Practice: How to Ask Effective Questions and Use Refusal Skills Unit 1 Lesson 13

Opening Work: Pick up Refusal Skills and Asking Effective Questions worksheets and begin reading.

ASKING EFFECTIVE QUESTIONS

REFUSAL SKILLS

Asking and Refusing  Determine who is the first one to make a request – the requester.  The situation will be provided.  The requester’s partner will: –Listen. –Ask questions. –Use refusal skills.  The exchange will last one or two minutes.  Requester, note the skills your partner uses.  The class will discuss after the exchange.

Nonverbal Behaviors Look at the person in a relaxed way. Verbal Behaviors Ask open-ended questions to explore ideas and collaborate. Ask closed-ended questions to get simple information. Ask concise, clear questions. Avoid asking “why” questions. Nonverbal Behaviors Calm down if you have strong feelings. Verbal Behaviors Say a direct “no.” Say the same phrase over and over again. Suggest another activity or change the subject. Give a reason. Walk away.

You and your friend are on a soccer team together. You found a new training plan on the Internet that promises to increase your running speed. It involves running as fast as you can for as far as you can every day. You want him or her to try it with you.

You have heard about a new diet that promises you will drop five pounds the first week. You don’t lose quite as much the second week, but you keep losing weight as long as you stay on it. The diet involves eating only fresh vegetables. You want your friend to try this diet with you.

Easy or Difficult? Which of these two skills is easier for you? What makes it easier? What makes the other skill more difficult? What can you do to make it easier?

Reflection Question Which of the five skills do you think is most important to people in general? Explain your response. Is your answer to this question the same as it was before we studied these five skills.