs and thinking about how to express them. Now, let's make it personal. I have a My Advocacy Plan Worksheet for you."

(Distribute My Advocacy Plan Worksheet. Display Speak Up, Be Heard! Slide Deck - Slide 8)

Teacher: "On this worksheet, I want you to think about one thing you might need to advocate for, either here at school or at home. Maybe you need a specific type of help in class, or perhaps you need some quiet time at home. Write down what you need, how you will ask for it, and who you will ask. You can use some of the sentence starters we practiced, like 'I need...', 'Could you please...', or 'When...'. This is your plan to speak up!"

(Circulate, offer assistance, and clarify if needed.)

Cool Down: My Advocacy Meter (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Alright, let's wrap up our lesson on self-advocacy. You've all done a wonderful job thinking about how to speak up for yourselves."

(Display Speak Up, Be Heard! Slide Deck - Slide 9)

Teacher: "Looking at our 'Advocacy Meter' slide, on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being 'not confident at all' and 5 being 'very confident', how do you feel about advocating for yourself now? You can show me with your fingers, or just think about your number."

(Observe student responses.)

Teacher: "Great! And before we finish, can a few volunteers share one big idea or something new they learned about self-advocacy today? What's one thing you'll remember?"

(Call on a few students to share. Thank them for their participation.)

Teacher: "Remember, speaking up for yourself is a powerful skill. Keep practicing, and know that your voice matters!"

Advocacy Scenarios Activity

Instructions: Work with a partner or in a small group. Read each scenario and discuss how you would use self-advocacy to speak up for your needs. Be ready to share your ideas with the class!

Scenario 1: Too Loud!

You are trying to read a book in class, but the students at the next table are talking very loudly. You are having trouble concentrating.

How would you advocate for yourself? What would you say?

Scenario 2: Unclear Instructions

Your teacher just gave instructions for an assignment, but you didn't quite understand what to do for step number two. You're feeling a bit confused.

How would you advocate for yourself? What would you say?

Scenario 3: Need a Break

You've been working on a challenging math problem for a while and you feel your brain needs a short rest before you can continue. You feel a bit overwhelmed.

How would you advocate for yourself? What would you say?

Scenario 4: Want to Play

You are at recess, and you see a group of friends playing a game you really want to join. You're not sure how to ask to play.

How would you advocate for yourself? What would you say?

Scenario 5: Food Preferences

At home, your family is having dinner, but there's a food on your plate that you really dislike and find difficult to eat. You don't want to be rude, but you also don't want to eat it.

How would you advocate for yourself? What would you say to your parent or guardian?

My Advocacy Plan Worksheet

Instructions: Think about one thing you might need to speak up for at school or at home. Fill in the boxes below to create your personal advocacy plan!

What do I need or want to ask for?

(Think about a specific situation. Do you need help with a subject? A quieter space? More time to finish something?)

How will I ask for it?

(Write down the exact words you might use. Remember our helpful phrases!)

Example: "I need help with this math problem."

Who will I ask?

(Will you ask your teacher, a parent, a friend, or another trusted adult?)

Cool Down: My Advocacy Meter

Instructions: Reflect on today's lesson about self-advocacy. How confident do you feel about speaking up for yourself now?

Circle the number that best describes how you feel:

1 - Not confident at all

2 - A little confident

3 - Somewhat confident

4 - Pretty confident

5 - Very confident!

Why did you choose that number?

What is one new thing you learned about self-advocacy today?