How to Say NO and Really Mean It

Gr 7 Up—This brief video aims to teach teenagers how to say "no" effectively by utilizing four key skills: identifying the problem, brainstorming different choices and consequences, using verbal and nonverbal refusal skills, and being appropriately assertive. Teen actors model different strategies for being assertive in vignettes about underage drinking, pressure to have sex, cheating on a test, bullying, and riding in a car with a driver who has been drinking. Between segments, interviews with teens explore issues such as why it can be difficult to say no, what influences whether or not we say no, and why saying no is an important skill to utilize. This empowering video teaches various refusal skills and can be a valuable addition to middle and high school collections.—Amanda Rollins, Northwest Village School, Plainville,CT