High School Interpersonal Skills: Teaching the Things They’re Not Taught
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
High school teaches students how to analyse texts, solve equations, and write essays. But many graduate without ever being explicitly taught how to navigate a disagreement, assert a boundary, read body language, or listen without interrupting.
We often assume students “just know” how to communicate effectively. In reality, many are learning through trial, error, social media modelling, and peer dynamics that aren’t always healthy.
High School Interpersonal skills — communication, conflict resolution, and social confidence — can and should be taught directly. And when they are, classrooms become calmer, more respectful, and more collaborative.
Below are structured, practical strategies to build these essential skills.
Why Explicitly Teach High School Interpersonal Skills?
Teenagers are navigating:
Peer conflict
Group work tensions
Social anxiety
Online misunderstandings
Academic disagreements
Identity development
Without tools, students may default to:
Avoidance
Aggression
Passive compliance
Sarcasm
Shutdown
Teaching interpersonal skills does not mean therapy sessions. It means giving students scripts, practice, and structured reflection.
Just like writing, communication improves with modelling and rehearsal.
Role-Play Scripts for Difficult Conversations
Many students freeze in conflict because they do not know what to say.
Providing structured scripts lowers that barrier.
Step 1: Teach a Basic Framework
Use a simple conversation structure:
State the situation.
Express how it made you feel.
Explain why it matters.
Suggest a solution.
For example:
“When you didn’t contribute to the group project, I felt frustrated because we all had deadlines. Can we divide tasks more clearly next time?”
Step 2: Provide Practice Scenarios
A friend cancels plans repeatedly.
A group member doesn’t complete their work.
Someone spreads a rumour.
A teammate interrupts constantly.
Students work in pairs to role-play both sides.
Important: Rotate roles so students practice initiating and responding.
Step 3: Debrief
After role-play, ask:
What language reduced tension?
What escalated it?
How did tone affect the message?
Repetition builds confidence. The goal is not perfection — it is familiarity.
Assertiveness vs. Aggression Workshops
Many students confuse assertiveness with rudeness. Others equate silence with politeness.
A short workshop clarifies the differences.
Create a Comparison Chart
Passive | Assertive | Aggressive |
Avoids conflict | Addresses conflict respectfully | Dominates or blames |
Prioritises others’ needs only | Balances needs | Prioritises self only |
Says nothing | States needs clearly | Raises voice or insults |
Then analyse statements:
“It’s fine, whatever.”
“You never do anything right.”
“I need more notice before plans change.”
Students categorise each and rewrite passive or aggressive examples into assertive ones.
This teaches that assertiveness is calm, clear, and respectful — not loud or harsh.
Disagreement Sentence Stems
Classroom discussions often derail because students lack language for civil disagreement.
Teach sentence stems explicitly and display them visibly.
Examples
“I see your point, but I interpret it differently because…”
“Can you clarify what you mean by…?”
“I agree with part of that, especially…, but I’m not convinced about…”
“Another perspective might be…”
“What evidence supports that idea?”
Practice through mini debates.
For example:
Should homework be reduced?
Is social media mostly harmful or helpful?
Should school start later?
Students must use at least two sentence stems during discussion.
Over time, these stems become natural tools, reducing personal attacks and encouraging evidence-based dialogue.
Listening Labs
Listening is often assumed, rarely taught.
A listening lab isolates and practises this skill intentionally.
Activity 1: The One-Minute Speaker
Student A speaks for one minute about a topic.
Student B may not interrupt.
Afterward, Student B must summarise what was said.
Student A confirms or corrects.
Switch roles.
The challenge: Students realise how difficult it is to truly listen without planning their reply.
Activity 2: Distracted Listening Simulation
Have students attempt to listen while:
Someone taps a pen.
A phone buzzes.
Side chatter occurs.
Discuss:
What made listening difficult?
What strategies improved focus?
Listening labs build awareness of attention and respect.
Body Language Analysis Games
Communication is not only verbal.
Students often misinterpret tone or posture, especially in high-stress situations.
Turn nonverbal cues into an interactive game.
Game 1: Freeze Frame Analysis
Show an image (or act out a scene) and ask:
What emotion is being communicated?
What signals suggest that?
Could it be interpreted differently?
Discuss ambiguity. Not all crossed arms mean anger; they may signal discomfort or coldness.
Game 2: Silent Scene Role-Play
Two students act out a short scenario without words:
One is annoyed.
One is apologetic.
One is nervous.
One is confident.
The class guesses the emotions and identifies specific physical cues.
Students become more aware of:
Eye contact
Posture
Tone shifts
Facial expression
This awareness improves social interpretation and empathy.
Building Social Confidence Through Micro-Practice
Confidence grows through low-risk exposure.
Integrate:
30-second partner shares.
Rotating discussion leaders.
Structured “introduce your partner” activities.
Students practise:
Speaking clearly.
Making eye contact.
Asking follow-up questions.
Small repetitions reduce social anxiety over time.
Conflict Reflection Sheets
After a real classroom disagreement (handled appropriately), use reflection sheets:
What happened?
What did I feel?
What did the other person likely feel?
What would I say differently next time?
Reflection turns conflict into learning.
Create a Shared Communication Agreement
Have the class co-create norms for:
Disagreement
Group work
Tone
Digital communication
When students help define standards, they are more likely to follow them.
Why This Matters
Strong interpersonal skills:
Improve academic collaboration.
Reduce behavioural issues.
Increase classroom trust.
Prepare students for workplaces and relationships.
When students learn how to:
Disagree respectfully,
Express needs clearly,
Listen actively,
Interpret body language accurately,
They gain tools that extend far beyond school.
Start Small
You do not need a full unit on communication.
Start with:
One set of disagreement stems.
One listening lab.
One assertiveness activity.
Embed these practices into normal lessons.
Just like essay writing, communication improves with guided practice.
Final Thoughts
High school shapes more than academic knowledge. It shapes how students navigate the world.
If we want confident communicators — not just capable test-takers — we must teach the things that are often left unspoken.
Because knowing what to say, and how to say it, can change everything.
_____________________________________________________________________________
*Check out the great high school English resources available in the Tea4Teacher store!
Comments