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Learning objective
Students discuss and learn about the ways that consent can be communicated including verbal and physical cues.
Take home messages
Consent involves both verbal communication and body language.
You should ask other people if it is okay to touch them and listen to what they tell you.
You can say no to other people, including adults.
Materials
- Butchers paper
- Coloured pens - enough for each student
Before you get started
Before you get started
- Protective interrupting - Teachers need to know and understand how to use this technique to prevent students form potentially disclosing sensitive information or abuse in front of other students.
- Dealing with disclosures - Teachers must be aware of the school and legal procedures if a student discloses personal issues, particularly disclosures of sexual abuse.
Learning activities
Consent communication brainstorm
1. 
Discuss: How consent can be communicated in lots of different ways. It’s not just saying yes or no so it’s important to make sure that you are aware and think about all the ways people can say yes or no.
2. Ask: What are some situations where you need to ask for consent or give consent?
3. Using a grouping strategy, divider the group into 6 groups. Give each group a piece of butcher’s paper and pens. Each group to brainstorm one of the following, what:
- Giving consent looks like
- Not giving consent looks like
- Giving consent sounds like
- Not giving consent sounds like
- Giving consent feels like
- Not giving consent feels like
Once groups have had adequate time to brainstorm (roughly 15 minutes), encourage everyone to walk around and add their own thoughts to the other pieces of butcher’s paper.
4. Ask someone from each group to share what they brainstormed or discussed.
Teaching tip: If not mentioned naturally in sharing discussions make sure to mention
- Sometimes people can “freeze” if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe. This might mean they don’t move or respond verbally, so it’s important to know that no response is also a no response.
- Some people do not communicate verbally, so understanding their non-verbal cues are important to understanding when and how they consent.
Consent clarification
Assign each corner of the room as A, B or C. A = Yes they consent, B = No they don’t consent, and C= Unsure if they consent so would need to clarify.
5. ❓ Ask students to stand in the corner that they think is correct when answering the following questions:
- You ask your Mum if they want an ice cream, they shake their head from side to side and pull a disgusted looking face.
- You ask a friend if they love Taylor Swift and they start playing one of her songs loudly off of their phone.
- You ask your sister if you can borrow their new top and they say “umm duh, what do you think?”
You text your boyfriend/girlfriend and ask if they want to come over after school and they send you back a party emoji and say “sounds good, can’t wait”.
Teaching tip: You can adjust the examples to use different language terms to be culturally inclusive or mention communication devices or sign language to be more disability inclusive.
3-2-1 Reflection
❓ How can you clarify if you are unsure if someone consents?
❓ Was there anything new that you learned or were surprised by today?
❓ What is one thing we talked about today that you'd share with a friend or family member?
Health promoting schools
- In school newsletters, include a question similar to those in the consent clarification game that offers an A, B or C answer so that students and families can discuss and share their thoughts on different situations and circumstances.
- Ask the drama and arts teachers if they can draw upon plays or art pieces that portray consent related scenarios to imbed for cross sectional knowledge.
- Ask sport teachers to discuss how we show consent in sport i.e. shaking head, crossing hands, saying don't pass etc.
