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Unexpected Topics

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Latasha Williams

Tier 3
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Topic Twist Blueprint

Coach the student to recognize and smoothly respond to unexpected questions, using structured pivot strategies to build pragmatic flexibility and confidence.

Enhancing real-life communication skills helps the student adapt in social and academic settings, reducing anxiety when conversations take surprising turns.

Audience

8th Grade Student

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Model, practice, and reflect

Materials

Pivot Power Slides, Coach’s Guided Prompts, Topic Switch Drill, and Smooth Shift Planner

Prep

Review Materials

5 minutes

  • Review Pivot Power Slides and Coach’s Guided Prompts
  • Familiarize yourself with sample unexpected questions and transition strategies
  • Print the Smooth Shift Planner and prepare scenario cards for the Topic Switch Drill

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

3 minutes

  • Greet the student and introduce the session’s focus on surprise questions and topic shifts
  • Ask the student about an expected topic of conversation
  • Introduce an unexpected follow-up question and observe the student’s natural response

Step 2

Introduce Strategies

5 minutes

  • Present key pivot methods using the Pivot Power Slides
  • Explain three strategies: acknowledgment ("That’s interesting…"), bridging ("Speaking of…"), and redirection ("Before we move on…")
  • Provide a quick example of each in context

Step 3

Guided Practice with Prompts

5 minutes

  • Use the Coach’s Guided Prompts to role-play surprise questions
  • Student practices responding with each pivot strategy
  • Encourage use of the Smooth Shift Planner to sketch responses

Step 4

Topic Switch Drill

5 minutes

  • Run the Topic Switch Drill: present a scenario card with an unexpected question
  • Student uses the Smooth Shift Planner to formulate a smooth transition
  • Provide immediate, specific feedback on clarity and naturalness

Step 5

Reflection & Assessment

2 minutes

  • Ask the student which pivot strategy felt most comfortable
  • Note the student’s fluency and confidence
  • Identify one area for continued practice
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Slide Deck

Pivot Power: Mastering Smooth Topic Shifts

Individual Coaching Session
Learn how to pivot conversations with confidence!

Welcome the student to the Pivot Power session. Explain that today they will learn strategies to handle surprise questions and shift topics smoothly.

Objectives

  • Understand what conversation pivots are
  • Learn three pivot strategies
  • Apply strategies with practice

Review the objectives. Ensure the student knows what they will achieve by the end of the session.

Strategy 1: Acknowledgment

"That’s interesting…"
Use a brief acknowledgement to buy thinking time and validate the question.

Explain acknowledgment. Emphasize using these words to show interest and create a pause before adding more.

Strategy 2: Bridging

"Speaking of…"
Link the unexpected topic to something familiar to guide the conversation in a new direction.

Discuss bridging. Show how you can connect the surprise topic to a related subject to smoothly steer the chat.

Strategy 3: Redirection

"Before we move on…"
Politely close the current topic and signal a new direction for the discussion.

Cover redirection. Highlight how this strategy helps wrap up one topic before introducing another.

Pivot Strategy Examples

  • Acknowledgment: "That’s interesting… I never knew dolphins sleep with one eye open!"
  • Bridging: "Speaking of sleep, have you tried power naps during the day?"
  • Redirection: "Before we move on, can I finish my thought on our last topic?"

Go through each example. Ask the student to identify which strategy is used and why it works.

Practice Prompts

Use the Coach’s Guided Prompts to role-play unexpected questions such as:

  • "What’s your favorite dinosaur?"
  • "Why do you think clouds are white?"
  • "How would you survive on Mars?"

Introduce the Coach’s Guided Prompts. Encourage the student to try all three pivot strategies with these questions.

Summary & Next Steps

  • Review the three pivot strategies
  • Practice with the Topic Switch Drill
  • Plan responses on the Smooth Shift Planner

Summarize key points. Explain the upcoming drill and worksheet to reinforce the strategies.

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Script

Coach’s Guided Prompts

Teacher (T): Hi there! Today we’re going to practice handling surprise questions. I’ll give you an unexpected question, and you’ll try to respond using one of our pivot strategies: Acknowledgment, Bridging, or Redirection. Ready?

T: First, let’s warm up. Imagine someone asks you:

“What’s your favorite dinosaur?”

I’ll say it once, and then you take a moment to think. After you hear it, use an Acknowledgment phrase to buy some thinking time. For example, you might say, “That’s interesting…”

T (asks): “What’s your favorite dinosaur?”

Student (S): ____________


T: Great! Now, tell me which acknowledgment phrase you used and why you chose it.

T (follow-up prompt): “That’s interesting…” is a strong choice. Could you try again using a different pivot?

T: Next, let’s try Bridging. I’ll ask another surprise question, and you’ll start with “Speaking of…” to smoothly link it to something familiar.

T (asks): “Why do you think clouds are white?”

S: ____________





T: Well done! You said “Speaking of…” and then connected it to weather you’ve seen. Bridges help listeners follow your thought. What different topic could you link “white clouds” to?

T (follow-up prompt): Try bridging to something you recently learned in science class.

T: Finally, let’s practice Redirection. I’ll give you a third question, and you’ll start with “Before we move on…” to wrap up that topic and signal a shift.

T (asks): “How would you survive on Mars?”

S: ____________










T: Awesome! Redirection is perfect when you need to close one topic. Which new topic did you bring up after using “Before we move on…”?

T (follow-up prompt): Try redirecting to a question about how you’d pack for a space trip.

T: Nice job today! You practiced all three strategies. Which one felt easiest? Which one needs more work?

S: ____________











T: Fantastic reflections. Keep using these prompts whenever you face a surprise question. You’re building your smooth-shifting skills!

(End of Guided Prompts)

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Activity

Topic Switch Drill

Objective: Practice using pivot strategies to smoothly transition from an unexpected question back to a familiar topic.

Materials

  • Smooth Shift Planner
  • Scenario cards (below)

Instructions

  1. Shuffle the six scenario cards and place them face down.
  2. Draw one card and read the unexpected question aloud.
  3. Use your Smooth Shift Planner to sketch a response, choosing one pivot strategy (Acknowledgment, Bridging, or Redirection).
  4. Role-play your answer with your coach.
  5. Coach provides feedback using the Feedback Tips below.
  6. Repeat with additional cards as time allows.

Scenario Cards

  1. You’re discussing your favorite hobby when someone asks:
    “If you could design a video game, what would it be about?”
  2. You’re talking about homework when someone interrupts with:
    “What animal do you think would make the best teacher?”
  3. At lunch, while chatting about sports, a friend suddenly asks:
    “Which color tastes the best to you?”
  4. You mention your weekend plans and get this surprise:
    “If you had a secret superpower you couldn’t use in public, what would it be?”
  5. In a book discussion, someone throws in:
    “Why do you think time travel isn’t allowed?”
  6. Talking about your favorite song, a peer asks:
    “What emotion would you paint if you only had one color?”

Feedback Tips

  • Identify which pivot strategy the student used and name it (e.g., “Great use of Bridging!”).
  • Comment on clarity: “Your shift was clear because you started with ‘Before we move on…’.”
  • Suggest a different strategy: “Next time, try an Acknowledgment: ‘That’s interesting…’.”
  • Praise naturalness: “Your response felt very smooth—nice work!”
  • Highlight one improvement area: “Let’s work on varying your bridging phrases.”
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Worksheet

Smooth Shift Planner

Use this planner to prepare your response for each unexpected question you encounter. Complete one row per scenario.

Scenario #Unexpected QuestionPivot StrategyPivot PhraseFollow-Up TopicNotes
1





























2





























3





























4





























5





























6





























How to Use:

  1. Write the exact unexpected question you hear.
  2. Choose which pivot strategy you’ll use (Acknowledgment, Bridging, or Redirection).
  3. Craft your pivot phrase to buy thinking time or bridge smoothly.
  4. Note the topic you’ll shift to next.
  5. Jot any extra tips or reminders in the Notes column.
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