Building Confidence and Clarity: Mastering Polite Ordering and Speaking Up in Social Settings / Activity Analysis

Core Skills Analysis

Social and communication skills

• Max practiced reading and interpreting menus, a key social literacy skill that aids in navigating real-life social settings.
• He learned how to formulate and verbalize a polite request to a waitress, practicing social etiquette in ordering food and drink.
• Max recognized the importance of speaking clearly and at a volume sufficient to be heard in a public environment, highlighting volume control in communication.
• The activity showed Max could rehearse conversations beforehand, demonstrating an understanding of preparation to reduce communication anxiety.

Tips

To further develop Max's communication skills, encourage him to engage in role-playing exercises where he orders food in different scenarios, varying the complexity of interactions. Incorporate activities that focus on tone, clarity, and volume to build confidence in speaking up. Another great extension would be to involve Max in planning and hosting a simple meal, allowing him to practice conversational skills with multiple participants. Lastly, exposing him to culturally diverse dining contexts can enrich his understanding of social norms and polite requests in various settings.

Book Recommendations

• How to Speak So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Speak by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish: This book provides practical strategies to support young people in developing effective communication and social skills.
• The Art of Conversation: A Guided Tour of a Neglected Pleasure by Catherine Blyth: A friendly introduction to the nuances of conversation and how to connect well with others.
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: Though classic, this book offers timeless advice on communication and interpersonal effectiveness.

Learning Standards

• ACARA: ACSOC036 - Practise techniques to monitor and control volume, tone and pace to suit different audiences.
• ACARA: ACSOC037 - Engage in spoken interactions using social conventions in familiar contexts.
• ACELA1518 - Understand the use of voice in reading aloud and in oral presentations.

Try This Next

• Create a worksheet where Max writes out different polite requests for drinks or food, practicing tone and volume cues.
• Design a quiz that tests various social scenarios and appropriate responses when ordering at different types of restaurants.

Growth Beyond Academics

This activity reflects Max's growing awareness of social cues and the challenges of speaking up, indicating developing confidence and willingness to practice despite needing reminders. It highlights his readiness to engage socially and benefits from gentle encouragement to build independence.