:Options
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Approach:  One to one Level: Year 4 and year 8 
Focus: Interpersonal skills. 
Resources: Recording book.
136KB

Questions/instructions:

In this activity you will be thinking about some problems and different ways of solving those problems.

For each of the four problems [three for year 4], there will be some options for solving them. I want you to make a decision about each option. You will need to decide if it is a good choice or a bad choice for solving the problem.

We will look at the problems one at a time, and the options for dealing with them. If you think the option is a good choice, tick the “good choice” column.If you think it’s a bad choice, tick the “bad choice” column. If you just can’t make up your mind, you can tick the “not sure” column.

Use the following sequence for each of the 4 scenarios [three for year 4].
Complete each scenario before starting the next.

Read the problem to the student, then each of the options. After each option has been read, ask the student to decide which column they will tick.

Once all options have been considered for the scenario, say:

There could be other good ways for trying to solve the problem. See if you can think of another good way, and I’ll write it in the blank space.

Now look at all of the options that you have ticked as good choices. Choose one that you think is the best choice.

Why do you think that is the best choice?

Now let’s look at the ones you’ve ticked as “not sure”. Why didn’t you choose “good choice” or “bad choice” for those ones?

Repeat the sequence with each of the 4 scenarios [three scenarios for year 4].

% responses
2002 ('98)
y4
y8

SCENARIO ONE
You have been told that it is unhealthy to be in a room where people are smoking. You are staying with your grandad who smokes all the time while he watches TV.
OPTIONS
good choice
bad choice
not sure
Tell grandad to stop smoking.      
Go into another room.      
Hide his cigarettes.      
Sit outside in the cold.      
Tell your grandad about why it is dangerous to smoke.      
   
Grandad smoking while watching TV –
Preferred solution:
tell him why it is dangerous to smoke
42 (44)
48 (45)
tell him to stop smoking
26 (22)
14 (13)
go into another room
10 (6)
21 (23)
hide his cigarettes
6 (15)
2 (6)
other ideas
16 (13)
15 (13)
Strength of explanation:
strong
21 (20)
44 (35)
moderate
65 (66)
51 (54)
weak
14 (14)
5 (11)

SCENARIO TWO

You are walking along the road to school when someone stops beside you in a car. You don’t know the person. They ask you to get in and say they’ll give you a ride to school. 
OPTIONS
good choice
bad choice
not sure
Call out to a friend you have seen across the road.      
Get into the car.      
Tell a teacher.      
Run away.      
Tell the person that you won’t get into the car.       
   
Stranger offers you a ride to school –
    
Preferred solution:
run away
29 (31)
24 (33)
tell person you won’t get into car
23 (14)
19 (11)
tell a teacher
20 (19)
18 (14)
call out to a friend
5 (9)
19 (27)
other ideas
23 (27)
20 (15)
Strength of explanation:
strong
19 (25)
43 (39)
moderate
60 (63)
51 (54)
weak
21 (12)
6 (7)

SCENARIO THREE
 Your babysitter has brought some videos to watch. However they are videos that you know your parents would not like you to watch.
OPTIONS
good choice
bad choice
not sure
Watch the videos anyway.      
Go and watch TV in another room.      
Tell the babysitter to turn the sound up.      
Ask the babysitter not to watch the videos.       
   
Babysitter watching inappropriatevideos –    
Preferred solution:
go and watch TV in other room
32 (29)
37 (49)
ask the babysitter not to watch the video
28 (34)
27 (24)
watch the videos anyway
4 (2)
3 (2)
other ideas
35 (35)
33 (25)
Strength of explanation:
strong
21 (26)
40 (45)
moderate
59 (58)
52 (40)
weak
20 (16)
8 (15)

SCENARIO FOUR

You are at a friend’s place where some adults are having a party. Your friend picks up some wine or beer and starts drinking.
OPTIONS
good choice
bad choice
not sure
Walk out of the room and do something else.      
Join in and drink some of it for the fun of it.      
Tell your friend that you don’t want to drink any.      
Go and tell an adult.      
Tell your friend not to drink beer or wine.      
   
[YEAR 8 ONLY]
Friend drinking alcohol at party –
    
Preferred solution:
go and tell an adult
•
28 (22)
tell your friend not to drink any
•
26 (31)
tell your friend you don’t want any
•
15 (20)
walk away and do something else
•
11 (12)
join in
•
1 (1)
other ideas
•
19 (14)
Strength of explanation:
strong
•
36 (38)
moderate
•
57 (51)
weak
•
7 (11)
 
Total score for first 3 scenarios:




6
7 (7)
19 (14)
5
8 (13)
22 (16)
4
20 (18)
26 (35)
3
35 (35)
21 (17)
2
18 (19)
8 (7)
0–1
12 (8)
4 (11)
Commentary
About 20 percent more year 8 than year 4 students gave ‘strong’ explanations for their preferred actions. While there was little change between 1998 and 2002 for year 4 students, there was a modest increase for year 8 students.
 
 
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