1. Illustrate the ability to respond to others with empathy
Communication Skills
Common Core Standard 9.ICR.1 Understand healthy and effective interpersonal communication and relationships.
9.ICR.1.1
Illustrate the ability to respond to others with empathy
9.ICR.1.2
Classify negotiation and collaboration skills as helpful or harmful in solving problems or resolving conflicts.
boration skills as helpful or harmful in solving problems or resolving conflicts.
You have arrived at the lesson called Communication Skills. I have noticed an interesting thing about health books after teaching the subject for many years. Most health books dedicate more chapters to this topic--communication, empathy and conflict resolution than any other. Why is that? Let's find out!
9.ICR.1.3
Illustrate strategies for resolving interpersonal conflict without harming self or others

2. Think about it…
Why should I care about other people who might be going through a tough situation? What does empathy mean?
Which negotiation and collaboration skills are helpful for solving problems?
How will refusal skills help me resolve conflicts and protect my health?
Think about the ways we communicate with each other. Have you ever had a day when everything you said came out of your mouth wrong and vice versa? We all have bad days and you probably really needed someone just to sit down and listen to you. So in the next slide, we will find out about a wonderful thing called empathy.
We are often put in situations where we have to work with other people and sometimes they are not so agreeable. How can you get along with them? In this lesson, you will find out how negotiation and collaboration can go a long way in helping you work out problems in your life. Finally, we will discuss how some people don’t have your best interests at heart. We will show you ways to prevent those people from ruining your health.
To answer the question in the previous slide, the reason that health books dedicate so many chapters to communication is because many people, including teenagers are very poor at it. It does take practice and most of all, a person needs confidence when they communicate!

3. Responding with Empathy
Empathy is being sensitive to another persons needs, situations or emotions. Here is how you can help someone who needs help:
Active listening-Listen and restate what the person is saying.
Put yourself in the other person's shoes-It is easier to understand a situation, when you pretend you are that person.
Do the right thing- If a person is contemplating suicide, get them the help they need. (Counseling of some kind)
It seems the world is full of people who need help in some form or another. You have probably heard the saying, “There is always someone worse off than you.” To really understand people’s problems, you must have empathy. Empathy is being sensitive to another persons needs, situations or emotions. One of the best things you can do is to lend that person your ear. You must listen to what the other person is saying. Don't simply nod and give just yes or no answers. Really listen—Actively Listen—to what they are saying and restate in your own words what you think they are saying and go deeper to show you understand. If someone comes to you talking about a problem, they are looking for understanding. You should listen to what they are saying and convey to them how you think they are feeling and show you understand. Putting yourself in their shoes will make it easier for you to understand the situation. Don't fall into the trap of automatically trying to fix their problem, they want your understanding. How does this relate to injury prevention? If a person is coming to you talking about being depressed, etc. your listening and understanding may be the thing that helps them cope with their situation and prevents them from causing harm to themselves later on. If someone comes to you contemplating suicide after you talk to them tell a counselor or other adult so they can get the help they need.

4. Collaboration Separate the people from the problem
When you have a disagreement with someone, it is a good idea to negotiate and collaborate your way through the problem. Here are some tips for collaboration:
Separate the people from the problem
Focus on interests, not positions
Create options for mutual gain
Produce a fair end result
When you have a disagreement with someone, try to account for others' emotions and cool your own. Communicate honestly and show that you actively and attentively listen to the other side. Although the outright demands (positions) of either side might prove incompatible at first, getting to the root of the demands allows the parties to rethink and adjust demands to make them compatible. Inventing new ideas could lead to brainstorming and thinking of as many options as possible -- both ones you can offer the other side or the other side can offer you. Afterward, decide which ideas sound best to bring to the negotiating table. As a preventative method of keeping emotions at bay, try whenever possible to produce a fair end result.

5. Negotiation Make it a win-win situation Don’t take it personally
Here are some tips for negotiating your way through a problem:
Make it a win-win situation
Don’t take it personally
Educate yourself
Have a plan
Don’t bluff
Don’t be emotional
You have probably heard of Doctor Phil from the popular television show. He says "My first rule of negotiation that I try to adhere to is figuring out how to get the other person as much of what they want ... because the more I get them of what they want, the more I'm likely to get what I want.“ Remember when you are negotiating, that most people are just trying to get a fair deal, so you should not take it personally. Take some time to educate yourself on your topic before you try to negotiate. Having facts with you will be much more persuasive. Having a plan is also a good idea. You can write down important points so your side of the story is not all over the place. Don’t bluff! If you say you won’t settle for less then, mean it and stand by that. When negotiating, don’t be emotional. Crying might get an attractive person out of a speeding ticket every now and then, but for most people it makes you look weak and they won’t want to deal with you for very long.
In summary, make it a win-win situation, don't take it personally, educate yourself, have a plan, don't bluff and don't be emotional.

6. Communication and Injury Prevention
Intentional/Unintentional Injuries often occur due to a lack of communication. Here are some examples:
Violence
Accidents
Drugs
Alcohol
Risky Ideas
Have you ever let someone talk you into something and later regretted it? Sure it might make an entertaining story, but activities that may cause poor health and permanent injury for a lifetime is not a good idea. Intentional and unintentional injuries can come in the form of violence, accidents, bodily harm caused by drugs or alcohol, or just going along with a risky idea. Being able to effectively and confidently communicate can prevent injury. Have confidence in yourself and stand up for your beliefs, while communicating in an effective manner in order to prevent injuries.
Having confidence in yourself and standing up for your beliefs, while communicating in an effective manner can prevent injuries.

7. Nonverbal Communication
The majority of communication comes from non-verbal cues.
Eye Contact
Posture
Tone of Voice
Facial Expressions
Personal Space
Touch/Gestures
When you communicate with someone, remember that the majority of communication comes from non-verbal cues.
Important things to remember to make you look like you mean what you are saying are: eye contact, posture, tone of voice, facial expressions personal space, touch and gestures. If you are trying to stand down a bully or refuse drugs, not paying attention to these things can make you appear to not really mean what you are saying. I remember when I was a little kid, my mom could stare at me and I knew I had done something wrong just by the expression on her face. I could also tell when my parents were disappointed with me without even saying a word.
A fun thing to do when you are out at a restaurant is to just watch other people from across the room. Watch their body language, posture and eye contact. Are those people happy, sad or frustrated? You should be able to tell what their mood is just by observing them.
There are non verbal cues going on all around us. Sometimes we don’t even realize the signals we are sending out. You can make yourself more attractive to other people when you are aware of the nonverbal cues you are sending out. Simple things like changing your posture from slouching to upright and changing your tone of voice can make a big difference to people.

8. Refusal Skills
When someone tries to force you to do something that will harm your health, use these skills to prevent them:
Humor Give Reasons Make an Excuse NO! Suggest an Alternative Ignore Repeat Yourself Thanks but no thanks Numbers-Friends who support you Leave
Here are the best refusal skills to have in your arsenal for when someone tries to get you to ruin your health.
Humor- Some situations can be diffused by using humor to lighten the situation.
Give Reasons- Give the person a reason why it's a bad idea. Backing it up with a reason gives it more power.
Make an excuse and stick to it- Whatever excuse you pick, make sure it is reasonable and stick to it.
Plain, firm “No.”- Sometimes “no” is all you need, just be firm. Remember the nonverbal cues.
Suggest an alternative- The person suggesting a potentially harmful idea may just be bored. They may take you up on your offer if the alternative is a good one.
Ignore- Act like you didn't hear the suggestion and change the subject. You are conveying that you don't even think the idea is worth your time.
Repeat yourself- Sometimes, you just have to stick to your guns until the other person gets the idea.
Thanks, but no thanks- Be polite, but still show them you mean “no”.
Numbers- You and your friends should back each other in saying “no”.
Leave- Sometimes, just walking away is the best thing to do.

9. Sources
support.suite101.com/article.cfm/top_ten_ref usal_skills_for_teens
finance/budgeting/negotiation4.htm
This has been our lesson on communication skills. Many of us are not good at communicating, but these skills can be improved with practice. If you plan on living a long healthy life, you had better learn to communicate so that you can keep your health at optimum levels.