Ask participants to stand in a circle. Give different participants small paper cups to pass. Mark one cup with an x. Each time the words Wright or right is read, participants pass the cups to the right. Each time the word left is read, they pass the cups to the left. At the end of the script, the participant holding the cup marked with the x, leads the second activity:
Mrs. Wright eyes her grocery list carefully. There won't be anything left of our budget after shopping, she sighed. Mr Wright looked up from this paper. That's all right my dear. There isn't anything left of it anyway at the end of the month. I'll be happy if it just see the Wright family through the month.
As Mr. Wright turned to his paper he said, Have you the right gift for Aunt Hattie Wright's birthday? She's been pretty lonely since her daughter left home right after she married. Uncle Harry left her a lot of money, but she does not know how to it enjoy it right.
Eddie Wright was studying in the corner on the left side of the fireplace. I wish Aunt Hattie Wright would ask me the right way to spend it, he said.
Eugenie Wright sniffed and said, She wouldn't have much left if she did. Your weekly allowance is gone before you get it right in your hands almost.
And I suppose you have all of yours left, Miss Miser, retorted Eddie Wright. Alright, so I don't have it all left, but I have enough left to buy Ninja Turtles, Eugenie Wright said.
Just then the doorbell rang. Eugenie Wright ran to answer it and the postman left a special delivery letter for the Wright family. She took it to Father Wright and he opened it. Inside was a letter and four right new looking ten dollar bills. Mr Wright shouted, It's from Aunt Hattie Wright saying she has left town and decided to go right to her daughter's house.
Say, she's alright, shouted Eddie Wright.
Bless her heart, said Mother Wright.
How wonderful of her, said Eugenie Wright.
It has each of us right happy to think she gave it to us before she left, declared Father Wright. At least it's all right with everybody.
Ask participants to return to their seats. The objective of the next activity is see how well one participant can communicate, and how well the other participants listen.
1. Distribute blank sheets of paper to participants.
2. Draw the design shown to the right on a sheet of newsprint with the easel facing away from the participants.
3. Explain to the participants that the "communicator" is going to explain to them how to duplicate the diagram which only he/she can see. The "communicator" may give them each direction one time and may not use hand signals to communicate. Participants may not ask questions. The objective is for the participants to duplicate the drawing as it appears on the newsprint.
4. Allow the "communicator" to give the appropriate directions. Turn the newsprint around and let participants compare what they have drawn to what the original looks like.
5. Process this activity by asking participants how they felt during this activity. Discuss how youth feel when they are not being heard.
6. If you try to listen while you are doing something else, two things may happen:
- you might give the impression that you aren't really interested; and/or
This is a simple exercise where everyone can see the problems of one-way communication.
Goals:
1. To allow participants to observe one-way communication not working.
2. To allow participants to observe how the same scenario would have gone using two-way communication.
Procedure:
1. Ask for a volunteer who believes he or she is a good communicator and a volunteer who believes he or she is a good listener.
2. The volunteers come to the front of the group and sit at a prepared table. The table should have a chair at each end and a screen or partition through the center so that neither can see the other side of the table. The rest of the group should stand around the table so that they can see the different moves. Ask that they remain silent during the communication phases.
3. Give each volunteer a bag containing a set of building blocks. Tell them that they both have a set of identically shaped blocks.
4. First get the 'communicator' to build something with his or her set of blocks.
5. When that has been completed, tell the 'communicator' to give verbal instructions to the 'listener' on how to assemble exactly the same model.
6. Tell the 'listener' to follow the instructions given but not to talk back to the 'communicator'.
7. When the instructions have been completed, allow the volunteers to look at each other's models.
8. Then discussion should take place and highlight that two-way communication is essential for good communication.
9. Now get the volunteers to change roles and repeat the exercise. This time the 'listener' is to question any instructions not clearly understood. The 'communicator' should also get feedback as to what has been carried out.
10. At the conclusion the volunteers are again allowed to look at each other's models. This time they should be very similar in appearance.
Note: During debriefing you should make sure that the volunteers are not seen as being poor at these skills due to this performance.
Discussion points:
1. Can we have good one-way communication?
2. What essentials are required for good communication?
Drop and discuss T-1: "Characteristics of An Effective Listener
An effective listener:
- uses culturally appropriate eye contact
- has positive body posture
- has a positive/open facial expression
- concentrates and is attentive to the speaker
- does not try to second guess the speaker
- does not interrupt
- tries to understand the meaning behind the words
- tries to understand the feelings behind the words
- is nonjudgmental
- shows respect
7. Ask the group how this list would compare to their cultural norms and listening practices.
