Asking a friend to listen before giving advice

Learning goal

Ask for the kind of help you want.

Materials

The student page below and a pencil.

Opening question · 3 minutes

“How could the student ask for the help they actually want?”

A school situation · 5 minutes

Jordan tells a friend that a project feels confusing. The friend gives several tips before Jordan has explained the problem.

One possible response · 4 minutes

Jordan says, “Could you listen first? Then help me find the directions.” The friend can ask what kind of support would help.

Practice · 10 minutes

How could the student ask for the help they actually want?

1. A friend gives advice before hearing the full problem.

2. A student wants a teacher example, but their partner keeps offering guesses.

Possible answers

1. “Could you listen to the whole situation first?”

2. “Thanks. I need the teacher to clarify this direction before I choose a step.”

Student page · 5 minutes

Use the ready-to-print student page at the end of this lesson. Students may write, draw, or give an answer aloud.

Exit question · 3 minutes

“Choose one of the stories. What could the student say or do first?”

Student page to print

Asking a friend to listen before giving advice

Write, draw, or say your answer. You may pass.

An example

Jordan tells a friend that a project feels confusing. The friend gives several tips before Jordan has explained the problem.

How could the student ask for the help they actually want?

One possible response: Jordan says, “Could you listen first? Then help me find the directions.” The friend can ask what kind of support would help.

1. A friend gives advice before hearing the full problem.

How could the student ask for the help they actually want?

2. A student wants a teacher example, but their partner keeps offering guesses.

How could the student ask for the help they actually want?

One sentence to keep

Choose one story above. Write the first thing the person could say or do.