SEL Conflict Resolution & Problem-Solving 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher notices that two students who had a conflict yesterday are now refusing to work together. Which restorative practice technique is most appropriate?
- Assign them separate projects indefinitely
- Conduct a restorative circle to rebuild trust (Correct answer)
- Warn them that their grades will be affected
- Ask other students to pressure them to reconcile
Correct answer: Conduct a restorative circle to rebuild trust
Restorative circles create a structured, safe space for repairing relationships through dialogue and shared agreements.
Question 2: Which cognitive distortion often escalates interpersonal conflict by assuming negative intent without evidence?
- Overgeneralization
- Mind reading (Correct answer)
- Catastrophizing
- Emotional reasoning
Correct answer: Mind reading
Mind reading—assuming you know another's intentions—frequently triggers defensive conflict escalation.
Question 3: When teaching students to use the 'Stop, Think, Act, Review' framework, the 'Think' step specifically asks students to:
- Calm their body before responding
- Generate and evaluate multiple response options (Correct answer)
- Choose the fastest solution available
- Seek adult help immediately
Correct answer: Generate and evaluate multiple response options
The 'Think' phase involves brainstorming possible actions and considering their likely consequences before choosing one.
Question 4: Which listening behavior is most likely to de-escalate a conflict between peers?
- Offering advice immediately after the other person speaks
- Maintaining eye contact and summarizing what was heard (Correct answer)
- Planning your rebuttal while the other person talks
- Nodding repeatedly to signal agreement with everything said
Correct answer: Maintaining eye contact and summarizing what was heard
Summarizing demonstrates that the listener understood the speaker's perspective, which reduces defensiveness.
Question 5: A school counselor is helping students understand BATNA. In conflict resolution, BATNA refers to:
- Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (Correct answer)
- Behavioral Approach To Neutral Assessment
- Basic Affirmation Technique for Negotiation Assistance
- Boundary And Trust Norms Agreement
Correct answer: Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement
BATNA is a negotiation concept that helps parties identify their strongest option if a negotiated agreement fails.
Question 6: Which stage of Glasl's escalation model involves parties beginning to view the conflict as a zero-sum game?
- Stage 1 – Hardening
- Stage 3 – Actions not Words
- Stage 5 – Loss of Face (Correct answer)
- Stage 7 – Limited Destruction Blows
Correct answer: Stage 5 – Loss of Face
By Stage 5, parties believe that making the other lose is more important than their own gain, marking the zero-sum shift.
Question 7: When a student uses the 'broken record' assertiveness technique appropriately, they are:
- Repeating insults to wear down the other party
- Calmly restating their position until it is acknowledged (Correct answer)
- Recording the conflict for evidence
- Ignoring the conflict by staying silent
Correct answer: Calmly restating their position until it is acknowledged
The broken record technique involves calmly repeating a clear, assertive statement without escalating or capitulating.
SEL Conflict Resolution & Problem-Solving 3
A teacher notices that two students who had a conflict yesterday are now refusing to work together.
Which restorative practice technique is most appropriate?