Welcome students and introduce the concept of self-talk. Explain that today we’ll learn about our “inner coach”—the voice inside that can help us succeed.
Script: “Good morning, everyone! Have you ever heard a voice in your head saying ‘I can’t do this’? That’s called your inner critic. Today, we’re going to meet your inner coach—the positive voice that helps you keep going!”
Briefly outline the flow of the lesson so students know what to expect.
Script: “First, we’ll define self-talk and meet our inner coach. Then we’ll see why it matters, look at some examples, and try it ourselves!”
Inner Critic vs. Inner Coach
Explain the terms “inner critic” (negative self-talk) and “inner coach” (positive self-talk). Use gestures: frown for critic, thumbs-up for coach.
Script: “Your inner critic might say ‘You’ll never get this right.’ Your inner coach says ‘I can learn with practice!’ Let’s practice flipping the script.”
Connect self-talk to real benefits like feeling calm, confident, and ready to try again.
Script: “Positive self-talk helps us stay calm when we’re nervous, feel proud when we try, and keep going even when things are hard.”
Examples: Catch & Replace
Show examples of negative self-talk and their positive replacements. Ask students to read aloud one pair.
Script: “Let’s look at some examples. Who wants to read the first negative thought? Now, who can share the positive coach voice?”
Transition into the interactive portion. Explain that students will pair up, share a negative thought, and help each other find a coach voice.
Script: “Turn to a partner, share a negative thought you’ve had, and work together to turn it into an empowering statement.”
Wrap up by reminding students how they can use their self-talk superpowers every day. Introduce the next activity (Catch & Replace sheet).
Script: “Great work! Keep noticing your thoughts. Now we’ll put it on paper with the Catch & Replace Activity Sheet.”
