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Interactive Templates for Intercultural Training Sivasailam “Thiagi” Thiagarajan and Samuel van den Bergh © 2017 Workshops by Thiagi, Inc. 4423 E. Trailridge Road Bloomington, IN 47408 USA www.thiagi.com +1 812.332.1478 Handout pages from this book may be reproduced for educational and training purposes. This free permission is restricted to the reproduction of fewer than 100 copies per page per year, and for customization for your organization. It does not allow for large-scale reproduction, distribution, transmission, electronic reproduction, or inclusion in any publication off ered for sale or used for commercial purposes. Requests for authorization for other uses should be addressed to: Permissions Department, Workshops by Thiagi, 4423 East Trailridge Road, Bloomington, IN 47408. Telephone: +1 812.332.1478. Email: [email protected]. For bulk purchases of this book, contact us at the address above. Printed in the United States of America. Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................1 Section 1. Interactive Lectures ..............................................................................9 Alternative Audience ..........................................................................................10 Dual Approach ...................................................................................................14 Mixed-Up Sentences ..........................................................................................17 Multiple Interviews ............................................................................................21 Useful Questions ................................................................................................24 Section 2. Interactive Storytelling ........................................................................29 Appreciative Encounters.....................................................................................30 Multiple Realities ...............................................................................................32 Reincarnation .....................................................................................................35 Traveler ..............................................................................................................38 Unfi nished Story .................................................................................................42 Section 3. Practical Advice Card Games ...........................................................47 Both Sides ..........................................................................................................48 Chat ....................................................................................................................50 Headlines ...........................................................................................................53 Single .................................................................................................................55 Teaching and Learning .......................................................................................57 Section 4. Roleplay ...................................................................................................59 Communication Contrasts ..................................................................................60 Company Picnic .................................................................................................66 Triple Roleplay ...................................................................................................69 Yin-Yang ............................................................................................................75 Questions About Your Group ..............................................................................78 Section 5. Structured Sharing ................................................................................81 Always and Never ..............................................................................................82 Areas and Groups ...............................................................................................87 One by One ........................................................................................................91 Same Type, Diff erent Type .................................................................................93 Who and What ....................................................................................................96 Section 6. Textra Games ..........................................................................................99 Diversity Jolts ..................................................................................................100 Dyads and Triads .............................................................................................. 118 Factoids ............................................................................................................126 Pages ................................................................................................................131 Quotations ........................................................................................................139 et me not waste time in extolling the importance of intercultural training. LThe fact that you are reading this book strongly suggests that you see the value in exploring this fi eld. This book is about an activity-based approach to intercultural training. It provides a simplifi ed (but not simplistic) approach to the design of training activities through deconstructing fi ve types of learning techniques, separating the process from the content, and loading new content of your choice on to the structure of the existing activity. Briefl y, my design thinking philosophy is aligned with (or stolen from) Austin Kleone’s provocative book, Steal Like an Artist. I have had the privilege of working with the giants in the fi eld of designing experiential activities in intercultural training: Garry Shirts, Bob Powers, and Judith Blohm who are no longer with us and Diane Saphiere and George Simmons who I hope will be with us for a long time. I have learned a lot from interacting with them and with their activities. They have done a tremendous service to help the global nomads in their journey from denial and defense all the way to adaptation and integration. I am proud to be an Indian among these Chiefs and thought leaders. Here are some of the basic concepts that are advocated in this book. Content and Activity Content and activity are the yin and yang of training. You need both to produce eff ective and engaging learning. Content without activity produces sterile knowledge. Activity without content results in wasted eff ort. It is not enough if you have both content and activity. These two must be carefully balanced, aligned, and integrated. We have access to diff erent sources of training content: • Some content is available in a stable and recorded form as in the case of books and videos. • Other content is available in a live and spontaneous form as in the case of lectures from subject-matter experts and discussions with fellow Introduction participants. • Within recorded and spontaneous categories, content comes in diff erent formats such as job aids or stories or illustrations. Over the past several years, we have been exploring diff erent types of training activities that can be used with diff erent sources of existing content. The table on the next page lists diff erent content sources and the appropriate type of training activities. 1 Content Sources and Training Activities Recorded Content Sources Training Activities Text (books, articles, or A textra game combines the effective organization of well-written manuals) documents with the motivational impact of games. The participants read a handout and play a game that uses peer pressure and peer support to encourage recall and transfer of what they read. Video Recording A double exposure activity enhances the instructional value of video recordings. In a typical double exposure activity, the participants view the video and play one or more games that help review and apply the new concepts and skills. Environment Field studies and expeditions require participants to explore the environment of another country, culture, or organization. The participants are given a set of objectives to achieve, information to collect, or products to purchase. In the process of completing these tasks, participants acquire new knowledge about the environment and new skills for relating to the local people. Subject-Matter Expert An interactive lecture involves the participants in the learning process while providing complete control to the facilitator. Typical interactive lectures include presentations that are interspersed with (or followed by) game-like activities (such as built-in quizzes, group tasks, and teamwork interludes). Spontanous Training Activities Content Sources Informants A brain-pick activity involves one or more informants who share a common background. Participants interact with these informants (and with each other) to learn specifi c knowledge and skills. Fellow Learners A structured sharing activity facilitates mutual learning and teaching among the participants. Typical structured sharing activities create a context for a dialogue among the participants about their experiences, knowledge, and opinions. Structured sharing is particularly effective for sharing the best practices among participants. Content Formats