New toolkit launched to promote healthy communication

A new free-to-download lesson pack to encourage healthy communication and conflict resolution is being launched thanks to a partnership between Dr Rebecca Clift from the Department of Language and Linguistics who has worked with the PSHE Association.

The Communication Matters resources have now received the Quality Mark from the PSHE Association and can be downloaded online.

Aimed at Year 9-11 students, Communication Matters will help students explore how communication strategies can either increase or decrease the risk of conflict, especially among families.

The lessons feature real-life video examples of family communication, which will support students to recognise the impact that body language, tone of voice and choice of words can have on the escalation or de-escalation of arguments.

Dr Clift said: "Good family relationships are the foundation of children’s wellbeing and life chances. Communication Matters offers children, their teachers and parents the opportunity to reflect on how they communicate, and work on what needs to be changed. Good relationships can be in their hands."

Jenny Fox, Senior Subject Specialist, PSHE Association said: "We are delighted to have partnered with the University of Essex to develop these research-led lessons into communication between families. The lessons will support students to identify when and how conflict arises, and how to reduce conflict through more purposeful communication."

More about Communication Matters

Both lesson plans are available as PDFs with accompanying slides, teacher guidance and pupil resources.

As human beings, we live our lives in conversation. But how much time do we spend thinking about how to communicate effectively, and ensuring that the messages we intend to communicate are well understood by others?

The way we speak, the words we choose and the body language we use can all impact how we communicate at a subconscious level, in surprising (and often unintended) ways. What may start out as a mundane conversation can quickly escalate into arguments and/or conflict, both within families and across our wider relationships.

The Communication Matters lesson pack explores how small changes to the ways we communicate can create better outcomes for children and young people, reducing the likelihood of conflict and promoting emotional wellbeing.