LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify issues that can cause communication challenges between teens and adults; identify ways to be successful at communicating with adults in a range of different scenarios.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 4: Use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health.

CASEL: Relationship skills

KEY VOCAB

negotiate

fluently 

constructive

Lesson Plan: How to Speak Adult

If in-person convos with grown-ups leave you quaking in your Crocs, then this guide is for you.

PREPARING TO READ

Before you read the article “How to Speak Adult,” ask your students the following pre-reading questions:

Why is it sometimes challenging to communicate with adults, and how can you get better at talking to them?

READING AND DISCUSSION

  • Have your students read the article “How to Speak Adult”; read the article out loud to them; or have students partner-read the article out loud.

  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading questions. Have their answers changed? 

BUILDING COMPREHENSION

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Comprehension Quiz with vocabulary questions

EXPANDING SEL OPPORTUNITIES

Continue the learning journey with the following writing prompt:

In PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, students will work in small groups to role play three different dialogues of their choice. In their role-plays, they should engage their classmates by planning and then “performing” this series of dialogues. Then have the class discuss whether each conversation was a good example of how to communicate with adults, and why. Note: For some extra engagement, you can have a student volunteer keep a “do’s” and “don’ts” list on the board during the discussion. 

Print the Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech