Notes About the Activities

The main objective of Talk It Up is to provide support for the healthy development of young people as they move through adolescence towards adulthood.

Protecting your students

The nature of this work may touch on personal and sensitive issues for some students. Teachers should draw upon their Protective Behaviours training, in particular:

Activities Communication (PDF) Self-Esteem (PDF) Sense of Control (PDF) Identity (PDF) Questionnaires You can fill in the online question forms and print the results out to discuss the issues in a group. Anger Respect Playing Up Talking it Out Working it Out Interactive Online Game Activities Personality Test With opportunities to match personal attributes to possible career goals. 7 Days Practice with making the right decisions for ourselves. The Dark Side of the Mood Try this quiz if you think that you, or someone you know, is depressed.

• Creating a safe environment in the classroom
• Establishing class rules for listening, sharing and respecting views
• Student guidelines for personal disclosure (see the teacher or
  counsellor afterwards if necessary).

As teachers, keep the discussions one step removed, (focus can be made on the people and situations in the television program) and be prepared to protectively interrupt students who may be about to disclose personal or sensitive information that is best disclosed in a more private situation.

Talk It Up contains helpful information, interactive materials, games and case studies that deal with:

Mental health and well-being
Self-esteem
Self-image and the media
Communication
Power struggles
Personal goal setting
Positive thinking
Support systems
Parent /teenager issues

Through individual and group/class activities students are invited to engage with these issues at levels appropriate to their ages.
Teachers should be guided, rather than locked in, by the age level suggestions.

At the start of each new section, you will find a brief summary of the content, so you can decide if it addresses the syllabus for your year level.

The main curriculum focus is on Health, but integration with English, The Arts (Media Studies and Drama) is a feature of the learning activities.

The content will be of particular interest to school counsellors and also connects well to VET.

Health Outcomes
Students will be engaged in:

• communicating
• interacting
• making informed decisions for their own and others’ well- being
• building constructive interpersonal relationships
• considering personal health choices

English Outcomes
Students will:

• discuss context and perspective of texts
• develop individual and collaborative learning skills
• compose texts and adapt ideas to new and different contexts and audiences
• respond imaginatively and critically to verbal and visual imagery
• recognise and use appropriate language forms.

Media Studies Outcomes
Students will:

• make and present media productions which explore issues
• demonstrate skill in manipulating media elements
• analyse the role of the media in different cultural contexts

Drama Outcomes
Students will:

• communicate with increased skill and confidence
• improvise dramatic situations in response to a variety of stimuli.
• develop a sense of worth and self esteem and an appreciation of the worth of others
• understand the function of drama in reflecting and questioning social values.
• develop their own scripts

We hope you will enjoy your work with this site.