Lesson video

Hello everyone.

My name is Mrs. Voyle and I'll be teaching you today.

In our lesson today we will be practising articulating ourselves.

So, we're going to have to have our strong speaking voices ready.

Let's get started.

The outcome of today's lesson is to practise giving your opinion in an articulate way and advocating for yourself to adults in a polite and respectful manner.

Now, here are some of those key words that were in that learning outcome that will just go through what each of them means.

So first of all, let's practise saying these three key words.

My turn, your turn.

Are you ready? Articulate.

Opinion.

Advocate.

So, articulate.

When you articulate yourself, you speak clearly.

You stay on topic and say, what do you mean in a precise way? You speak clearly.

Stay on topic and say what you mean in a precise way.

An opinion is a view or belief that a person has.

And advocate is when you speak up for or support a cause idea or person.

We have two learning cycles in our lesson today.

In the first learning cycle, we'll look at the importance of articulating yourself and then we'll look onto advocating for yourself and others.

We have talked about the importance of discussing our worries about big life transitions with trusted people.

Specifically we've been looking at the transition from primary to secondary school and so I want you to discuss now why is it a good idea, discussing our worries about big life transitions with trusted people and who could we speak to? Who are those trusted people? So, why is it a good idea and who could we speak to? Pause the video and discuss that now.

Okay, let's come back together.

Here's an example of what you might have said.

Sharing your worries with other people is useful, because they may be feeling the same way and you can help each other.

They might also have experience of the same issue and be able to give you advice.

Who you talk to will depend on what the issue is.

For example, you might want to talk to a friend or to an older person with more experience.

So, I want you to have a think now about this question.

If a friend comes to us with a worry, what should we do? So, imagine a friend comes and talks to you about something they're worried about.

What should you do? Pause the video and have some thinking time about that now.

Okay, so here's what we should do.

We should first listen to them carefully, using active listening skills.

We should give our full attention, face them and give good eye contact, not interrupt them and ask them questions when they're finished.

So, that's the first thing we should do.

Oh, sorry and also nodding and making reassuring sounds.

So, they know we're listening.

All of these things are part of active listening.

Next, we can respond in an appropriate way.

We might give advice if we feel that we're able to, we might empathise with them and comfort them, letting them know we care.

When we empathise with someone, it's showing that we understand how they feel and we might share our own experiences to help them.

As we make the transition to secondary school, we will be in situations where we're communicating with new people.

Could you discuss which new people will we be speaking with and why might this be stressful? Pause the video now.

Okay, so here's what you might have said.

"We'll be speaking to all our new teachers, "as well as lots of new students "who went different Primary schools.

"Meeting new people can often be stressful, "because we don't know what they're like "and we don't know if they'll be kind." I'm sure they will be though.

"People in our primary school that have known us for years "and so we're very relaxed around them "but will feel more nervous at secondary." So lots of you, if you are at primary schools where you've been for a long time, you know the person on the reception desk, you know the different teachers who walk around the school, you know the different pupils.

And suddenly at secondary school there might be lots of new people that you don't know at all.

I'm sure there will be some familiar faces, but that's why it might be a little bit more nerve wracking when you speak to these people that you are not familiar with.

So, which of these situations worry you and which ones don't and why? A, meeting your new form teacher.

B, being in a class with children from other schools.

C, meeting your new head teacher or D, talking with much older children in the playground.

So, maybe none of these worry you, maybe all of them do, but I'd like you to pause and tell your partner which of these situations worry you, which don't and why? Pause the video now.

Okay, so just to reiterate, you might not be worried about any of these situations, but if you are, it's very normal that you find some of these a bit worrying.

So, at secondary school we know you will have to speak to new adults in lots of different situations.

You'll have to answer teachers' questions in class.

You might have to explain your behaviour to your teachers.

You'll have to ask for things from different people around the school.

For example, you might have to ask for someone directions of where to find something.

You might have to tell your teachers that you need help.

And it's important that when we do these things, we try to articulate ourselves in these situations in the best way we can.

And remember, articulating yourself doesn't mean speaking in a posh way, which I think sometimes people think that's what articulating means.

It just means expressing yourself really clearly so that you are understood.

When we articulate ourselves, we do the following things.

We speak clearly instead of mumbling.

If you got to a new teacher and you are chewing your jumper and you are mumbling away, then they won't understand what you are saying.

We need to try to be precise about what we mean instead of being vague.

So for example, if you need help with a specific question, don't just say I can't do it.

That's a bit vague.

Well what can't you do? Instead say, I don't understand how to do this part or this question.

So, being really specific, about what you need help about being really precise.

We keep our speech concise, which means to the point instead of rambling.

So, could you discuss why is articulating yourself important? And all of these things are what I mean by articulating yourself, speaking clearly, being precise and concise.

Why is this important? Pause the video now.

Okay, well done, let's come back together.

So, it makes sure that our meaning is understood by everyone without any distractions.

That way we can get the help we need and we can build strong relationships with everyone.

Which of the following are features of articulating yourself? A, sticking to the subject or being concise? B, speaking clearly.

C, being vague.

D, being precise about what you mean.

Pause the video now.

Well done.

The correct answers are A, sticking to the subject or being concise.

B, speaking clearly and D, being precise about what you mean.

Here's an example of someone articulating themselves poorly when their teacher asks them why their homework is late.

So, imagine the teacher's there.

"Sorry, but why is your homework so late?" "Well, the thing is I did it on Saturday "when I got home from cricket "and we won really easy actually "and then I put it in my backpack, my new one, "or at least I thought I did, "but I guess I didn't really.

"I'm not really sure." Okay, so we can see that that person didn't articulate themselves very well.

They were kind of rambling.

They weren't precise.

They weren't concise.

Now, let's see a better example, a more articulate answer.

So again, the teacher says, "Sorry, why is your home work late?" "I'm really sorry, "I forgot to put it in my backpack this morning.

"Can I bring it to you first thing tomorrow?" So, that's an example just explained why it's late.

I forgot to put it in my backpack this morning and then gave a solution.

So, when we think about Alex and Izzy's response on the previous slide, what made Izzy's response more articulate? Could you pause the video and discuss that with your partner now? Okay, so Izzy was clear and got straight to the point.

She just said what needed to be said and offered a solution straight away.

Alex was kind of rambling and confusing and he took a long time to get to the point and he included details that didn't need to be there, like about winning cricket.

He wasn't rude but he also didn't suggest a solution like Izzy did.

Izzy said, can I bring it to you tomorrow? And he didn't also apologise, he didn't say sorry.

We all want to articulate ourselves when answering questions in class or when we are giving our opinions.

Let's suppose you are asked to give your opinion, about whether we should have school uniforms. To make sure you answer in an articulate way, you could do the following, stop and think first or discuss with a partner.

So rather than just blurting out your answer, take a bit of time to consider what you want to say.

Say your thoughts clearly and simply.

Try to stay on topic.

Stop talking when you've made your point.

Now, this is something I really sometimes struggle with and I have to try to remember to do.

When you've said your point, you can just stop, sometimes I'm tempted to kind of keep on going.

So, it's about knowing when you've said your point and then stopping.

Whose answer is more articulate.

I'm going to read them to you and as I'm reading, I want you to think which is more articulate.

I think we should have school uniforms, because they make sure that we are all look equal.

If we didn't, some people would be showing off how rich they were, all the time.

Here's the other answer.

"I think we should have school uniforms, "'cause it's like when you have a team "and you want the team to be together.

"Also my cousin's rich "and he would be wearing fancy clothes all the time "and that's just not fair.

"Plus, I love the colour of our uniform." Pause the video and discuss which answer is more articulate now.

Okay, let's come back together.

So, hopefully you spotted that the first answer was more articulate.

We can even see from looking at it that it's shorter, therefore it's more concise.

Both answered the questions, but the first one was more articulate.

Now, we're going to practise giving our opinion on school uniforms in an articulate way, before we do our task.

So, remember here are the top tips.

Think first or you could discuss with the partner first.

Say your thoughts clearly and simply try to stay on topic and stop when you've made your point.

So, pause the video now while you practise giving your opinion on school uniforms in an articulate way.

Okay, let's come back together.

Here's an example of what you might have said.

I think that school uniforms are a bad idea because they make us all look the same.

I think it's important that we can show our personalities through our clothing choices.

So, I can tell that that person has stopped to think about what they want to say and then said it in a really simple and clear way and they knew when to stop when they've made their point.

So, it can be tempting to keep talking, once we've made our point, but usually keeping it short and simple is best.

So, it's now time for our task.

We're going to practise articulating ourselves clearly.

You are going to work in a group of three.

You each person will take turns giving their opinion on the questions below that they're asked by their teammates.

Take a minute to think through your answers, before you begin.

Try to articulate yourselves clearly when you respond, speak clearly, say your thoughts simply.

Stay on topic and stop at the right time.

So, here are the questions that your partners are going to ask you.

One, if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Two, what will the world be like in 50 years? Three, what one thing would you change about our school and why? So, for each question, think what you're going to say first and then try to give as an articulate an answer as possible.

Enjoy this task, pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

So, how well did you articulate yourself? Let's self-assess.

So, let's reflect on how we did.

Did you speak clearly so that everyone understood your words? Have some time to reflect, do you think you did that? Did you give your opinion simply and clearly? Did you stay on topic? Did you stop talking when you'd given your opinion? So, here's an example of what someone might say when they reflect on how they did.

"I think I did a good job of staying on topic "and I spoke very clearly, "but I think I did go on for a bit too long.

"Sometimes it's hard to find an end point "for your opinion instead of just trailing off.

"Next time, I'll just stop at the end of a sentence." Can you pause the video now and tell your partner what do you think you did well and what could you set yourself as a target for next time? Pause the video now.

Okay, lovely.

Now, we'll move on to our second learning cycle, advocating for yourself and others.

As well as sharing opinions, we might need to advocate for ourselves and others at school.

If you advocate for yourself, you are speaking up for yourself, perhaps in a tricky situation.

If you advocate for others, you are speaking up for someone else.

If you advocate for a cause, you are saying what you think is right.

Advocating for yourself or someone else, doesn't mean arguing back to adults.

It means politely and calmly giving your view about what has happened at the appropriate time.

You might need to advocate to yourself in the following situations at secondary school.

You may need help with your work.

Maybe you don't understand your homework.

Maybe you might be lost in the school building.

Perhaps you don't know what the routine is that you need to follow.

In all these cases, it's much better to advocate for yourself and say what you need rather than to just keep going.

So why is it important to advocate for yourself in situations like this that we just mentioned and what would be the problem if you didn't? Pause the video and discuss that with your partner now? Okay, if you don't advocate for yourself, no one else is going to do it.

There might be hundreds of children in secondary school and the adults might not be able to check in on everybody individually.

So, if you need something, you need to speak up.

Otherwise you could end up getting much more anxious or even getting in trouble if you don't know the right thing to do.

So, it's always better if you are unsure about something like where something is or how to follow a certain rule.

It is always better to stop and talk to someone, ask the question rather than just carrying on.

So, can you think of any situations where you might need to advocate for someone else at school? So, we thought about when you might have to advocate for yourself, like when you are lost or when you need help.

When might you need to advocate for someone else? Pause the video and discuss that now.

Okay, you might have a friend who is very nervous about getting help from a teacher and you might need to help them do that the first few times until they're ready.

You might also see some teasing or bullying happening and need to stand up for a friend in that situation.

So, there are two examples when you might need to advocate for someone else.

When we need to advocate for ourselves, we can follow certain steps to help us.

First, we should always be polite and respectful.

For example, you might say, excuse me or I'm sorry to bother you, but, you give eye contact and face the person.

Articulate yourself when you say what you need.

Be precise and concise and make a clear request.

And that's what we were practising in our first learning cycle.

How to articulate ourselves well.

And finally express gratitude.

Thanks for helping me, Miss or thank you, I get it now.

So, these are three things we can do to help us when we need to advocate ourselves, be polite and respectful, articulate ourselves well.

And then at the end, express gratitude by saying thank you.

So, here's a scenario.

Lucas is lost in school.

He decides to advocate for himself in an articulate way when he sees an adult.

"Excuse me, do you think you could help me? "I need to get to my to my art class, "but I'm not sure where to go.

"It's room 403.

"Could you tell me where that is?" And then the teacher might answer and then he'll say, "Thank you very much, I really appreciate it." Lucas was polite and respectful.

He said, excuse me, do you think you could help me? He made a clear, concise and precise request for help.

I need to get to my art class.

But I'm not sure where to go.

It's room 403.

Could you tell me where that is? And then he expressed gratitude for the help that was given.

Thank you very much, I really appreciate it.

Alex has a new partner in Mr. James' maths class.

His partner keeps teasing him for wearing glasses.

He's tried ignoring it, but he decides he needs to tell the teacher.

What could he say to advocate for himself in an articulate way.

So, there's a scenario.

I would like you to pause the video and answer this question now.

What could he say to the teacher to advocate for himself in an articulate way? Pause the video now.

Okay, let's come back together.

Well done.

I heard some really nice ideas there.

So, here's an example.

"I'm sorry to bother you Mr. James.

"Can I speak to you privately about something? "I can come back at lunchtime if that works better.

"I'm having trouble concentrating in class, "because my partner keeps teasing me about my glasses "and being rude.

"Do you think you could help? "I have tried ignoring it, but he keeps doing it.

"Thank you sir, I really appreciate it." In some secondary schools you might call some of your teachers sir.

Okay, so in that example, we can see that Alex was very polite and respectful and he took time at the end to show gratitude.

Thank you, I really appreciate it.

So, I want you now to discuss with your partner, why do you think being polite and expressing gratitude are important when you are advocating for yourself like this in that example.

Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

Here's what you might have said.

When we stand up for ourselves, there's a risk that people would think we're just moaning or whining.

If we're polite and respectful, people are much more likely to listen to us and we are more likely to be successful.

Of course, we won't always get what we want, but adults would be much more likely to take the time to hear our opinions if we show we respect them.

So, we're going to use all these things we've just learned in our task where we're going to practise advocating for ourselves and others in an articulate way.

So again, we're gonna work in a group of three.

We're gonna take turns to be enrolled as a student, a teacher and an advocating coach.

You are going to role play each of the scenarios below with the student trying to advocate for themselves in an articulate way and the teacher responding in role.

And the coach should give advice to the student.

Here are the three scenarios.

Number one, you don't understand your homework.

Number two, you can't see the board from your seat.

Or number three, you feel sick during a lesson.

So for example, you'll take the first scenario, you don't understand your homework and perhaps you'll decide who's the teacher, who's the student and who's the advocating coach.

And then if the number two and three, you can all swap roles.

So, you all have a turn at being each role.

So for for example, number one, the student might say, "Miss, I don't get it." And the teacher might then respond and then the advocating coach might say, "I don't think you were very polite and respectful "and you weren't very concise "and precise about what it was you didn't understand "and you didn't show any gratitude "when the teacher helped you." So, they're giving you advice about how to be articulate and how to advocate for yourself really well.

And then you could use that feedback to try again.

And then you'll move on to question two.

But you are all swapping roles.

So, I hope that you enjoy this task, this chance to practise articulating ourselves, but also a chance to do a bit of acting.

So, I hope you enjoy it.

Pause the video now.

Okay, well done.

So, here are some examples of what you might have said in role as the student.

"Excuse me Miss, I'm sorry to bother you, "but do you have a minute to talk about the homework? "I've read it a few times, "but I'm not sure how to start this paragraph.

"Is there a particular way I should do it?" Or here's another example.

"Sorry to bother you, Sir.

"I know it's your break time, "but could I just speak to you for a minute? "I sit near the back in music "and I'm finding it quite hard to see the board.

"I don't have glasses yet, but I am getting some soon.

"Could I possibly move forward a bit until I get them?" So, hopefully you can see in both those examples that the students were very polite and respectful to the adult.

They also spoke in a very articulate way, where they were really clear and specific about what it was they needed help with.

And then they knew when to stop when they'd asked for help.

So, let's summarise what we have learned today.

At secondary school, we will have to speak to lots of new people.

And when we do this, we want to articulate ourselves well.

This means speaking clearly, concisely and precisely.

To help you articulate yourself, you can stop and think of your opinion before you make it.

Try hard to stay on topic and stop when you've made your point.

You may need to advocate for yourself and others when you need help.

We do this by being polite, giving a clear request and expressing gratitude.

So, well done for all your hard work today.

You have learned a lot about advocating for yourselves and articulating yourselves and I really hope that you'll remember all these really useful skills when you transition to secondary school.

Thank you for working so hard today.

See you for some more learning another time.