Introduction

It’s a fact of life that everyone makes mistakes, including adults like parents and teachers. In high school, students may sometimes need to point out mistakes made by their educators. It’s crucial to teach them how to communicate these issues respectfully and effectively. By learning indirect communication skills, students can address mistakes without hurting feelings or showing disrespect. This blog post will explore an engaging no-prep activity, discussion questions, and related skills to help educators teach high school students the importance of indirect communication when addressing errors.

No-Prep Activity: The Indirect Feedback Challenge

In this activity, students will practice using indirect communication skills to address mistakes made by their peers or teachers. The game requires no preparation or materials, making it easy for educators to implement in class.

1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Ask each group to come up with a scenario where someone makes a mistake, either a peer or a teacher.
3. One student will play the role of the person who made the mistake, while the other student will take on the role of the person addressing the mistake.
4. The student addressing the mistake must use indirect communication skills to point out the error without hurting the other person’s feelings or showing disrespect.
5. After the role-play, have the students switch roles and repeat the process with a new scenario.
6. As a class, discuss the different approaches students used and how being indirect can help maintain respect and positive relationships.

Discussion Questions

• Why is it important to use indirect communication when addressing mistakes made by adults, such as teachers or parents?
• How does using indirect communication skills help maintain respect and positive relationships with others?
• What are some examples of indirect phrases or questions that can be used to point out someone’s mistake?
• How did it feel to use indirect communication skills in the role-play activity? Was it challenging or easier than you expected?
• Can you think of a situation where you could have used indirect communication skills to address a mistake more effectively?

Related Skills

Teaching students indirect communication skills for addressing mistakes is just one aspect of fostering their social-emotional development. Other important skills for high school students to learn include:

• Active listening: Encouraging students to listen attentively and empathetically when others are speaking.
• Conflict resolution: Helping students navigate disagreements and find mutually beneficial solutions.
• Empathy: Teaching students to understand and share the feelings of others, which can lead to more respectful interactions.
• Assertiveness: Guiding students to express their thoughts, feelings, and needs in a confident and respectful manner.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned about teaching indirect communication skills to high school students, it’s time to put these strategies into practice. To help you get started, we invite you to sign up for free samples of skill-based materials, including activities and lessons, at Everyday Speech. By incorporating these resources into your teaching, you can support your students’ social-emotional development and create a more respectful and positive learning environment.