Lesson Plan

Pause Before Speaking Lesson Plan

Students will learn why blurting disrupts learning and practice a simple pause-and-think strategy. By lesson’s end, they will apply this strategy in scenarios and self-assess their impulse control.

Helping students pause before speaking fosters respectful communication, strengthens self-regulation, and builds confidence by reducing disruptions. It equips learners with a concrete tool to manage impulses and participate effectively.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Objective

2 minutes

Step 2

Teach & Model Strategy

5 minutes

Step 3

Guided Practice with Scenarios

5 minutes

Step 4

Reflection & Wrap-Up

3 minutes

Slide Deck

Pause Before Speaking

Welcome the student and introduce today’s lesson. Emphasize that we will learn a strategy to help pause before speaking so class time stays focused and respectful.

Why Do We Avoid Blurting?

Explain why blurting can interrupt learning. Ask the student to share a time they or someone else blurted out, and discuss how it made others feel or disrupted the lesson.

Introducing the Pause Strategy

Show the [Pause Strategy Cue Card](#pause-strategy-cue-card). Explain that this card will guide them through four simple steps to pause and think before speaking.

Step-by-Step Practice

Walk through each step. Invite the student to place a hand on their chest and count aloud from 1 to 3. Model both blurting and pausing to contrast outcomes.

Let’s Practice with Scenarios

Hand the student a Scenario Card and guide them through one role-play. Encourage positive feedback and gently correct if they skip a step.

Reflection & Next Steps

Give the [Reflection Checklist](#reflection-checklist). Ask the student to rate their use of the strategy and write one success. End by reinforcing how this will help them participate confidently.

Lesson Plan

Pause Before Speaking Lesson Plan

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

Step 1

Introduction & Objective

Step 2

Teach & Model Strategy

Step 3

Guided Practice with Scenarios

Step 4

Reflection & Wrap-Up

Slide Deck

Pause Before Speaking

Why Do We Avoid Blurting?

Introducing the Pause Strategy

Step-by-Step Practice

Let’s Practice with Scenarios

Reflection & Next Steps

Activity

Journal

Pause Before Speaking

daryl.kwiatkowski