Life Skills and Leadership Manual - Peace Corps

Life Skills & Leadership: Unit 2, Session 2: Positive Communication | Page 17 of 127

Session 2: Positive Communication

Date: Time: 120 minutes Facilitator(s):

Facilitator preparation:

1. Practice so you are comfortable changing statements to make them more or less indirect.

2. Practice so you are comfortable distinguishable actions from feelings in order to make I

Statements.

3. Make room signs (and post them in the learning space):
   “All the time”
   “Most of the time”
   “Some of the time”
   “Never”


4. Prepare flip charts

Note: During the Information section you may want to make a link to the handout “Put Down Turn Around”

used in the Application section of Unit 1, Session 3.

Note: The concept of what constitutes “positive communication techniques” is dependent on cultural values.

Be aware that the direct communication that is valued by North Americans may not be appreciated by the host

culture. In this session, it will be important for facilitators to recognize this for themselves and perhaps to point

this out to the participants. At the same time, facilitators should be willing to explore with participants what

particular positive communication techniques are most appropriate in their culture and to modify the

techniques being taught here so that they enhance the communication strategies that work well in the host

culture.

Note: If you wish, this session can be restructured to provide more time for participants to practice the positive

communication techniques. To do this, facilitate part A of both the Information and Practice sections focusing

only on introducing and practicing direct and indirect communication. At another meeting of the group, you can

facilitate Part B of both the Information and Practice sections, focusing only on introducing and practicing I

Statements. If you choose this strategy, it would be acceptable to use the same Motivation, Application, and

Assessment activities for the second session focused on I Statements. The familiarity that participants will have

with these activities will help them to make an association between the different positive communication

techniques you are teaching.

Materials:
Equipment

1. Flip chart, markers or crayons


2. Pens or pencils


3. Room signs: “All the time,” “Most of the time,” “Some of the time,” and “Never”
   Prepared flip charts
   Flip chart 1: Direct Communication
   Flip chart 2: Indirect Communication
   Flip chart 3: I Statements
   Handouts
   Handout 1: Direct and Indirect Communication
   Handout 2: I Statements: A Communication Tool
   Handout 3: Change the Sentence
   Handout 4: I Statement Practice
   Handout 5: Communication Plan