1. Introduction

Learning more about diversity and acceptance and the important role they play in educational contexts is useful as it can help you improve the quality of your courses and trainings by taking into account the needs of all learners and participants. This module aims to provide you with some exercises you may use in class or during training events in order to boost solidarity and acceptance.

You may refer to Module 2 for tips and tricks on how to choose the ideal exercise for your class or group of participants. Note here that the exercises in Module 3 can also be used in order to boost the values of solidarity and acceptance.

PowerPoint slideshow:

Module 5 Materials.pptx

2. Exercises

Instructions for Each Exercise

Small Talk

The aim of this exercise is to question assumptions and to help the participants learn more about each other and themselves. In doing so, the participants can learn how to hear, regard, respect, and accept others.

• The trainer asks the participants to split in groups of three or in pairs. The pairs/groups are given 10’ to talk about their hobbies, interests, family background, religion, origins, etc.
• The trainer should guide the discussion without asking direct questions. In order to do so, the trainer can write on the board or in cards the topics (s)he wishes the participants to discuss, i.e. family background, origins, religion, hobbies, daily routine, preferred clothing style, education. The discussion topics should provoke the participants, thus they should be a source of both differences and similarities between them.
• After the 10’ are over, the trainer asks the participants:
  1. How did you like the exercise?
  2. What are the most interesting things you found out about each other?
  3. Did you find more differences or similarities?
  4. How can you use the new information you acquired?
  5. How can this exercise help a group in learning how to respect and accept each other?
  6. Does getting to know somebody help in respecting and accepting them? Why?

Research

The aim of this exercise is to help participants know more about the world around them by researching various topics related to diversity, such as cultural practices, gender-related topics, social facts and trivia that they are mostly unaware of. In this way, the participants educate themselves and others about things they haven’t previously come across and then discuss them.