Duration: 1 hour and 30 min
Learning Outcomes:
4.1.1 Understand the differences in communication which result from culture
4.1.5 Communicate effectively in a multicultural environment
Process:
- The Facilitator runs the icebreaker “small group: things in common”. The participants break into groups of 3‐6 persons and as a group come up with as many things they as a group have in common that they cannot see (e.g. excluding clothes, hair etc.). Each group is given five minutes to come up with as many things as they can. At the end of five minutes, each group must share their lists. It can be done for two or three rounds with a different group paring each time. The Facilitator then asks the participants what was one thing they had in common with someone that surprised them and what they think is their most unique or interesting commonality.
- The Facilitator must in advance print proverbs from Annex 1, with each proverb being on a separate card. The Facilitator counts the number of participants in the group and selects enough cards to equal the number of participants. If there is an uneven number of participants, the Facilitator must participate in this activity. The Facilitator mixes up the cards and passes out one card to each participant. When all cards have been distributed, the participants are asked to think of a proverb with a similar meaning from their own culture.
- The Facilitator funs a group feedback discussion regarding the previous exercises, accentuating that although we have many differences when we compare ourselves to other kinds of people, we also have many similarities. We may have different ways of talking and different behaviour patterns, but many of our most basic needs and interests are similar.
- The Facilitator explains that he/she will read the list of ingredients only once and that the participants will have to write down those that they remember after the Facilitator has finished reading.
- After the Facilitator reads the list (Annex 2), the participants start writing the ingredients they remember for no more time than 2 minutes.
- Each participant presents the ingredients they have written. It is likely that they will remember ingredients of their personal preference and/or ingredients which are popular in their country of origin, rather than ingredients common in other cultures.
- In order to facilitate discussion, after they’re done, ask them to check the ones they missed and read the list once more. Also, ask if anyone wrote an ingredient that is not on the list at all.
- Discussion follows to pick up on the main outcomes. During the discussion, the Facilitator stresses on the participants’ ability to remember ingredients common in their culture and the difficulty to remember ingredients from other cultures.
- The Facilitator concludes with emphasizing the need for extra effort needed when dealing with people from diverse backgrounds, and the importance of empathy in intercultural encounters.
Annexes:
Annex 1, Annex 2
Video: