Description

Tried and tested (used and developed over three academic years or more)

Key words: belonging, group work, ice breaker   

Further reading:

• Turkle, S. (2016). Reclaiming Conversation. The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. New York: Penguin Books.

Please complete the following key features in relation to your activity:

Time duration: 10-15 minutes

Student level: Any

Preparation time before class: 5 minutes

Additional materials or equipment needed: None

Other general tips/advice:

• It works well in pairs but if you have an odd number of students, it can work in threes.
• It is essential for students to take a note otherwise they may not remember each other’s names to use in groupwork afterward.
• It tends to work well at the start of term, with students at the start of a course, with mixed groups containing many backgrounds.
• If combined with a shuffling of the class (see attached activity) it can help to break up any cliques and involve quieter or socially anxious students (who might come out of their shells more in a one-to-one interaction).
• Some students can finish the task quickly. Have follow up questions for them.
• If you can, allow the students time to go off topic to get to know one another. In a post-Covid time of less eye-to-eye interaction, there can be benefits of them starting to form friendships.