Sexual Health Education
Grade 6
Delay Tactics and Refusal Skills
Grade 6 Lesson 7
National Sexuality Education Standards:
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Demonstrate the use of effective
communication skills to support one’s
decision to abstain from sexual behaviors.
PR.8.IC.1
Demonstrate the use of effective
communication and negotiation skills
about the use of contraception, including
abstinence and condoms. PR.8.IC.2
Demonstrate effective communication
skills to reduce or eliminate risk for STDs,
including HIV. SH.8.IC.1
State Standards:
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Goal 22: Understand principles of health
promotion and the prevention and
treatment of illness and injury.
Goal 23: Understand human body systems
and factors that influence growth and
development.
Goal 24: Promote and enhance health and
well-being through the use of effective
communication and decision-making skills.
Common Core Alignment:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.2
Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and
explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant
descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
Rationale:
This lesson involves listening, speaking and writing. Students will be required to adhere to classroom
guidelines during the discussion on delay tactics. Students will use their writing skills as they develop
scenarios related to effective delay tactics for a variety of different situations. They will interpret
information presented through multimedia and small group discussions.
Time Requirements
Day 1
 45 minute lesson and role play
Day 2
 45 minute lesson and role play
Lesson Objectives
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Students will identify the 5 behaviors of delay tactics.
Students will observe and practice non-verbal refusal skills.
Sexual Health Education
Grade 6
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Students will practice delaying skills in role-playing situations.
Students will identify verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Students will observe and practice the 5 characteristics of effective refusals.
Vocabulary
Delay Tactics- behavior, both verbal and nonverbal, that can be used to avoid difficult and
uncomfortable situations.
Body Language- way to communicate, both verbal and nonverbal. This may include tone of voice,
gestures, the look on your face, the way you sit or stand.
Materials
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White board or butcher paper
Possible Delay Tactics worksheet
Presents and Flowers activity sheet
Observer Checklist work sheet
Your Friends Ex-Girlfriend and Trying to Slow Down activity sheets
Refusing or Delaying Quiz (optional)
Talk to Your Parents worksheet (homework)
Preparation
Day 1
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Day 2
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Print Possible Delay Tactics– 1 per student
Print Presents and Flowers activity sheet – 1 per student
Print Observer Checklist-1 per student
Review delay tactics from Day 1 Introduction to Delay Tactics
Print Your Friend’s Ex-Girlfriend and Trying to Slow Down- 1 per student
Print Observer Checklist-1 per student
Review refusal skills from Day 2 Introductive to Refusal Skills
Print Refusing or Delaying Quiz (optional)-1 per student
Key Content
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Sometimes adolescents are confronted with situations, including sexual situations that they may
not have a planned for.
Delay tactics can provide time and space for structured decision making.
Refusal behaviors provide students with a method for saying NO to unsafe sexual situations.
These skills can be applied to situations pertaining to abstinence, pregnancy prevention, and STI
prevention.
Sexual Health Education
Grade 6
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Strong body language is an important aspect of refusal skills.
Activity
Day 1
1.) Introduction to Delay Tactics
Explain: Delay tactics are one way to handle a difficult situation and avoid unwanted and
unprotected sex. For many reasons, it’s usually better to simply say no to offers you
don’t like, but people often feel confused about how to say no. Others may not have the
courage to say no to their friends. Without time to think of what to do, they can
impulsively make a poor decision. In such cases people might use a delay tactic to gain
time to think about what they really want. Remember, sooner or later you have to give
a clear no.
Provide an overview of the delay model students will be using. List the 5 behaviors on
the board. Give examples of each delay tactic. It is important to point out that an
effective delay doesn’t need to use all these behaviors. The goal is to end the interaction
as quickly as possible and not let it drag on.
1.) Make a delay statement.
2.) Take a delay action.
3.) Create space.
4.) End the situation quickly.
5.) Build the relationship (if appropriate).
Pass out Possible Delay Tactics and briefly review the examples and ask students to add
additional statements and actions.
2.) Activity #1: Demonstrate and Practice Role Play
Teacher’s Note: Students can also be given the option to write or draw what they would do in the
given role playing situation if acting out the role play or writing the script is challenging or
uncomfortable. Consider providing blank comic strips or creating groups that share similar interests
or where students can hold varying roles (script writer, artist, actors, etc.)
Explain that students will be working in small groups on role plays. Prior to role playing
students will have a chance to independently write the script for the role play. Pass out
the Presents and Flowers worksheet.
Sexual Health Education
Grade 6
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Allow students time to independently write responses that Person 2 could use.
Encourage them to try to apply 1 or 2 of the delaying tactics.
Divide students into groups with at least 2 males and 2 females in each group. Students
should bring their role plays to the group.
 Students should alternate roles in the group so that everyone has a chance to be
Person 1 (scripted), Person 2 (unscripted) and the Observers. Tell students they
don’t have to repeat Setting the Stage each time they enact the role play. Once
they understand the setting they can go directly to the dialogue. The observers
should look for behaviors that show delaying tactics. It is not necessary to use all
the tactics to be effective.
 Student Role Player #1: Read lines.
 Student Role Player #2: Respond to lines.
 Student Observer #1: Set the stage for the role play, and use Observer Checklist
criteria.
 Student Observer #2: Use Observer Checklist criteriaand lead small-group
discussion.
3.) Closure
Remind students that this class introduced delaying tactics to help students in situations
in which they feel pressured to have sex or do something else they may not want to do.
Students have probably already used these skills to manage situations with friends and
family. Using them to avoid pregnancy, HIV and other STIs may be the most important
of all.
Source: Delay Tactics. Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention. Retrieved from
http://recapp.etr.org/Recapp/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.YouthSkillsDetail&PageID=115
Day 2
4.) Introduction to Refusal Skills
Explain: It is sometimes hard to say no–especially to someone we care about–and to
stick with it. Sometimes we’re saying no, but it doesn’t come across as NO. Tell students
they will use a series of role plays to learn about, and then practice, ways to say no
when they don’t want to have sex. The ability/skill to say no effectively gives us a lot of
power over our lives.
Sexual Health Education
Grade 6
Provide a brief overview of the Refusals Skills model students will be using. List the 5
behaviors on the board:
1. Say “No!”
2. Repeat the refusal.
3. Suggest an alternative.
4. Use body language that says “No!”
5. Build the relationship (if appropriate).
Emphasize that the verbal aspect of effective refusal skills involves saying the word no in
a tone of voice that shows you mean it, repeating the refusal if necessary, and
suggesting an alternative. You can also reinforce the verbal refusal in nonverbal ways.
5.) Nonverbal Refusals
Explain that “body language” (such as tone of voice, gestures, the look on your face, the
way you sit or stand) is an important way to communicate with or without talking. Ask
the class to describe body language that says no to sex and generate a list. Write the list
on the board and demonstrate each behavior (or have a student demonstrate each
behavior) to reinforce the concept of nonverbal communication.
 Hands off – throwing up hands in a “get off of me” gesture or using hands for
emphasis.
 Soldier Body – sit up or stand up stiffly like a soldier at attention and marchaway
from the other person if you need to.
 Firm voice – strong and business-like voice.
 Serious expression-best “I mean it” face.
 Gestures-hand and arm movements that emphasize your point.
 Fight back-at times, if everything else fails, you might have to use your strength
to push away and protect yourself.
6.) Demonstrate Role Plays
Explain: The role plays Your Friend’s Ex-Girlfriend and Trying to Slow Down demonstrate
some of the ways that not clearly saying no can work against getting what you want.
Pass out the role plays and Observer Checklist (optional for each student but
information should still be covered) to all students. Ask them to listen and watch the
role plays and check off the behaviors they observe that are used during each role play.
Or, assign observers a specific behavior to watch for in the role play. For example, one
group of observers looks for “Said No,” another for “Repeated Refusal,” etc.
Sexual Health Education
Grade 6
Preselect a male and a female student to read the role plays. Begin with Your Friend’s
Ex-Girlfriend, Ineffective Version. You should read the “Setting the Stage” section of the
role play. After the role play is read, conduct a discussion. Ask role players to comment
on how they felt in the role and how they would feel if this were a real situation. Ask
students to identify what the guy did or did not do that led to his ineffectiveness. Pull
for such ideas as:
 He never said no.
 He never repeated his first objection.
 He was trying not to upset the girl and did not use clear communication.
 He expressed doubt and left her thinking it might work out.
Then have the same 2 students read Your Friend’s Ex-Girlfriend, Effective Version,
keeping the same roles. Again the teacher should read the “Setting the Stage” section of
the play. After the role play, thank the participating students and ask them to sit.
Have 2 new students read the ineffective version of Trying to Slow Down. Have students
use the checklist to identify the use of effective refusals after the role play. Review the
use of refusals with students. Help them recognize that Person 2:
 never said no
 never restated the first objection
 asked questions (“Do you love me?”) rather than stating her or his view
 expressed doubt
 failed to offer any alternative actions
 failed to use “hands off” or other body language
 gave up
Now have the same students read the effective version of Trying to Slow Down.Keeping
the same roles, have students use the checklist and discuss the elements of Person 2’s
effective refusal.
7.) Closure
Conclude by reminding students that today they observed and practiced clear refusal
statements that tell a person they mean no without losing a friendship. Remind students
that the skills they are learning can be used in a variety of situations. Emphasize that
these techniques can also be used to communicate the need to use contraceptives to
avoid pregnancy and STI transmission.
Sexual Health Education
Grade 6
Students should keep both Day 1 and Day 2 role plays in their Sexual Health Portfolios.
8.) Quiz and Skills Review (Optional)
Pass out Refusing or Delaying Quiz. After students complete it, have them exchange
papers with the student next to them. Go over the content to review the skills.
9.) Homework
Talk to Your Parents worksheet. Students should complete this with a parent guardian,
grandparent or trusted adult.
Source: Refusal Skills. Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention. Retrieved
from http://recapp.etr.org/Recapp/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.YouthSkillsDetail&PageID=115
Evaluation
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Students will track their learning by completing this lesson’s reflection in the Table of Contents
section of their Sexual Health Portfolio.
Students will be able to effectively role play the 5 behaviors of delay tactics.
Students will apply delay tactics to sexual health situations.
Students will be able to identify verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Students will participate or observe demonstration of the social skills important to
abstaining and using protections.
Students will practice and examine the 5 characteristics of effective refusals.
Resources
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Skills for Youth. Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention. Retrieved from
http://recapp.etr.org/Recapp/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.youthskillshome