E6 E - Solve a friendship problem
aiMOOCE6 E - Solve a friendship problem
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E6 E - Solve a friendship problem
Mini-description: Do a short role-play about a fictional friendship problem. Listen to both sides, change perspective and find a fair solution together.
Einleitung
Friendship problems happen. In this aiMOOC, you practise respectful English for a small conflict between friends. The story and names are fictional. You do not need to talk about a real private problem.
Learning path: Notice → understand → practise → use → feedback → use again.
Help ladder: Try English first → ask for a Hint → use short German help → look at the example → check the solution.
Media start: Watch the short video once. Do not write every word. Notice: What helps people solve a conflict?
I can ...
- I can speak about a small friendship problem in simple English.
- I can see the problem from two points of view.
- I can listen and react respectfully.
- I can suggest a fair next step.
- I can write a short connected message about a solution.
Before you start: quick check
Say one English word or phrase for each idea: feeling – problem – apology – idea – agreement.
Hint: Start with words you know.
Deutsch-Hilfe: Gefühl – Problem – Entschuldigung – Idee – Einigung.
Example: feeling → upset.
Solution check: Possible answers: upset, problem, sorry, idea, deal.
Notice
Look at the picture. Imagine two students have a small disagreement during group work.
Think – pair – share: What can you see? What might each person think? Use careful language: Maybe ... / I think ... / We cannot know from the picture.
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Useful language in context
Feelings: I feel upset. / I feel left out. / I am confused.
Explain: I thought ... / I did not mean that. / My idea was ...
Listen: OK, I see. / Tell me more. / What do you think?
Repair: I’m sorry. / Can we try again? / Let’s find a solution.
Agree: That sounds fair. / Good idea. / Let’s do that.
Do not learn the phrases as a grammar list. Use them to do something: explain, listen, repair and agree.
Understand
Picture and audio/video input
Watch the first part of this video. Listen for words about calm, respectful communication.
First watch: What is the main idea?
Second watch: Note two useful actions.
Hint: listen – speak calmly – explain – respect.
Deutsch-Hilfe: Hör auf Handlungen, nicht auf jedes Wort.
Example: “listen” can be one useful action.
Solution check: A good answer names respectful communication, listening, calm speaking or finding a solution.
Short reading: Two sides
Fictional story
Maya and Sam make a poster together. Sam starts the title before Maya arrives. Maya feels left out and says, “You never wait for me.” Sam answers, “I’m sorry. I did not want to leave you out. I thought we had to start quickly.” Maya says, “I felt upset. Please tell me next time.” Sam says, “OK. Can we choose the pictures together?” Maya smiles. “Yes. That sounds fair.”
Check: Why is Maya upset? What does Sam explain? Which sentence helps them move forward?
Hint: Look for a feeling, a reason and a new plan.
Deutsch-Hilfe: Suche Gefühl, Begründung und Lösung.
Example: Maya feels left out.
Solution: Maya is upset because Sam starts without her. Sam says that Sam did not want to leave her out and wanted to start quickly. “Can we choose the pictures together?” helps them move forward.
Vocabulary in context
- upset: not happy because something went wrong
- left out: not included
- misunderstanding: two people understand a situation differently
- apology: words that show you are sorry
- compromise: a solution where both sides change something
- respect: treating another person fairly and politely
Practise
Pronunciation: clear, not perfect
Say the chunks slowly, then at normal speed:
- I feel left out. Stress the important words feel and left out.
- I’m sorry. Keep it short and calm.
- Can we try again? Let your voice rise a little at the question.
- That sounds fair. Stress fair.
Goal: Be easy to understand. Accent-free English is not the goal.
Mini dialogue with support
A: I feel upset because you changed our plan.
B: I’m sorry. I did not mean to upset you.
A: Can you tell me why?
B: I thought we had to start. What can we do now?
A: Let’s choose the next step together.
B: That sounds fair.
Now change one detail and speak again.
Perspective switch
Situation: Alex waits near the sports hall. Jamie waits near the school gate. They miss each other.
Round 1: Speak as Alex. Explain your side in two or three sentences.
Round 2: Speak as Jamie. Explain the other side in two or three sentences.
Round 3: Both say one sentence that shows listening.
Hint: I waited ... / I thought ... / I understand ... / Can we ...?
Deutsch-Hilfe: Nicht urteilen. Beschreibe, was jede Person gesehen, gedacht oder erwartet hat.
Retell and mini presentation
Retell: Close the reading. Retell Maya and Sam’s problem in 4–5 simple sentences. Use your own words.
Mini presentation: In 30 seconds, present one useful rule for a friendship problem: name the rule, give a short example and say why it helps.
Hint: problem → two views → talk → solution.
Deutsch-Hilfe: Nutze Stichwörter, keinen auswendig gelernten Volltext.
Use
Main task: friendship problem role-play
Work in pairs or groups of three. Choose one fictional problem:
- Meeting place: Two friends wait in different places.
- Group work: One person changes the plan without asking.
- Break time: One friend joins another group and the other feels left out.
- Game rules: Two friends remember a rule differently.
Role A: Explain your point of view and one feeling.
Role B: Explain your point of view and show that you listened.
Role C, optional mediator: Ask, “What can you do next?” and help the pair find a fair plan.
Finish with a clear next step: Can we ...? / Let’s ... / That sounds fair.
Less support: free dialogue
Do the role-play again without reading a full script. Use at least four useful chunks from this course, but choose your own words. Keep the conflict small, fictional and safe.
Short writing output
Write 6–8 connected sentences as one of the friends. Include:
- what happened,
- how you felt,
- the other person’s idea,
- your apology or respectful reaction,
- a fair next step.
Starter if needed: Yesterday, my friend and I had a small problem. I felt ... because ... Then we talked. ...
Deutsch-Hilfe: Schreibe zusammenhängend; keine Wortliste. Einfache Sätze sind gut.
Optional mediation
A German-speaking classmate asks what Maya and Sam decided. Explain the result in two or three German sentences. Do not translate the whole English text word for word.
Feedback
Give your partner short feedback:
- One strength: “I understood your point because ...”
- One next step: “Next time, try to ...”
Check: Did the speaker name a feeling, explain a view, listen, suggest a fair solution and speak clearly enough to understand?
Use again
Repeat the role-play with a new small conflict. This time, change roles and use one new phrase. Try to speak for 45–60 seconds without a full script.
Can-do check
Mark each statement: Yes / Almost / Not yet.
- I can explain a small problem.
- I can say how I feel.
- I can listen and show I understand.
- I can apologise or react calmly.
- I can suggest a fair next step.
- I can do a short role-play with little support.
Choose one “Almost” or “Not yet” item and repeat one task.
Safe and fair media use
All names and situations in the tasks are fictional. Personal recordings are optional and should stay private unless your teacher and everyone recorded have agreed otherwise. Do not upload classmates’ voices, faces or private stories without permission. Do not send task data to external AI tools unless your school has approved this. If you use AI for ideas, check the output and write the final English yourself. Wikimedia Commons images are used through their file pages; keep their licence information when reusing them. YouTube videos are embedded from the source; do not copy or re-upload them.
Follow-up course
Next step: Give advice and make a fair plan. Reuse the phrases from this course in a new school situation.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
Which sentence names a feeling respectfully? (I feel left out.) (!You are always wrong.) (!Stop talking now.) (!That is your fault.)
Which sentence shows active listening? (OK, I see. Tell me more.) (!I do not care.) (!You must agree with me.) (!This is boring.)
Which sentence is a useful apology? (I’m sorry. I did not mean that.) (!You made me do it.) (!It does not matter what you think.) (!Be quiet.)
What is the best first goal in a friendship conflict? (Understand both sides.) (!Win the argument.) (!Speak louder.) (!Find someone to blame.)
Which question can help find a solution? (What can we do now?) (!Why are you so difficult?) (!Who is worse?) (!Can you stop being my friend?)
In the Maya and Sam story, why is Maya upset? (Sam starts without her.) (!Sam loses the poster.) (!Maya forgets the lesson.) (!The teacher ends the project.)
Which sentence suggests a fair next step? (Let’s choose the pictures together.) (!I will do everything alone.) (!You cannot choose anything.) (!The problem is only yours.)
What is the speaking goal in this course? (Be clear enough to understand.) (!Sound exactly like one accent.) (!Use very long sentences.) (!Never make a mistake.)
What should you do before using German help? (Try English first.) (!Translate every sentence.) (!Stop the task.) (!Search for a full answer.)
What should happen with a class recording? (Record only if it is agreed and keep it private.) (!Upload it automatically.) (!Share it with strangers.) (!Post it without asking.)
Memory
| I feel left out. | name a feeling |
| Tell me more. | invite the other view |
| I’m sorry. | apologise |
| Can we try again? | restart together |
| That sounds fair. | accept a solution |
| compromise | both sides change something |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| I feel upset. | Name a feeling |
| I did not mean that. | Explain intention |
| Tell me more. | Listen actively |
| Can we try again? | Suggest a new start |
| That sounds fair. | Agree on a solution |
Kreuzworträtsel
| listen | What do you do when you give full attention to the other person? |
| sorry | Which word can start a simple apology? |
| respect | What means treating another person fairly and politely? |
| compromise | What solution asks both sides to change something? |
| feelings | What word names emotions such as upset or happy? |
| solution | What do two friends try to find after a conflict? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Feeling cards: Make six small cards with English feeling words and one simple example sentence on each.
- Two-line repair: Write a two-line mini dialogue with an apology and a fair next step.
- Picture talk: Choose one course image and say three careful sentences with “Maybe ...” or “I think ...”.
- Clear chunks: Practise four useful chunks with a partner and give feedback on clarity, not accent.
Standard
- Role-play remix: Change the place, problem and solution in the main role-play and perform it with less support.
- Two views: Write four sentences from one person’s view and four from the other person’s view.
- Mediation: Read the fictional story and explain the solution briefly in German to a partner without translating word for word.
- Conflict storyboard: Draw four panels: problem, two views, talk, solution; add one English speech bubble per panel.
Schwer
- One-minute dialogue: Speak for about one minute with a partner using no full script and reach a fair solution.
- Connected text: Write 8–10 connected sentences about a fictional conflict and show how communication changes the situation.
- Peer mediator: Be the mediator in a new three-person role-play and ask neutral questions until the pair agrees on a next step.
- New context: Create a school-safe conflict that is different from all examples, then solve it twice with two different fair solutions.
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Lernkontrolle
- Explain the change: Read a short fictional dialogue. Explain which sentence makes the conflict worse and rewrite it so it supports a solution.
- Compare two views: Describe what each person wants in a new scenario and name one point both sides can agree on.
- Choose language: Select three useful phrases for a new conflict and explain what each phrase does in the conversation.
- Create a solution: Write a fair next step for a problem where two friends want different things, and explain why both sides can accept it.
- Improve your role-play: After a role-play, name one communication strength and one specific change for the second round.
Lernnachweis
For a learning record, show that you can:
- explain a fictional friendship problem clearly,
- express at least one feeling without blaming,
- show the other person that you listened,
- use an apology or another repair phrase when useful,
- suggest and agree on a fair next step,
- speak understandably in a short free dialogue,
- write a short connected text,
- reflect on feedback and improve a second attempt.
No external media, uploads or AI tools are needed for the learning record.
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