Right Speech
Personal speech awareness through contemplative practice
Teacher Experience
A contemplative invitation for educators to reflect on before teaching.What does it feel like in your body when you’re about to speak reactively versus when you pause first? Try the ‘THINK’ practice for one conversation today: Is it True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind? Notice how this simple pause affects both your inner state and the student’s response. How would students’ capacity to understand and apply principles of right speech change the learning environment? Remember that ‘Right’ here isn’t about right and wrong, but rather what is helpful.
Student Experience
A contemplative invitation for students to connect with this learning goal.For one day, notice what emotions or thoughts arise right before you speak. What’s driving your words—kindness, frustration, the need to be right, or something else?
Understanding
Students will understand...Through personal reflection and daily practice, we can develop awareness of our own speech patterns and learn to choose words that create harmony rather than harm.
Action
Students are able to...Design and implement personal speech awareness practices, including structured daily reflection on the four harmful speech types, integration of speech mindfulness with other contemplative practices, and creation of personal guidelines for ethical speech based on Buddhist principles.
Content Knowledge
Students will know...Right speech (samma vaca) is one part of the Buddhist eightfold path, which teaches us how to live wisely. The Buddha described four types of speech that can cause harm: lying, speaking badly about others, using harsh words, and talking without purpose. Instead of these harmful types, we can practice truthful, kind, and helpful speech. Personal speech awareness means paying attention to our own words and how they affect ourselves and others. This includes developing daily habits of reflection, like thinking before we speak and examining our motivations. Through regular practice, we can train ourselves to speak more mindfully and compassionately.
Guiding Questions
Implementation Possibilities
Establish daily contemplative practices, including morning intention-setting for speech awareness and evening reflection on the day’s word choices. Create personal speech awareness journals, tracking instances of the four harmful speech types and practicing alternative responses. Design meditation practices that incorporate speech awareness, such as mindful breathing before speaking and loving-kindness meditation focused on communication. Develop personal ethical guidelines for speech based on Buddhist principles, regularly reviewing and refining these standards through structured self-examination.
Assessment Ideas
Assess personal reflection journals for evidence of increased speech awareness and identification of the four harmful speech types. Evaluate student-created ethical guidelines for speech and their practical application in daily life. Review meditation practice logs showing integration of speech awareness with contemplative techniques. Document growth in speech mindfulness through self-assessment surveys and peer feedback sessions.
