Planning for and Attending an Important Meeting Advanced Social Communication High School: Lesson Seven

Objective:  Students will become familiar with how a semi- formal/ formal meeting is conducted. Students will participate in the discussions and advocate for themselves when necessary and appropriate.

Social Emotional Learning Standards  Explain how family members, peers, school personnel, and community members can support school success and responsible behavior.  Analyze how making use of school and community supports and opportunities can contribute to school and life success.  Evaluate how expressing one’s emotions in different situations affects others.  Analyze similarities and differences between one’s own and others’ perspectives.  Demonstrate how to express understanding of those who hold different opinions.

SCERTS key Skills  Follows the rules of conversation (initiation, maintaining, ending conversation).  Understands and monitors the attentional focus of self and others.  Responds to assistance, feedback and guidance regarding behavior/ emotional state.

Evidence Based Practices (EBPs)  Social narratives (SN): Narratives that describe social situations in some detail by highlighting relevant cues and offering examples of appropriate responding. Social narratives are individualized according to learner needs and typically are quite short, perhaps including pictures or other visual aids.  Scripting (SC): A verbal and/or written description about a specific skill or situation that serves as a model for the learner. Scripts are usually practiced repeatedly before the skill is used in the actual situation.  Cognitive behavioral intervention (CBI): Instruction on management or control of cognitive processes that lead to changes in overt behavior.

California Common Core Standards  Language Standard; L 6, Grades 9-12: Acquire and accurately use general academic and domain specific words and phrases sufficient for reading writing speaking and listening at the (career and college) readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.  Speaking and Listening Standard; LS 1, Grades 9-12: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Task One: Discussion  Often times in school, there are meetings to discuss progress or concerns about students…  Questions:  Have you ever attended a meeting where you are the focus of the discussion?  Do you take an active role in addressing any of the comments or concerns being discussed at a meeting where you are the focus topic?  Do you feel your perspective about comments or concerns is valued by the others attending the meeting?

Task Two: Planning for a Meeting  We have discussed previously the topics of identifying an obstacle, finding supports and implementing strategies, Building on strengths as well as Setting Goals…Now its time to use your knowledge to grow your ability to self-advocate.  Self Advocacy is someone’s ability to promote themselves as active participants in a situation that directly impacts that person. If you are self aware, can self manage and have insight as to why others are involved in your academic progress or social growth( social awareness ), then it is time for you to take the next step and begin to manage those relationships ( Relationship Management ).

Task Two continued: Role Play Groups  Students will be placed into groups to focus on one type of meeting that occur on school campuses such as…  Parent-Teacher meeting  College and Career counselor  School Counselor  Deans Office  IEP Meeting

Task Two continued: Script  Each group will pick a scenario and create a script that includes all group members in different roles.  One person will be the student, the other group members will make up the supporting cast.  The setting has already been defined, but the group needs to come up with a realistic scenario as to why the meeting is taking place.  The role-play should closely mimic what the meeting would actually be like.  The main character should not be a passive participant, the group should focus on where and when the student can speak up and advocate for themselves.  Remember all the concepts we have addressed, and try to implement them into the conversation of the role-play

Task Two Continued: Practice and Rehearse  Once the script is finalized, and everyone is given a role, the group must practice and rehearse the role-play several times.  It is important for all group members to be comfortable in their parts and know what they are to say and how to pronounce all their dialogue.  Notecards can be used to help group members remember what their lines are  Even if the group believes they have practiced enough, they should rehearse the role-play as if they are actually performing it…Rehearsal allows the group to pay attention to and fix any performance issues such as  Body language  Voice projection  Movement issues  Overall flow of the role-play

Task Three: Performance  All groups will perform their role-plays in front of the class.  After each role-play the audience will critique the role-play and ask questions for clarification.  The critiques should focus on the main character’s, student’s, ability to advocate for themselves at appropriate times and express themselves with purpose and accuracy.

Evaluation: Council  Questions:  Which role-play did you find to be most accurate or believable? Why?  Which role-play, if any, did you feel was not realistic/ believable? Why?  Is this role-play project a useful model for you in demonstrating how to self advocate during a meeting?  In the future, are you more likely to take the opportunity to self- advocate when necessary…not as a reaction, but in a proactive way?

Vocabulary:  Proactive  Reactive  Self advocacy