Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: Thinking visibly

20 minutes

Find Out: Deep listening

25 minutes

Take Action: Empathy in motion

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

explore First Nations perspectives on respect and empathy
learn how understanding others strengthens relationships.

Success criteria

Students can:

describe how respect and empathy create stronger relationships
demonstrate active listening and respectful communication
reflect on the importance of First Nations perspectives on connection and relationships.

Tune In: Thinking visibly

Preparation

Using a whiteboard or digital whiteboard, create a table with 3 columns, each labelled ‘home’, ‘school’ and ‘community’.

Step 1

Ask students to add a sticky note to each column that outlines how they show respect in each category.

Step 2

Using a See Think, Wonder thinking routine, initiate a conversation with your students about respect in the differing environments. Encourage students to use the sticky notes as prompts:

What do you see?
What do you think?
What do you wonder?

Prompt students to determine whether and why their behaviour changes in different environments, and how this could impact relationships. For example, behaviour around a sibling compared to a sports coach.

Step 3

Explain to students that our behaviour can change depending on where we are and who we're with. For example, we might act differently around a sibling compared to a sports coach because we respond to different expectations and roles in each situation. This can impact how we communicate and build relationships with others, so it's important to think about how our actions might affect those around us.

Find Out: Deep listening

Step 1

Select a quiet, open space outdoors for students. Lead students to the space and ask them to sit quietly and listen to their surroundings for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, provoke conversation around what they heard, how they felt and when this type of listening might be necessary. Explain to students that some First Nations people practice deep listening as part of their culture, called Dadirri.

Step 2

Once you return to the classroom, present the Visual Explainer to students. As you proceed through each slide, reiterate that authentic listening isn’t just about hearing words. It’s about understanding, making space for others, and showing respect. In particular, Dadirri is a form of listening that is the key to building respect and empathy.

Step 3

Discuss each slide with students, pausing where appropriate to encourage them to share their experiences. Once completed, lead a class discussion using the following prompts:

What does it mean to really listen to someone?
How does deep listening help us in sports, teamwork, and friendships?
How did it feel when someone deeply listened to you?

Take Action: Empathy in motion

Preparation

Print and cut out the scenario cards from the activity sheet.

Step 1

Explain to students that they will receive a different scenario card from the activity sheet (for example, a teammate experiences racism). Invite a volunteer to the front of the classroom to model how to participate in the activity to students, using the teacher's sample responses on the activity sheet.

Step 2

Now, they are ready to demonstrate empathy! Distribute the scenario cards and invite students to walk around the room to find a partner. Describe to students that Partner 1 will read out the scenario, and Partner 2 will practice Dadirri. After a pause, Partner 2 should respond using respectful and empathetic language to model how they would respond if they were involved in the scenario.

Learning support: Direct students to ask their partner or teacher for clarification if they are unsure about the scenario. You are encouraged to move around the classroom to observe student interactions during this activity.

Step 3

Instruct students to switch roles, with Partner 2 reading out their scenario. Once both partners have completed this process, students should find a new partner and repeat the process.

Step 4

After the activity, invite students to form a circle for discussion and reflect on the following questions:

How did it feel to listen deeply before responding?
What did you learn about respect and empathy?
How and when can we apply Dadirri in everyday life?

Reflection

Step 1

Provide each student with a sticky note and invite them to finish the sentence ‘One way I will practice Dadirri this week is…’ Collect the sticky notes from the students and display them in an area of the classroom.

Building Respect and Empathy

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Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables

In this lesson

Building Respect and Empathy

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Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables

In this lesson