English:Friendship and Positive Relationships
Friendship and Positive Relationships
Introduction
Friendship and positive relationships can make school, clubs, sports, families, and communities feel safer and more welcoming. A positive relationship is one in which people treat each other with respect, communicate honestly, care about each other's feelings, and allow each person to have their own interests, opinions, and boundaries.
You do not need to have lots of friends to have good relationships. Some people enjoy one or two close friendships, while others like being part of a larger group. Friendships can also change over time. What matters most is not popularity, but how people treat one another.
In this aiMOOC, you will learn how to notice healthy friendship qualities, listen actively, show empathy, include others, set boundaries, handle disagreements, respond to peer pressure, and act respectfully online. You will also practice deciding when a problem can be solved together and when you should ask a trusted adult for help.
Think about the picture. What could the joined hands represent: teamwork, belonging, support, equality, or something else? There can be more than one good interpretation.
Understanding Positive Relationships
What Makes a Relationship Positive?
A healthy friendship is not perfect. Friends can disagree, make mistakes, need space, or spend time with other people. A positive relationship is one where both people are treated as important.
Respect means accepting that another person has thoughts, feelings, needs, and rights of their own. Respect includes listening when someone says no, avoiding insults, and not trying to control another person's choices.
Trust grows when people are honest, keep reasonable promises, and act in dependable ways. Trust can be damaged by lying, sharing private information without permission, or repeatedly breaking agreements. It can sometimes be rebuilt through honest conversation and changed behavior.
Support means encouraging someone, helping when it is appropriate, and caring about what happens to them. Support does not mean doing everything a friend asks. A good friend can say no to something unsafe, unkind, or uncomfortable.
Fairness means that one person does not always get their way. Friends take turns, share decisions, and make room for each other's needs.
Boundaries are limits that help protect your comfort, privacy, time, body, belongings, and safety. Different people can have different boundaries, and those boundaries deserve respect.
After watching, identify three qualities of a healthy peer relationship. Then give one example of what each quality could look like during a normal school day.
Friendship Can Look Different for Different People
There is no single correct way to be a friend. Some friends talk a lot; others connect by playing games, creating things, reading together, walking, studying, or sharing a hobby. Some people enjoy frequent messages, while others need more quiet time.
People also communicate in different ways. For example, eye contact may feel natural to one person and uncomfortable to another. A respectful friend pays attention to what helps the other person feel comfortable instead of forcing one style of communication.
Friendship should allow both people to keep their own identity. You can care about a friend and still have different opinions, favorite activities, cultures, languages, beliefs, or groups of friends.
Communication Skills
Active Listening
Active listening means giving real attention to what another person is saying. You can show attention by putting away distractions, waiting for the person to finish, asking a useful question, or briefly repeating the main idea in your own words.
Good listening is more than staying silent. It also means trying to understand the speaker's meaning. If you are unsure, you can ask, "Do you mean that you felt left out when the game started?" This gives the speaker a chance to correct or add information.
Listening does not require you to agree with everything. You can understand someone's point of view and still have a different opinion.
Try a two-minute listening challenge with a partner. One person talks about a hobby or favorite activity while the other listens without interrupting. Then the listener summarizes the main idea before switching roles.
Speaking Clearly and Respectfully
When a problem happens, clear language can prevent extra confusion. Instead of attacking the other person's character, describe the situation and explain how it affected you.
An I-message can follow this pattern: "I feel ... when ... because ... . I would like ... ." For example: "I feel frustrated when my turn is skipped because I want the game to be fair. I would like us to use the same turn order."
An I-message is not a magic formula, and it does not make every disagreement disappear. Its purpose is to explain your experience without name-calling or guessing another person's motives.
Tone of voice, facial expression, gestures, and personal space can also affect communication. Because body language can be misunderstood, use words when something important needs to be clear.
Asking, Checking, and Respecting Consent
Consent means a clear, freely given yes to something. In everyday friendships, consent can matter when borrowing an item, sharing a photo, giving a hug, joining a private conversation, or posting something about another person.
A person can change their mind. Silence, pressure, guilt, or fear are not the same as a free yes. If you are unsure, ask. If someone says no, stop and respect the answer.
Respectful phrases include "Is it okay if I borrow this?", "Would you like a hug?", "Can I share this picture?", and "No thanks, I do not want to do that."
Empathy, Inclusion, and Cooperation
Empathy
Empathy means trying to understand how another person may be feeling or what a situation may be like from their point of view. Empathy begins with curiosity rather than guessing.
You might say, "You seem disappointed. Do you want to talk about it?" The other person may say yes, no, or explain that they feel something different. Empathy means making space for their answer.
Empathy does not mean taking responsibility for every problem a friend has. You can care about someone and still ask an adult for help when the situation is too big, unsafe, or serious for a child to handle alone.
Inclusion and Belonging
Inclusion means helping people have a fair chance to participate and belong. You can include others by explaining the rules of a game, making room in a group, learning how to pronounce someone's name, inviting a quieter classmate to contribute, or choosing activities that more people can access.
Inclusion does not mean that you must be close friends with everyone. It means treating people with dignity and avoiding unfair exclusion, teasing, or humiliation.
Look at the school-play image and imagine you are designing a break-time activity. What rules or choices would help more students join safely and comfortably?
Cooperation
Cooperation means working together toward a shared goal. It includes sharing information, dividing jobs fairly, encouraging teammates, and solving small problems without blaming.
A strong team does not need every person to have the same skill. One student may be good at planning, another at drawing, another at checking details, and another at presenting. Positive teamwork uses these differences as strengths.
While watching, write down one friendship habit you already use and one habit you would like to practice more often.
Boundaries and Peer Pressure
Personal Boundaries
A boundary is a limit that tells others what is okay or not okay for you. Boundaries can involve your body, belongings, time, privacy, emotions, or online life.
You can state a boundary clearly and calmly: "Please do not read my messages," "I do not want to be tagged in that photo," or "I need some quiet time now." You do not have to create a long explanation for every reasonable boundary.
Healthy friends may feel disappointed by a boundary, but they should not punish, threaten, mock, or repeatedly pressure you for setting it.
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure happens when people your age influence you to think or act in a certain way. Peer influence can be positive, such as encouraging a friend to study, join a club, or be kind. It can also be harmful when someone pushes you toward unsafe, dishonest, cruel, or rule-breaking behavior.
Useful responses include a direct no, suggesting a safer alternative, leaving the situation, or asking a trusted person for support. If you feel trapped or unsafe, getting help is more important than winning an argument.
Choose one strategy from the video and write a short example of how you could use it if someone pressured you to exclude a classmate or share a private screenshot.
Handling Conflict and Repair
Disagreement Is Not the Same as a Bad Friendship
A disagreement can happen even in a strong friendship. Two people may want different games, misunderstand a message, or feel hurt by a careless comment. Conflict becomes easier to manage when people focus on the problem instead of attacking each other.
A useful process is to pause if emotions are very strong, listen to each person's view, describe the problem, think of possible solutions, and choose a fair next step. Sometimes a compromise works. Sometimes one person needs to correct a mistake. Sometimes the best choice is to take space.
Apologies and Repair
A meaningful apology names what happened, accepts responsibility, and shows how the person will try to repair the harm. "I'm sorry you feel that way" can avoid responsibility, while "I'm sorry I shared your message without permission. I should not have done that. I deleted it and will ask before sharing anything private again" is more specific.
Forgiveness cannot be forced. A person who was hurt may need time or may decide not to continue the friendship. Repair is about taking responsibility for your own actions, not demanding a certain response.
A high five can celebrate teamwork or a repaired problem, but it should only happen when both people are comfortable with it. What are some other non-contact ways to show appreciation or agreement?
Conflict, Bullying, and Getting Help
Not every conflict is bullying. A conflict can involve people with similar power who disagree. Bullying involves harmful behavior that is repeated or likely to be repeated and often includes a power imbalance.
If someone is repeatedly threatening, humiliating, excluding, hitting, harassing, or targeting another person, do not treat it as a problem that the target must solve alone. Tell a trusted adult such as a parent, teacher, counselor, coach, or school staff member.
If the problem happens online, save useful evidence such as messages or screenshots when it is safe to do so, use blocking or reporting tools, and involve a trusted adult. If anyone is in immediate danger, seek urgent help from a responsible adult or local emergency service.
Online Friendships and Digital Respect
Online communication can help friends stay connected, but it can also spread messages and images quickly. Before posting, forwarding, or sharing, ask whether the content is yours to share and whether the other person has agreed.
Protect personal information such as passwords, home addresses, and private account details. Do not pressure someone to send a photo or message they do not want to send. Do not share another person's private message just to entertain a group.
Text messages can be misunderstood because tone and facial expression may be missing. When a message feels confusing or upsetting, it can help to ask what the person meant instead of immediately assuming the worst.
If an online contact asks for secrecy, personal information, private images, money, or a meeting that makes you uncomfortable, stop the conversation and tell a trusted adult. A safe friendship should not depend on secrecy or fear.
A Friendship Toolkit
Here is a simple toolkit you can remember in everyday situations. Notice what is happening and how people may be feeling. Listen before deciding what someone meant. Speak clearly and respectfully. Ask before touching, borrowing, posting, or sharing. Include others fairly. Set boundaries when something is not okay for you. Repair mistakes when you cause harm. Get help when a situation is unsafe, repeated, threatening, or too difficult to handle alone.
You can practice these skills. Friendship skills are not a test of whether you are a "good" or "bad" person. They are behaviors you can learn, reflect on, and improve.
Interactive Tasks
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Which action best helps build trust in a friendship? (Keeping reasonable promises and being honest) (!Agreeing with everything a friend says) (!Sharing a friend's private message) (!Making every decision for the group)
What is active listening? (Paying attention and trying to understand the speaker) (!Waiting silently while planning your next argument) (!Interrupting to tell a similar story) (!Agreeing with every opinion)
Which sentence clearly states a boundary? (Please do not post that photo of me) (!You must always do what I say) (!Everyone has to like the same things) (!A real friend never says no)
What does empathy involve? (Trying to understand another person's point of view) (!Deciding what another person feels without asking) (!Solving every problem for another person) (!Copying everything another person does)
Which action is an example of inclusion? (Explaining the game so a new student can join) (!Ignoring anyone who is new) (!Changing the rules to make one person lose) (!Only speaking to the most popular group)
What is a useful first step when a disagreement becomes very heated? (Pause and calm down before continuing) (!Post about it online immediately) (!Invite more people to take sides) (!Use insults to prove your point)
Which response can help with harmful peer pressure? (Say no and leave the situation if needed) (!Do it so nobody thinks you are different) (!Keep the pressure secret from every adult) (!Pressure another person instead)
What should you do before sharing a friend's photo online? (Ask for permission) (!Assume silence means yes) (!Share it first and ask later) (!Send it to as many people as possible)
What is a good response to repeated threatening or humiliating behavior? (Tell a trusted adult) (!Handle it completely alone) (!Pretend it cannot affect anyone) (!Respond with another threat)
Which is a sign of a positive relationship? (Both people can have their own opinions and boundaries) (!One person controls all decisions) (!Friends must spend all their time together) (!Saying no always ends the friendship)
Memory Game
| Empathy | Trying to understand another person's feelings or point of view |
| Boundary | A limit that protects comfort privacy or safety |
| Trust | Belief that someone is honest and dependable |
| Compromise | A solution in which people adjust to reach an agreement |
| Inclusion | Helping people have a fair chance to join and belong |
| Consent | A clear and freely given yes |
Drag and Drop
| Match the correct terms. | Topic |
|---|---|
| Active listening | Paying close attention and checking what the speaker means |
| Personal boundary | Saying what is or is not okay for you |
| Repair | Taking responsibility and trying to fix harm after a mistake |
| Peer pressure | Influence from people your age to act in a certain way |
| Inclusion | Making fair space for people to participate and belong |
Match each friendship skill with the best explanation.
Crossword Puzzle
| Respect | What means treating another person's rights feelings and choices as important? |
| Empathy | What means trying to understand another person's point of view? |
| Trust | What can grow when people are honest and dependable? |
| Boundary | What word means a personal limit that others should respect? |
| Support | What word means encouraging or helping someone appropriately? |
| Compromise | What solution can involve both people adjusting to reach agreement? |
LearningApps
Cloze Text
Open-Ended Tasks
Easy
- Friendship qualities poster: Create a one-page poster showing at least five qualities of a positive relationship and one example for each quality.
- Listening practice: Work with a partner for two short rounds and practice listening without interrupting, then summarize what your partner said.
- Kindness journal: Record four specific acts of kindness or support you notice during a week and explain why each action may strengthen relationships.
- Inclusion map: Draw a simple map of places at school where students meet and add ideas that could help more people feel welcome in each place.
Standard
- Conflict role-play: In a small group, act out a disagreement about a game or group project and demonstrate listening, an I-message, and a fair solution.
- Boundary comic: Create a six-panel comic in which a character states a boundary clearly and another character responds respectfully.
- Friendship interview: With permission, interview a family member, teacher, coach, or other trusted person about what they think makes a lasting friendship, then summarize the answers in your own words.
- Teamwork challenge: Complete a small building, art, or problem-solving task with a group, then reflect on how you shared jobs, decisions, and feedback.
Advanced
- Class relationship charter: Design a short class charter with rules for respect, privacy, conflict, inclusion, and online behavior, and explain the reason for each rule.
- Peer pressure podcast: Record a short audio episode that presents a realistic peer-pressure situation and demonstrates at least three safe response strategies.
- Digital respect campaign: Create posters, slides, or a short video teaching students how to ask permission before sharing, protect privacy, and report harmful online behavior.
- Friendship mini research project: Collect anonymous class ideas about what helps people feel included, organize the responses into themes, and present two practical recommendations without naming individual students.
Learning Assessment
- Relationship analysis: Read a short friendship scenario and identify signs of respect, trust, support, fairness, and boundaries, using evidence from the scenario.
- Communication transfer: Rewrite an insulting or blaming statement as a clear I-message and explain how the change could improve the conversation.
- Conflict decision: Compare two possible responses to the same disagreement and argue which response is more likely to protect both fairness and the relationship.
- Boundary application: Explain what you could say and do if a friend keeps asking to see a private message after you have said no.
- Peer pressure reasoning: Design a safe response plan for a situation in which a group pressures someone to exclude a classmate, including when to seek adult help.
- Digital citizenship case: Analyze an online group-chat problem and decide what should be kept private, what should be reported, and how the people involved could repair harm.
Evidence of Learning
Strong evidence of learning includes knowing the difference between respect, trust, empathy, consent, boundaries, cooperation, conflict, peer pressure, and bullying. It also includes being able to explain why a behavior helps or harms a relationship rather than simply naming a rule.
Skills evidence can include active listening, asking clear questions, using respectful language, stating a boundary, responding to a boundary, solving a disagreement, recognizing unsafe pressure, and asking for help at the right time.
Product evidence can include a friendship poster, comic, role-play, interview summary, teamwork reflection, class charter, podcast, digital-respect campaign, or mini research presentation.
Transfer evidence means using the ideas in a new situation. For example, you might apply consent to sharing a photo, apply fairness to a team project, apply empathy to a misunderstanding, or apply boundary-setting to an online chat.
Reflection is also important. You should be able to identify one relationship skill you already use well, one skill you are still practicing, and one specific action you can try next.
OERs on the Topic
The English Wikipedia article on Friendship can help you explore how friendship is understood in psychology, sociology, philosophy, and culture. When you use information from any source, check who created it, when it was updated, and whether the claims are supported.
Linked Learning Areas
Friendship and positive relationships connect with English through speaking, listening, discussion, interviewing, reflection, and media creation. They connect with Health education and Social-emotional learning through well-being, safety, communication, and decision-making. They also connect with Civics through fairness, respect, belonging, and responsible participation in a community.