Teacher Notes
These notes support a five-week unit on game-show speaking for Year 9. They cover planning, differentiation, consent, cultural safety, participation and classroom safety. They do not prescribe a school program or a formal reporting instrument.
Purpose and scope
This packet is a teaching resource, not a faculty plan. It offers a sequence, explanatory pages, models and activities. Teachers should adapt the pace, formats and level of challenge to their class. The unit assumes no prior production experience and no specialist equipment.
The emphasis is on speaking craft: hosting, clarity, pace, care and teamwork. Students should speak in every lesson, even if only for thirty seconds. The final show is an opportunity to integrate the skills, not a high-pressure contest.
Planning the five weeks
| Week | Planning priority | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Establish the host's job and the audience contract. | Can students host a sixty-second opening? |
| 2 | Teach format and rule design. | Can students explain an original format in thirty seconds? |
| 3 | Work on questions and contestant care. | Can students write a clear question and a pass rule? |
| 4 | Build audience energy and production roles. | Can students run a round with a full team? |
| 5 | Plan pacing, contingencies and the show. | Can students run and review a full show? |
Creating a safe classroom
- Establish norms: no mocking, no forced participation, no personal questions.
- Start with pairs and small groups before a whole-class show.
- Offer choice in role, format and audience size.
- Model a mistake and a calm recovery.
- Separate rehearsal from performance.
- Allow students to take production roles instead of performing.
- Never require a student to disclose personal information as content.
Consent and contestant care
Consent is specific and ongoing. A student who agrees to play can still pass or stop. Explain the format, the audience, the questions and the pass rule before asking for a volunteer.
| Situation | Response |
|---|---|
| A student declines | Thank them; offer a support role; no explanation needed. |
| A student freezes | Offer a hint or a pass; do not mock. |
| A student wants to stop | “Of course.” Move on without comment. |
| A student is distressed | Pause; offer a quiet space; follow the support process. |
| A student discloses | Respond privately; do not use it as content. |
| A student is recorded | Ask separately; allow them to withdraw. |
Originality and rights
Do not reproduce a commercial game show's name, logo, set, catchphrases, music or rulebook. General mechanics such as quizzes, guessing and timed rounds are not owned by anyone, but the specific combination of a show's identity is protected.
| Use | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Original title and rounds | Created by students. | Credit the creators. |
| General quiz mechanic | Not owned. | Build your own version. |
| Commercial show name or logo | Protected. | Do not use. |
| Broadcaster music or graphics | Protected. | Use original or licensed material. |
| Question bank from a show | Protected. | Write original questions. |
| Student-created props | Owned by the creators. | Ask before sharing. |
Cultural safety
- Do not use cultural identity as a quiz category or a joke.
- Check questions about culture, religion and history for accuracy.
- Avoid stereotypes and sacred material.
- Ask before using a community's language or imagery.
- Follow local guidance for Acknowledgement of Country.
- Do not make a student's background the content of a round.
Differentiation
| Need | Support | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Confidence | Co-host, scorekeeper, small audience. | Host a full show or design a new format. |
| Reading and writing | Sentence frames, keyword cards, oral planning. | Write a full host script and question set. |
| EAL/D | Pre-teach vocabulary; allow first-language planning; model pronunciation without erasing accent. | Compare game-show conventions across cultures. |
| Neurodiversity | Clear steps, visual timers, quiet preparation space. | Design an accessible show or direct a team. |
| Gifted students | Compress the basics; focus on nuance and pacing. | Ask for a complex format with a clear arc. |
| Vision impairment | Large-print questions, audio cues, described visuals. | Design an audio-described show. |
| Hearing impairment | Transcripts, captions, clear sight lines, written questions. | Analyse a captioned show. |
| Physical access | Step-free stage, seated contestant option. | Plan an accessible event. |
| Anxiety or selective mutism | Non-speaking roles, recorded segments, small audience. | Design and lead a low-stakes show. |
Participation without performance
Students can develop game-show speaking skills without appearing on stage. Offer:
- pair or small-group shows;
- recorded audio with no audience;
- a written script read by someone else with permission;
- a production role such as judge, scorekeeper, timekeeper, sound or stage;
- a design role for the format, questions or set;
- a review or feedback role.
Formative feedback
- Focus on one or two choices per task.
- Use the “I noticed ... and it made me ...” sentence.
- Ask the student what they intended before offering a correction.
- Model the next step rather than taking over the performance.
- Give time to try the change immediately.
- Record progress through a short reflection, not a score.
Classroom protocols
- Preview any audio, video or website before showing it.
- Check the accuracy of names, titles and cultural material.
- Do not require students to disclose or perform personal material.
- Use a calm, predictable routine for show tasks.
- Offer a quiet space or an alternative task if a student is distressed.
- Check consent before recording or sharing student work.
- Follow school policy on copyright and controversial content.
No assessment instrument. This packet contains no test papers, marking keys, scores, bands, weightings or reporting schedules. It is a teaching and formative-feedback resource. Teachers keep their own school instruments offline.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Possible response |
|---|---|
| The rules are too complicated. | Cut to five rules and test with a paper run. |
| The host rushes. | Mark the reveal pause; rehearse with a timer. |
| A contestant freezes. | Offer a hint or a pass; keep the tone warm. |
| The audience is too loud. | Use the reset signal; lower your voice. |
| A question is ambiguous. | Accept both answers; fix the key for next time. |
| The show overruns. | Cut a middle round; protect the close. |
| A student is distressed. | Pause; offer a quiet space; follow the support process. |
| The format copies a commercial show. | Return to originality; change the identity, not just the title. |
Review checklist
- Do students speak in every lesson?
- Is the format original and simple?
- Are the questions accurate and unambiguous?
- Is participation voluntary and dignified?
- Are roles clear and shared?
- Is the show paced and timed?
- Are there low-stakes alternatives to performing?
- Do students review one change and its effect?
This page is a teaching support document, not a formal reporting instrument. It contains no scores, bands, weightings or confidential school material.