This worksheet is from the Peer Professional Employer Toolkit.
Instructions: Print this worksheet. Developing OARS+I skills (Open questions, Affirmation, Reflective listening, and Summarizing, plus Informing) requires practice. This active learning activity creates a useful, flexible structure in which the peer professional can practice a specific skill during supervision. The method involves modeling by the supervisor and behavioral rehearsal by the peer professional. This activity may be particularly useful following consultation. First, collaboratively come to agreement on the specific skill to practice, then complete the following steps.
- Brief discussion: Why is this skill important in practice? What is this skill intended to accomplish? Ask for details. If needed, use ask-share-ask to share your rationale.
- Ask peer professional to prepare a brief role play. Ideally, role play is based on the service participant discussed during earlier consultation.
- Set timer for five minutes. Peer professional provides the role play and supervisor demonstrates the specific skill.
- Debrief. Ask the peer professional what was noticed (example: What was it like being on the receiving end of this skill?). Supervisor thinks aloud about how the skill was demonstrated.
- Switch roles. Now the supervisor provides the same role play and peer professional demonstrates the skill. Again, set timer for five minutes.
- Debrief. What did you like about what you did? What else? What might be one thing you could do differently? Supervisor provides supportive feedback using ask-provide-ask.
As a variation, in step 3 first demonstrate negative practice (the opposite of skillful practice), then demonstrate skillful practice. Use the debrief to compare and contrast the experience.
