Lesson 2 - Trust and Communication Navigation
Trust & Team Navigation
•Year 6
•Outdoor Adventurous Activities
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
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How can we build trust and communicate effectively to help others overcome challenges?
Learning Objectives
- To work collaboratively with a partner to navigate safely whilst blindfolded
- To give clear, precise instructions to guide a partner through challenges
- To develop trust, responsibility and effective communication skills
Key Outcomes
- Students will successfully navigate obstacles using only verbal and non-verbal communication
- Students will demonstrate responsibility for their partner's safety
- Students will reflect on the importance of trust and clear communication
Equipment & Resources Required
Check all blindfolds are clean and adjustable
Alternative: Bandanas, scarves, or PE bibs
Scatter randomly across hall to create 'river' obstacles
Alternative: Markers, bean bags, or hoops
Create low-level circuit with safe landing areas
Alternative: Benches, mats, tables if apparatus unavailable
Place at different heights and positions in obstacle course
Alternative: Rope circles or chalk circles
Ensure stable positioning with mats alongside
Alternative: Low balance beams or lines on floor
Key Vocabulary
The skill of finding your way through or around obstacles
Sending messages without using words, such as clapping or clicking
Believing that someone will keep you safe and help you succeed
Understanding where you are in relation to objects and other people
The person who helps direct and protect their blindfolded partner
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic awareness of personal space and safety
- Experience following simple instructions
- Understanding of partnership work
Current Skills
- Trust-building and responsibility for others
- Clear verbal and non-verbal communication
- Spatial awareness while blindfolded
Next Steps
- Advanced team communication in complex challenges
- Leadership roles in group problem-solving
- Independent risk assessment skills
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Guide must always position themselves in front of their blindfolded partner for maximum safety
- Clear, specific directional language is essential - avoid vague instructions like 'over there'
- Physical contact should only be used when safety is at risk, always announce before touching
- Build trust gradually through progressive challenges from simple to complex
- Communication codes must be tested and clearly understood before attempting navigation
- Celebrate effort and improvement rather than just successful completion
- Safety awareness is more important than speed or efficiency in all activities
Common Misconceptions
- Thinking that louder instructions are always clearer - volume without clarity doesn't help
- Assuming all students will navigate in the same way - different strategies work for different people
- Believing that physical guidance is always helpful - sometimes it creates dependence rather than confidence
- Expecting immediate trust - trust builds gradually through positive experiences
- Thinking guides can multitask - guides must focus completely on their partner's safety and progress
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Use shorter activity segments, provide clear roles and responsibilities, allow movement breaks between challenges
dyspraxia
- Simplify navigation routes, allow longer processing time for instructions, provide additional guidance and support
autism spectrum
- Provide clear activity structure, allow preview of blindfold experience, offer opt-out options for trust activities
visual impairment
- Provide enhanced audio cues, allow familiar partner as guide, use tactile markers for boundaries
hearing impairment
- Use visual signals and gestures instead of verbal/audio cues, ensure visual contact maintained
physical disability
- Adapt obstacle heights, allow seated navigation activities, modify challenge distance and complexity
Cross-Curricular Links
English
Precise vocabulary use, giving clear instructions, listening skills, descriptive language
Maths
Directional language, angles and degrees, spatial relationships, measuring distances and positioning
Science
Sound waves and hearing, forces and balance, nervous system and sensory input
Geography
Compass directions, navigation techniques, map reading skills, coordinate systems
PSHE
Trust and responsibility, effective communication, building positive relationships, managing anxiety and fear
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Move constantly around activity area, focusing on apparatus sections and any pairs showing uncertainty
Observation Focus
Monitor guide positioning, quality of communication, signs of trust building, and safety awareness
Intervention Points
Step in immediately if safety compromised, provide encouragement for nervous students, model techniques as needed
Demonstration Notes
Demonstrate: Always model with confident volunteer, show incorrect techniques as examples of what to avoid, emphasise safety over speed throughout
Verbal Cues
- •'Guides, position yourselves where your partner can follow your voice'
- •'Remember to warn about obstacles before your partner reaches them'
- •'Speak clearly and wait for your partner to respond before the next instruction'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Full hall space minimum 15m x 20m, clear of all hazards and obstacles except planned course equipment
Surface Check
Non-slip surface essential for blindfolded navigation, check for any wet areas or loose equipment
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •All blindfolds clean and properly fitted
- •Gymnastics apparatus stable and mats positioned correctly
- •Cones placed to avoid sharp edges facing movement direction
- •Benches checked for stability before use
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collisions between blindfolded students and obstacles/other students
- •Falls from apparatus or benches due to inadequate guidance
- •Anxiety or panic in blindfolded students
- •Inappropriate physical contact during guidance
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear boundaries and adequate spacing between activities
- •Comprehensive guide training before blindfold activities begin
- •Teacher positioning for maximum supervision of high-risk areas
- •Established stop signals and emergency procedures
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position near apparatus sections during obstacle course
- •Monitor guides maintaining appropriate positioning
- •Watch for signs of student anxiety or unsafe behaviour
Emergency Procedures
Immediate stop signal, guide stays with blindfolded partner, teacher provides direct assistance, remove blindfold safely