Interpersonal Skills & Communication

I-statement structure: 'I feel [feeling] when [what happened].'+2 more

How I talk to someone doesn't just describe what I feel — it shapes what happens next in the conversation.

I can complete a short observed roleplay in which I take turns in conversation, use kind language, and apply an I-statement when something bothered me — followed by a brief verbal reflection on my word choice.

Needs-expression stems: 'I need…' / 'I'd like…' / 'It would help me if…'+2 more

Being clear about what I need, and curious about what others need, makes working things out easier than trying to guess or push.

I can complete a structured roleplay or scenario-response that uses an I-statement to state a specific need, asks about the other person's boundaries using a named stem, and proposes two options for a fair solution with one-sentence reasoning.

The repair routine — four named steps: (i) what happened, from both perspectives; (ii) what I contributed; (iii) what I need now; (iv) what I commit to trying next time.+2 more

Staying in a conversation when I disagree is a different skill than avoiding it — and it's one I have to practise, not one I'm supposed to have automatically.

I can complete a rubric-assessed roleplay of a disagreement in which I listen without interrupting, respond using language that names behaviour not character, and apply the four-step repair routine when the moment calls for it.

Paraphrasing technique — check-understanding stems: 'Let me check I've understood — you're saying…' / 'So what matters to you most here is…' / 'If I heard you right, X is important because Y.'+2 more

Communication quality matters most when stakes are high — the same skills that work in calm conversations need to be deliberately applied in difficult ones, not assumed.

I can complete a rubric-assessed conflict roleplay or scenario-based analysis in which I state a clear boundary, paraphrase the other person's position before responding, and demonstrably calibrate my word choice to a specific described context.

Facilitation techniques: open questions (start with 'what' / 'how' / 'when'); process-observation statements ('I notice we've heard from three people but not from four'); airtime-management moves (inviting quieter voices without calling them out); summarising without taking a side.+1 more

Facilitating a group conversation under disagreement requires a different role than participating — the facilitator holds the process, not the positions.

I can facilitate a rubric-assessed 15-minute structured group conversation in which participants disagree on a substantive question, managing the process rather than the positions, ensuring all voices are heard, and maintaining a constructive tone across the session.

Cross-cultural communication variables: high-context vs. low-context cultures (indirectness vs. directness); hierarchy norms; formality conventions; relationship-first vs. task-first conversation structures.+2 more

Communicating across significant difference isn't about giving up my own perspective — it's about recognising the conditions that make genuine dialogue possible and creating them deliberately.

I can complete a rubric-assessed communication task across significant difference (cultural, generational, or positional) in which I adjust my register and tone to the context without losing my own perspective, and demonstrate in written reflection my awareness of the power dynamics shaping who gets heard.