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Negotiation Skills Training

Classroom-based negotiation programs empower students to “act as their own mediator,” by teaching effective communication skills like active listening and familiarizing them with the negotiation process. The basic steps are similar to those used in mediation, but without the third party. These steps generally include: each party explaining their side of the story while the other party listens, identifying underlying needs, brainstorming solutions, and identifying and implementing a solution that works for both parties. To help students remain engaged and understand the concepts, these programs typically are interactive and utilize activities and role-plays that teach the skills and process steps. Rather than integrating the negotiation material into students’ regular coursework, many classroom-based negotiation programs are designed as a stand-alone series of lessons in which students are taught the negotiation concepts. Although it is beyond the scope of this chapter, it is important to note that the skills of negotiation may also be taught as one component of a comprehensive, school-wide CRE program.

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Sample Catalog Resources

Below you'll find a randomized listing of up to 20 related items (we may have more...) drawn from our Resource Catalog.

Resource Title Description Links
Being an ally Pdf document for students outlining steps and sample phrases to help diffuse bullying incidents.
IREX Conflict Prevention and Peer Mediation Toolkit The Conflict Prevention and Peer Mediation Toolkit provides the training notes, handouts, sample agendas, and resource templates needed to initiate a peer mediation program for youth. IREX and partner organization Foundation for Tolerance International (FTI) created the Conflict Prevention and Peer Mediation Toolkit to support the creation of peer mediation programs at schools in Kyrgyzstan as part of the Youth Leadership for Peace Project funded by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). After receiving training on conflict prevention, peer mediation, and use of the Toolkit, teachers and youth from the Batken and Chui regions of Kyrgyzstan initiated peer mediation programs at 16 schools. From January – June 2013, peer mediators held more than 60 mediations, with 90% of mediations resulting in a signed mediation agreement.
Principled negotiation Powerpoint presentation outlining the steps of negotiation, from a cooperative and interest-based perspective.
Suggestions for handling surface behavior Pdf document that outlines the ways in which a teacher can direct or redirect student behavior, with suggestions for responses when confronted by a student, with material from Nicholas A. Seta and Allen N. Mendler.
Preparing pre-service educators to break up fights -- before they happen Pdf article from Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, Volume 4, Number 1, (Oct. 2003), which discusses a project by the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention -- Center for the Prevention of School Violence (DJJDP Center), to prepare future teachers to effectively manage conflict.
Cooperative Problem-Solving : A Guide to Turning Conflicts into Agreements This 56-page pdf is a guide designed for people who want to know how to resolve conflicts with other people in a way that leads to mutual agreements and stronger relationships. It was developed as a workbook for a workshop of the same title, but it can be used independently. Based on the book Getting to Yes, the Guide addresses: - Treating conflict as a natural resource - How to attack problems while respecting people - Raising an issue in a constructive manner - Exploring opposing positions to discover shared interests - Generating options to address all parties’ needs - Crafting clear and healthy solutions - Dealing with differing perceptions - Managing emotions - Insuring two-way communications - Choosing when to use a cooperative approach - Being a peacemaker while resolving conflicts
Multi-party roommate conflict Pdf article from Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, Volume 5, Number 1, (Sept 2004), which presents a "roleplay for a graduate course in interpersonal and small group conflict resolution, while it could be used for a mediation roleplay, it's written to be a 4-5 person small group conflict with no formal, outside intervenor, the expectation is that students can represent the characters and still demonstrate conflict resolution skills."
Basics of conflict management, CRETE day 2 training Powerpoint presentation discussing the nature of conflict, basic needs, conflict styles and negotiation.
Positions and interests Pdf document that describes an exercise in negotiation and problem solving to be used with children in grades 5-8, with a worksheet at end of document.
New directions and issues in the teaching of conflict resolution Pdf article from Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, Volume 2, Number 2, (Feb 2002), which "explores the issues related to understanding the effectiveness of the process and content of conflict resolution (specifically negotiation) teaching and training, it asks whether or not the right approach to training is being used and if the training "sticks," it also questions how the content of the field is evolving and if teaching methods are tracking the evolution." Includes bibliography.
Model for resolving conflict 1-page pdf flow chart which diagrams a model for resolving conflict based on a similar model in "Skills for Resolving Conflict," by E. Wertheim, A. Love, C. Peck, and L. Littlefield.
Conflict negotiation skills for youth 186-page PDF training manual on Conflict Negotiation Skills for Youth. The manual is directed at government and nongovernmental organization personnel working with young people. It presents a variety of participatory training methods and exercises. Users are encouraged to refine and adapt the materials. The contents are organized as follows: Conflict Negotiation Skills for Youth: Facilitator's Guide Section I: Youth and the conflicts they face in daily life, Session 1: Understanding youth, Session 2: Understanding conflict, Section II: Techniques for resolving intra-personal conflicts, Session 3: Self-awareness, Session 4: Communication, Session 5: Negotiation, Session 6: Mediation, Section III: Techniques for resolving group conflict, Session 7: Group building, Session 8: Team building and cooperation, and Session 9: Advocacy for youth development References.
Strengthening undergraduate mediator competency via the Ntl Intercollegiate Mediation Tournament Pdf article from Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, Volume 3, Number 3, (May 2003), which discusses the role of the National Intercollegiate Mediation Tournament in the development of mediation skills in students.
Preparing for special education mediation and resolution sessions: A guide for families & advocates 28-page PDF document created, "to contribute to better outcomes for children with special needs. Through a collection of articles, this guide seeks to provide families and advocates with an array of information that will equip them to make the most of the new and expanded dispute resolution options offered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As the nation’s special education law has evolved, Congress has consistently sought to provide new ways to encourage informal and speedy resolution of problems ... This guide provides a comprehensive article on preparing for special education mediation and resolution sessions, including tips for both families and advocates. A flowchart of mediation and resolution session supports the understanding of how these two processes work and intersect. For additional insight, it provides both an interview with a seasoned special education mediator and a summary of a study that sought to identify the factors that contribute to parent-school conflict. Finally, it offers communication tips for building strong partnerships and additional resources for locating further information."
Conflict resolution, negotiation & team building: Reviewing an impossible course that worked Pdf article from Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, Volume 5, Number 1, (Sept 2004), which presents the story of a "course teaching dispute resolution, negotiation and team building (ACS 201: Dispute Resolution and Team Building) [which] was designed to fit into the program's first year curriculum, this essay reviews the nature of the course and in some detail the student response to it." The course was taught at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario.
Getting to wow: Empowering young people to resolve their conflicts peacefully 9-page PDF article in the Federation of Women Teachers' Association of Ontario Newsletter, vol. 15, no. 3, 1997, which presents the Program for Young Negotiators, a Boston-based program which teaches children specific tools from interest-based negotiation to help them deal with their own conflicts.
Peer Mediation Session for Stan and Susan This 7-page scripted role-play illustrates the peer mediation process. It is designed to be used in the classroom with middle school age youth. It is based on scenario wherein Stan tripped, saw Susan laughing with her friend Misty, and immediately jumped to the conclusion that Susan was making fun of him. He called her a bad name in revenge. In classroom use, this activity may be preceded by the same scenario being played out as a negotiation between Stan and Susan. See related document "A Negotiation between Stan and Susan" for more details on the conflict.
Conflict coaching Pdf article from Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, Volume 2, Number 2, (Feb 2002), which introduces the idea of "Conflict coaching is a relatively innovative and distinctive form of coaching, it involves working one-on-one with those involved in interpersonal conflicts." Includes bibliography.
Two minute model, The: Helping students learn more about solving problems and resolving conflict 4-page PDF document which presents the two minute model for conflict resolution. This includes a flow chart diagram of conflict resolution based on a model from "Skills for Resolving Conflict," by E.H. Wortheim, A. Love, C. Peck, and L. Littlefield, and two role play examples.
Mediation@MIT Basic Mediation Training Slides and Scenarios This document accompanies the Mediation@MIT Basic Mediation Training Trainers' Manual (Higher Education). It contains all the slides utilized by instructors in the Basic Mediation Training. The lectures are NOT continuous slide presentations but consist primarily of discussion and exercises. The slides are used at intervals to reinforce key points, and to alternate between aural and visual instruction techniques. Part Two also contains the instructions to parties in all role plays or simulations. The General Instructions are the same for both parties, the material they both know and know that the other knows. The Private Instructions contain material known only to that party, which may or may not be revealed during the course of the mediation, including information about motivation and personal style of the character.