How to deal with difficult situations

Coping with Stressful Situations

It is expected that everyone experiences some stress at times in everyday school life. Perceiving a bit of stress occasionally can be considered a good thing, as it helps motivate our actions, get started with tasks, and continue striving towards our goals even when facing difficulties. However, stress can become overwhelming and hinder our ability to act. This happens when we lack the resources to cope with a particularly challenging situation or find ourselves in a scenario where stressful situations keep accumulating, making it difficult to overcome the previous stress before new ones arise.

In this part of toolbox you will find some tools that could help you and your pupils to cope with everyday stress. Some of the tools can be used in the course of everyday school life to prevent stress, and some in more foreseeable stressful situations to relieve stress.

References

Whiting, S. B., Wass, S. V., Green, S., & Thomas, M. S. (2021). Stress and learning in pupils: Neuroscience evidence and its relevance for teachers. Mind, Brain, and Education, 15(2), 177-188.

Peer Sharing (Co-listening)

Title
Peer Sharing (Co-listening)
Subtitle
Co-listening
Brief description
Students have the opportunity to share thoughts and feelings within a safe and structured activity. Listening skills are taught and practiced. This is a two-part activity that provides students an opportunity to: 1) relieve stress by talking about what they are thinking or feeling in the moment, while being intentionally listened to, and; 2) talk about opportunities and solutions related to the topic at hand to help move beyond current feelings of stress and/or tension. The activity involves one student talking while his/her partner(s) listens without comment. Set the stage with students by establishing rules for safe sharing. For example: Be respectful, no teasing, information shared is not talked about once activity ends (stays in the classroom), respect all feelings, ideas, opinions. Before beginning, model the activity using yourself and student volunteers to clearly demonstrate the activity.
Instructions for user
Part One Students should be in pairs; have students find a partner (e.g. you can number off students 1, 2, 1, 2…). Student #1 talks while student #2 simply listens (e.g. ask Student 1 to share how they are feeling today and why? Or how they are feeling at the moment or about any concerns or worries they are experiencing). After 1-3 minutes the students switch roles and student #2 talks while student #1 listens for another 1-3 minutes (Student #2 now talks about the same question, e.g. how they are feeling today and why?). Part Two OPTIONAL: Students may share with whole class their experience of sharing thoughts and feelings while being listened to and what it is like to listen intentionally without comment. Check in with students to see if they feel any sense of relief, calmness, focus or less stressed as a result of the activity. Extension: Teacher may follow-up by having students practice peer sharing at other times. Encourage students to practice this method on their own amongst themselves for mutual support. After the pairs are done sharing, group students in triads (groups of three; again you may number off students 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 …). Student #1 talks while students #2 and #3 listen (e.g. ask Student 1 to talk about opportunities and solutions related to current issue or stressors he/she is experiencing or concerned about). Every 1-3 minutes switch until each student in the group has a turn to talk.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Stress is a natural part of every young person’s life. Stress is any change, internal or external, positive or negative, to which a young person must adapt; simply, “stress is anything that causes physical and/or mental wear and tear on the body and mind” (Joyce V. Fetro, Personal & Social Skills, 2000). Students’ stress is usually related to everyday experiences, worries and challenges at school, home, in the community and within their peer group. For example, young people may experience stress resulting from bullying, name calling, social isolation, not getting what they want, body image, academic difficulties, and unsafe neighborhoods. While each student will respond to and resolve stress differently, the impact of ongoing and/or unresolved stress can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, irritability, poor concentration, aggression, physical illness, fatigue, sleep disturbance and poor coping skills such as tobacco, drug and/or alcohol use. Therefore, young people, like adults, can benefit from learning and practicing stress management skills. Students who develop stress reduction skills learn how to feel and cope better without hurting themselves or others. Identifying and acknowledging the causes of stress and expressing feelings about them are usually the most effective tools students have to reduce stress, in addition to learning practical stress reduction skills.
Duration
20 minutes
Material and content
No materials are needed
Weblinks
Edutopia

Exercise - Silent ball (physical activity)

Silent Ball (Physical Activity)

Title
Silent Ball (Physical Activity)
Subtitle
Silent Ball
Brief description
Teacher introduces the idea that physical activity is an excellent stress management tool and explains the rules of silent ball: Teacher is the only referee regarding bad passes and missed catches Talking or making sounds is an out Missed catch or bad pass is an out A “good” throw is within arm’s length of the intended catcher and does not include “fast balls” (model good throws for students) Students that are out must remain quiet at their desks and not interfere with the game in any way
Instructions
No one can talk or make a sound; that is the object of the game Students may stand by their desks or position students in any arrangement to facilitate tossing the ball to each other around the classroom Make a good throw to a classmate; explain that students cannot throw back to the person who threw to them If student misses the ball or makes a bad pass, student is out and must sit at his/her desk until the next round Play until all students are seated; last two are the champs! Extension: Teacher may follow-up by using this activity with the class at other times, such as a rainy day. It may be useful to calm and focus students in transitions (e.g. after returning from lunch/recess to the classroom), to break up an extended/lengthy lesson or as an incentive for successful completion of a task/lesson. Have follow-up discussion with students regarding the health benefits and stress management benefits of fun, safe physical activities. Guiding questions: Activity provides a way for the body to relieve tension and frustration; what are your favorite physical activities? (e.g. basketball, running, hiking, swimming, dancing, etc.) How does it feel to be tense/frustrated/stressed? Where in your body do you feel tension or stress? How does it feel to be relaxed and calm? How does your body feel when you are relaxed and calm? Which of these activities can you do alone? How do you feel after doing your favorite physical activity?
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Stress is a natural part of every young person’s life. Stress is any change, internal or external, positive or negative, to which a young person must adapt; simply, “stress is anything that causes physical and/or mental wear and tear on the body and mind” (Joyce V. Fetro, Personal & Social Skills, 2000). Students’ stress is usually related to everyday experiences, worries and challenges at school, home, in the community and within their peer group. For example, young people may experience stress resulting from bullying, name calling, social isolation, not getting what they want, body image, academic difficulties, and unsafe neighborhoods. While each student will respond to and resolve stress differently, the impact of ongoing and/or unresolved stress can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, irritability, poor concentration, aggression, physical illness, fatigue, sleep disturbance and poor coping skills such as tobacco, drug and/or alcohol use. Therefore, young people, like adults, can benefit from learning and practicing stress management skills. Students who develop stress reduction skills learn how to feel and cope better without hurting themselves or others. Identifying and acknowledging the causes of stress and expressing feelings about them are usually the most effective tools students have to reduce stress, in addition to learning practical stress reduction skills.
Duration
20 minutes
Material and content
Use one or more Nerf ball(s), gator skin ball(s), or lightweight ball(s).
Weblinks
Edutopia

Exercise - Working in pairs

Working in pairs

Title
Working in pairs
Subtitle
Cooperative techniques for information processing
Brief description
During the teacher’s explanation, the teacher gives time for students to share the main ideas of the explanation with a classmate and improve their notes thanks to their classmate’s contribution. The students are placed in pairs and they have their moments after the teacher’s presentation to comment with their pairs on their doubts, what they understand from the teacher’s presentation…
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Adolescents, particularly early adolescents, are vulnerable to stress created by negative peer interactions. Stress, in turn, can lead to increased mental health problems and reduced academic engagement, in addition to negative long-term consequences for cognitive development and physical health. Different studies point out that enhancements to peer relations, through carefully structured small-groups learning activities (i.e., cooperative learning), could reduce stress and emotional problems and promote academic engagement (Van Ryzin & Roseth, 2021). Johnson, D., Johnson, R., & Smith, K. (1998). Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company.
Duration
15 minutes
Weblinks
Peer communication, inclusion, and kind communication.

Exercise - Scripted cooperation

Scripted Cooperation

Title
Scripted Cooperation
Subtitle
Cooperative techniques for information processing
Brief description
At one point in the teacher’s presentation, the students, in pairs, assume the role of the synthesizer, who tries to summarize the information presented without looking at the notes, and the other (the listener) who provides feedback for completeness and correctness. Then in pairs, they elaborate the information by personalizing it with previous learning or creating elements of synthesis to remember it. The teacher stops the presentation and points out which members of the pair act as synthesizers and listeners. Each pair member performs the activities of the respective role (summarizing the information without looking at the notes; or providing feedback on the oral summary). Each pair elaborates on the information, making an “appropriation” that allows them to understand it.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
O’ Donnell, A.M. (1999). Structuring dyadic interaction through scripted cooperation. In A.M O´Donnell & A. King (Eds.), Cognitive perspectives on peer learning (pp. 179-196). Inc Publishers. A number of field studies have indicated that, given the right instruction, students can learn effectively in pairs and in small groups (e.g., Slavin, 1983; 1990). However, few studies have examined the strategies within a controlled-laboratory setting, and few have involved post-secondary students. In order to fill this gap Dansereau and his colleagues developed the “MURDER” method (Dansereau et al., 1979). Over the last several years, Dansereau and his colleagues (e.g., Hall, et al. 1988; Patterson, Dansereau, & Newborn, 1992; O’Donnell et al., 1985) have conducted a research program aimed at the examination of learning strategies based on this technique. This is referred to as “scripted cooperative learning.” The technique consists of a controlled interaction between two students as they learn some body of text material. Laboratory research indicates that the strategy has a number of potential benefits. First, the method can serve to increase acquisition of text material relative to students studying alone (Hall et al., 1988). In addition, the method appears to enhance metacognitive (i.e., comprehension-monitoring and error detection) skills (Hall, Dansereau, O’Donnell, & Skaggs, 1989), and generates positive affect associated with studying relative to learners studying alone (O’Donnell, Dansereau, Hall & Rocklin, 1987). They also help for the wellbeing of the students and more cooperative climate in class. Lastly, the technique has been found to lead to improvements in both oral and written communication (O’Donnell, Larson, Dansereau, & Rocklin, 1985). • Dansereau, D. F., Collins, K. W., McDonald, B. A., Holley, C. D., Garland, J. C., Diekhoff, G., & Evans, S. H. (1979). Development and evaluation of a learning strategy program. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 64-73. • Hall, R. H., Dansereau, D. F., O’Donnell, A. M., & Skaggs, L. P. (1989). The effect of textual errors on dyadic and individual learning. Journal of Reading Behavior, 12, 127-140. • Hall, R. H., Rocklin, T. R., Dansereau, D. F., Skaggs, L. P., O’Donnell, A. M., Lambiotte, J. G., & Young, M. D. (1988). The role of individual differences in the cooperative learning of technical material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 172-178. • O’Donnell, A. M., Dansereau, D. F., Hall, R. H., & Rocklin, T. R. (1987). Cognitive, social/affective, and metacognitive outcomes of scripted cooperative learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 79, 431-437. • O’Donnell, A. M., Dansereau, D. F., Rocklin, T. R., Hythecker, V. I., Lambiotte, J. G., Larson, C. O., & Young, M. D. (1985). Effects of elaboration frequency on cooperative learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, 572-580. • O’Donnell, A. M., Larson, C. O., Dansereau, D. F., & Rocklin, T. R. (1985). Effects of cooperation and editing on instruction writing performance. Journal of Experimental Education, 54, 207-210. • Patterson, M. E., Dansereau, D. F., & Newborn, D. (1992). Effects of communication aids and strategies on cooperative teaching. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 453 – 461. • Slavin, R. E. (1983). Cooperative learning. New York: Longman. • Slavin, R. E. (1990). Cooperative learning: Theory, research, and practice. Allyn and Bacon: Needham Heights, MA.
Duration
20 minutes
Material and content
Papers, pencil

Exercise - Send a problem

Send a problem

Title
Send a problem
Subtitle
Cooperative techniques for problem solving
Brief description
Group students into teams of 4. Provide each team with an envelope (or folder), paper and a pen. Each team selects a different problem and writes it on the front of the envelope. Teams brainstorm solutions for their problem and record all ideas on paper. After a time limit, have teams place their ideas in the envelope and pass it to another team. The receiving team looks at the problem listed on the outside of the envelope but does not look at the list of brainstormed solutions inside. Teams begin brainstorming possible solutions to the problem and record ideas on a clean sheet of paper. Repeat steps 5 to 7 until 3 teams address 3 problems. After the final team brainstorms solutions, they can look at the ideas generated by previous teams and select two ideas they judge to be the best solutions.
Theoretical Background
Extensive research has compared cooperative learning with traditional classroom instruction using the same teachers, curriculum, and assessments. On the average: Students who engage in cooperative learning learn significantly more, remember it longer, and develop better critical-thinking skills than their counterparts in traditional lecture classes. Students enjoy cooperative learning more than traditional lecture classes, so they are more likely to attend classes and finish the course. Students are going to go on to jobs that require teamwork. Cooperative learning helps students develop the skills necessary to work on projects too difficult and complex for any one person to do in a reasonable amount of time. Cooperative learning processes prepare students to assess outcomes linked to accreditation. Cooperative Learning involves structuring classes around small groups that work together in such a way that each group member’s success is dependent on the group’s success. There are different kinds of groups for different situations, but they all balance some key elements that distinguish cooperative learning from competitive or individualistic learning. Cooperative learning can also be contrasted with what it is not. Cooperation is not having students sit side-by-side at the same table to talk with each other as they do their individual assignments. Cooperation is not assigning a report to a group of students where one student does all the work and the others put their names on the product as well. Cooperation involves much more than being physically near other students, discussing material, helping, or sharing material with other students. There is a crucial difference between simply putting students into groups to learn and in structuring cooperative interdependence among students.
Duration
50 minutes
Material and content
Envelopes, papers, pencils

Exercise - Send a problem

Title
Send a problem
Subtitle
Cooperative techniques for problem solving
Brief description
Each team receives an envelope with a problem. They solve it, they put the written solution in the envelope, and they pass it to another team. The next team (without looking at the answer) makes its own solution and passes the problem again to another team. When all the teams have already solved the problem, each initial teams reviews the answer to their problem and assesses the solution procedures followed by the other teams.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Kagan, S. (1992). Cooperative learning. Resources for teachers.
Duration
20 minutes
Material and content
Enhancing for listen abilities, active participation, kind communication

Exercise - Empathic Negotiation

Title
Empathic negotiation
Subtitle
Cooperative techniques for problem solving
Brief description
Human interaction does not always run smoothly. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where our goals and someone else’s goals cannot be achieved at the same time or we might realize that other people do not see the things from our point of view. Misunderstandings and accidental confrontations can happen. In such a situation expressing one’s own needs, purposes, and expectations and carefully listening to what the others have to say often helps with finding the common ground, recognizing each parties good intentions, and finding a solution suitable for everyone. Teachers are often faced with conflicts needing to be solved. These situations can be useful for the pupils to practise skills for solving conlicts. To attain two goals – solving a conflict and developing skills – at once, it would be useful if a responsible adult is guiding the process. One possible way to do this is to follow through empathic negotiation process: First step in this process is to recognize that a misunderstanding or a conflict is taking place. Then all of the parties involved in this situation should be identified. Under adult guidance, all of the parties are invited to take time off and gather to a place where a discussion is possible. In turns, each of the parties is given an opportunity to describe and explain what they themselves were doing, what they saw and heard, what they thought and wanted, how they were feeling. During this, the other parties are listening carefully and once the one who was talking has completed what they had to say, the others can in turns say in their own words what they just heard to be said. One by one each of the participants get to describe and explain their side of the story followed by the feedback from listeners with them saying what they just heard. The talkers are encouraged to tell only their side of the story. The listeners are encouraged to just repeat what they heard in their own words. All the attempts of telling anything about the others side of the story or arguing are interrupted and the task is reminded. As everyone has had a say and everyone has verbalized what they heard that the others were saying, the person leading the process asks every party to verbalize their needs, what should be taken into consideration in order to solve the situation. Then the parties are encouraged to come up with a possible solution. If a solution that is suitable for everyone has been found, the parties are encouraged to act in the way that would get the conflict solved. E.g., The teacher notices that two classmates – Martin and Peter – get involved in an intense argument during a group assignment. The teacher asks Martin and Peter to step aside for a moment to discuss what seems to be the problem. The teacher asks Martin to explain what just happened with him and instructs Peter to listen. Then teacher asks Peter to say in his own words what he just heard. Then its Peter’s turn to explain what happened with him and Martin’s turn to listen and repeat what he just heard. Then, the teacher asks Martin and Peter to say in turns what they would need to get the situation solved. The teacher encourages both boys to offer a possible solution and to choose the one that suits both the best. If needed the teacher would ask each of the boys to describe shortly how they will act to get the conflict solved. The tacher encourages the boys to carry out the plan that was chosen. As the pupils get familiar with the process the teacher’s role in guiding them through each step and constantly reminding the rules of negotiation will diminish. The teacher’s main role with “experienced negotiators” might be noticing the need to start the process and providing time and place for the involved parties to go through with the process.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Handling social situations in such a way that the closeness of relationship is preserved and level of conflict is reduced increases the emotional security and helps to satisfy the need of belonging. Also, practicing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral empathy helps not only with choosing the most appropriate solution for the other party but also with growing one’s own emotion regulation related skills.
Duration
For practice, up to 20 minutes can be used. For everyday use, a couple of minutes is often enough.

Exercise - Ragdoll

Title
Ragdoll
Subtitle
Muscle relaxation exercise
Brief description
The exercise helps us learn how to relax the muscles that tend to become tense with stress. For very first practice, it is easier to try to tense all of the muscles as hard and possible, keep them tense for a moment and feel how the muscles and whole body is like a rock or a piece of wood. Then, next, one should try to release all the tension from all of the muscles and feel how the muscles and body feels as soft or ragdoll-like as possible. The exercise can be repeated to really feel the difference between tension and relaxation. For more advanced practitioners, the technique of tensing and relaxing can be applied to just a group of muscles, for example, the shoulders. E.g., one could raise both shoulders up towards the ears as much as possible (without tensing the other muscles) and then let shoulders, arms, hands fall downwards with shoulder muscles relaxed as much as possible. The exercise can be repeated as needed. For the most advanced practitioners, the intentional tensing of the muscles part can be skipped, and as tension in any muscle is noticed only relaxation can be used. First, the teacher can start with explaining to the pupils how stress, muscle tension, and relxation are interrelated. Then as the teacher introduces the exercises to the pupils, they could start with asking the pupils to notice how their body feels like and to pay attention especially to any possible tensions. Then they can continue with guiding pupils through the exercises. Teacher can choose which one or ones of the exercises to use depending on the particular group and available time. After completing exercise, discussion about how to notice relaxation and how it feels to be relaxed could be useful. Once the pupils are familiar with the exercise, they can instruct themselves. The teacher should incorporate to the classes time points of reminding the pupils to exercise and allocate time for them to do the exercise. As the pupils become more expert in relaxation they will be able to use this skill to prevent feeling too much stress in difficult situations. For example, the teacher can remind them to use muscle relaxation when a stressful situation like an exam is approaching.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
e.g. Dolbier, C. L., & Rush, T. E. (2012). Efficacy of abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation in a high-stress college sample. International Journal of Stress Management, 19(1), 48.
Duration
For practice, up to 20 minutes can be used. For everyday use, a couple of minutes is enough.
Material and content
A possibility to stand, sit, or lie comfortably.

Exercise - Feeling in control

Title
Feeling in control
Brief description
Feeling out of control can induce a stress response and lower performance in learning and test situations. To lessen the out-of-control feeling, pupils’ need for autonomy should be satisfied. To achieve this, the teacher could pay attention to pupils’ moods and feelings, ask for and listen to their opinions, inform them in advance about planned activities and foreseeable changes, and allow them to make reasonable choices. The teacher could allocate some minutes for this in each lesson.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American psychologist, 55(1), 68. Dickerson, S. S., & Kemeny, M. E. (2004). Acute stressors and cortisol responses: a theoretical integration and synthesis of laboratory research. Psychological bulletin, 130(3), 355.
Duration
Can be included in everyday teaching and communication.
Material and content
Attentive, genuinely curious, and kind communication.

Exercise - I am good enough

Title
I am good enough
Subtitle
Eliminating Social-Evaluative Threat
Brief description
Fear of negative social evaluation can induce a stress response and lower performance in learning and test situations. To lessen the threat of social evaluation, teachers can do several things. They can let their pupils know that they believe in their ability to learn and achieve reasonably high goals. Teachers can provide feedback about goals not yet reached, using the word ‘yet.’ Additionally, they can recognize the personal growth of the pupils and avoid comparing their achievements to those of others.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Dweck’s ‘Growth Mind-Set’model Self-determination theory
Duration
Can be included in everyday teaching and communication.
Material and content
Attentive, genuinely curious, and kind communication.

Exercise - Let go of your thoughts

Title
Let go of your thoughts
Subtitle
Mindfulness Based Exercise
Brief description
For engaging the pupils here and now it could be useful to help them put aside thoughts and feelings about previous or future situations, or about themselves and their evaluations to their own performance. Intence emotional reactions and recurrent self-critical thoughts can either cause stress reactions or maintain stress reactions (not letting them go). As a teacher you can have a discussion with your pupils about how to notice the thoudgts that keep coming up in one’s head and the feelings that arise because of these thoughts; also a discussion about how our thoughts and feelings can be informative and how these can be related to stress. The teacher can then guide the pupils through some of the mindfulness based exercises to help them recognize some of their thoughts and to practice letting these thoughts go. E.g.: Recognize the thoughts that come to your head. Get to know the thoughts in a curious and kind manner. Try to remember that even a stressful thought is just a thought, one thought amongst many possible. While you recognize and observe the thought, you will not automatically give in to it. Instead of giving in to a thought or starting to argue with it in your own head, you could try just letting it go. Perhaps you can try some visualizations and find one that works for you. You could imagine that thoughts are like clouds forming and dispersing, or like trains passing by, or like raindrops falling on you but continuing until they drop down from you. The teacher can instruct the pupils or they can use a suitable version of available guided mindfulness exercises. After completing an exercise a discussion of pupils experience with it as well as how they are feeling now that they have let go some of the thoughts could be useful. Also, discussion about how to incorporate this skill into everyday life and how to use it to prevent and alleviate stress could benefit the pupils.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
Small but significant effects of reductions in depression and anxiety/stress have been found following mindfulness interventions with children and adolescents, potentially operating in part through reduction of stress.
Duration
For practice, up to 20 minutes can be used. For everyday use, a couple of minutes is enough.
Material and content
Enhancing for listen abilities, active participation, kind communication.
Weblinks
There are many available descriptions of exercises and resources ready to be used online. E.g., in Estonian https://soundcloud.com/anni-kuusik

Exercise - Deep breaths

Title
Deep breaths
Subtitle
Mindfulness Based Exercise
Brief description
The teacher can start with discussing with the pupils about stress reactions and bring into focus how our breathing changes when we feel stress. As breathing is something we can control when we want to, then by slowing down the pace of breathing by controlling the in- and out-breaths can alleviate physiological stress responses. Nasal slow-paced breathing can immediately alter physiology related to stress. Describing the differences between high-paced shallow breathing through one’s mouth and slow-paced deep breathing through one’s nose can be followed with everybody trying both for some moments. Discussion about how it felt like to breathe in different ways, focusing on possible experiences of stress and relaxation should follow. The teacher can then guide the pupils through some minutes of slow-paced deep breathing through one’s nose with counting time (e.g., in a natural calm pace from one to four) for in and out breaths. The teacher can instruct the pupils or they can use a suitable version of available guided breathing exercises. Once the pupils are familiar with the exercise, they can instruct themselves. The teacher should incorporate to the classes time points of reminding the pupils to exercise and allocate time for them to do the exercise. As the pupils become more expert in controlling their breathing they will be able to use this skill to prevent feeling too much stress in difficult situations. For example, the teacher can remind them to use deep breaths when a stressful situation like an exam is approaching.
Target
Pupils, teachers
Theoretical Background
A few preliminary studies are suggesting that deep breathing may help school children to be more resilient when under stress, more robust research in the form of randomized controlled trials is required.
Duration
For practice, up to 20 minutes can be used. For everyday use, a couple of minutes is enough.
Material and content
Enhancing for listen abilities, active participation, kind communication.
Weblinks
There are many available descriptions of exercises and resources ready to be used online. E.g., in Estonian https://soundcloud.com/anni-kuusik