1. Distribute copies of the scenario to the entire class, who will be observers. This is the only information they will receive.
   
   
2. Distribute the roles and a scenario to the "actors" being careful not to expose one role to the other.
   
   
3. Set the stage both physically -- with props, furniture, ect. -- and educationally by preparing the observers and participants for what they are going to do. (There is a tendency, especially at first, to treat role plays and situational exercises lightly, so the instructor's role is very important in setting the right mood.)
   
   
4. When all are clear on their parts, start the exercise. Let it run as long as you feel is productive. When the action begins to lag, it should be stopped.
   
   
5. Follow with discussion, perhaps 20-30 minutes, organized around these suggested topics:
   
   
   1. What was each of the individuals trying to accomplish?
   2. What were the problems?
   3. What differences did you notice in each individual's behavior? What non-verbal differences did you observe?
      
      
   4. How do you think each felt during the scene?

Participants are divided into two groups, Alpha culture and Beta culture. Each group is taught a new (and different) set of culture values, behaviors and communication styles. Then by sending visitors back and forth each group attempts to learn or figure out the culture of the other. The participants are urged to join in the game uninhibitedly, to exaggerate, and to have fun acting out the designated roles for the duration of the game. Participants usually experience the major pitfalls of cross-cultural interaction: stereotyping, misperception, culture-shock, in-group/outgroup feelings, ect.

Strengths -- Its ability to draw people into the game emotionally, so that the learning comes through experience rather than abstract concepts. It also sharpens intercultural communication skills.

Weakness -- Long opening explanations may drag and/or make participants take the game too seriously. The simplicity or rigidity of the new cultures may bother some participants. It must be made clear that the focus is on the intercultural relations process, not the content of the cultures.

Leadership -- BaFa can produce strong feelings, which need to be aired and resolved at the end. It is one of the functions of the leaders to accomplish that resolution. Two trainers are needed, one for each group. They should be experienced and able to deal with the variety of reactions, which occur. They should also be imbued with enthusiasm, persistence, and stamina.

Processing -- Participants should be assisted in getting a clear understanding of what happened and exploring with each other their reactions. It is the role of the leader to highlight the issues and draw out the learning. A list of discussion questions is included in the trainers' manual.

Themes or topics that can be the focus for discussion:

Male-female relationships (cross-culturally or in one culture)
Family life - norms, beliefs, communication
Work and play
Adaption to new environments (as it affects self-esteem, perhaps) Interrelationship of language and culture
Materialism, competition, alienation
Friendship, hospitality, intimacy
Task orientation vs. relationship orientation

Source: Adapted from a description of BAFA BAFA written by Ann Gillespie for Handbook for Leaders in Cross-Cultural Exchange Programs, Barbara Ostrander and Penny Pusch, editors, unpublished.

This is a trading game in which poker chips are used to represent owned or acquired goods and serve as instruments for trading and bargaining. Players try to gain as many points as they can as they trade and bargain for chips. After the first trading session, participants are arranged into three groups according to the 'scores' acquired during the round. Those with the highest scores are labeled "Squares," the middle range become "Circles," and those with the lowest scores are called "Triangle." They are provided with the appropriate emblems to wear and are seated together. At this point, the game director "stacks" the game in favor of the Squares so that in each subsequent round they become wealthier and wealthier. While there is a little mobility between groups, the game has essentially created a three-tiered society with the Squares dominant. Conflict, competition and resentment among the groups arise.

Next, the Squares are permitted to revise the rules of the game -- and almost invariably construct rules that enhance or secure their power position. Anything can happen after new rules have been announced. The disadvantaged groups may attempt to manipulate the system, form liaisons in an effort to force changes within it or revolt when the rules are blatantly unfair. The game director should stop the game when it becomes apparent that the squares have abused their power and the other groups show signs of resentment. This takes some judgment and the director must be constantly alert to responses of individuals and the groups.

Maintaining an atmosphere that protects the participants against undue abrasion of personal feelings is important. During the discussion that follows, there may be some need to air emotional reactions but it is important to insure that it does not become personal. The discussion should focus on the issues rather than personalities; cultural differences in the perception of power, authority and competition, the importance of the social system in determining individual behavior and how interpersonal relationships evolve under these conditions.

Star Power provides an objective medium for exploring conditions that exist in the participants' organizational or social life. By focusing on the issues involved, it is possible to analyze intergroup conflict, group decision making and problem solving, interpersonal communication, the dynamics of power, the frustrations and pressures experienced in minority groups and a host of other topics. As the name implies, it is about power, it can also be a relatively powerful experience.

1. Ask each person to write three cultures or ethnic groups in spaces provided at the top of the chart (could be limited to those represented in the class or group if there are enough).
   
   
2. Then instruct participants to place themselves on the continuum according to where they feel they are relative to each of the culture or ethnic groups.
   
   
3. Ask participants to look back and see if they can remember any events or points in time at which they moved from one stage to the next relative to each culture.
   
   
4. Divide into subgroups for discussion of the charts, then have general discussion in large group.
   
   

At the outset of a course, students are asked to place on a continuum adhesive tabs upon which are printed skills or attitudes which it is important for the student to have when working in the field of multicultural education. When given the tabs, participants are asked to place each on the continuum according to their personal assessment of their skills. Words which they do not recognize or understand should be placed on the lines under "I have no knowledge or understanding of the following."

Participants may wish to discuss their profiles with others in the group for feedback purposes. If so, time should be allotted for this discussion.

At the conclusion of the course, each student is asked to repeat the self-assessment exercise, using a second profile sheet. This provides a check on the degree to which the student feels he or she has progressed during the course.

One word or phrase is placed on each tab. The terms that are used may be selected from the list that follows or may include others that have been chosen to meet the defined objectives of a program or course. Students may want to preceed (mentally) each term with phrases such as "I can . . ." or "I am skilled in . . ." or "I posses. . ." (whichever is appropriate) for clarity. Terms that may be used include:

At the outset of a course, a profile sheet is given to each student. They are told that they will be given a series of words, which have been printed on adhesive tabs. They are to place each tab on the instrument in the place which best describes their initial emotional response at the time it is read; it should be placed as much as possible according to free-association or first emotional response without reflection on specific individuals or events.

The various areas on the instrument are then carefully described:

1. AREA OF IGNORANCE (no contact)
   Have had no contact with the term or group whatsoever and therefore are completely ignorant of it. Exposure through mass media, etc. would preclude placing a tab in this zone.
   
   
2. POSITVE/COMFORT ZONE
   The word on the tab evokes close, warm and the most positive of feelings.
   
   
3. NEGATIVE ZONE
   The word evokes negative feelings. If a tab is placed at the point of "most
   negative," it would indicate a total rejection of the word or group.
   
   
4. LINE OF AMBIVALENCE
   If a tab is placed on this line, it means a response of indifference, no opinion one way or the other, neither negative or positive.
   
   

Tabs may be placed at any point along the continuum from most positive to most negative. However, the inner circle or "Comfort Zone" represents feelings that indicate an acceptance into one's own "life space" and of course, if placed at the tip of the arrow at "most negative," represents total and unqualified non-acceptance.

The students are instructed that the exercise is completely private and they will not be required at any time to share the completed profile publicly. It is suggested, however, that they fill it out honestly and discuss with someone any disturbing aspects of the profile. If an individual chooses to share the profile in a group discussion, this is acceptable.

Some terms that may be used for the tabs:

foreigners my family God Arabs Italians Jews my classmates Chicanos Chinese equality nationalism		Japanese French-Canadians Blacks Native Americans Puerto Ricans Orientals Haitians Eskimos pluralism honesty whites		Greeks Latin Americans Africans Irish-Americans Anglos poor whites my neighbors Japanese freedom authority

1. Select a cross-cultural subject or experience which produces ambivalent thoughts and feelings within them. For example, dislike for a person of another culture that the student feels may involve prejudice; an unpleasant experience at another culture group's social event which caused feelings of self-doubt; the advisability of having multicultural education programs; U.S. policy toward the country from which the participant or his/her forebears originally came, ect.
   
   
2. Listen to your ambivalent thoughts and feelings, and listen to the two sides of your internal dialogue.
   
   
3. Do one of the following:
   
   
   1. Describe in writing the two sides of the issue and your feelings of ambivalence about them, or
      
      
   2. Write down as a script of a play or conversation the dialogue between your internal voices, attempting to identify the emergence of cultural bias.
      
      
4. Return to the group.
   
   

Instructor can ask for one or two volunteers to read what they have written and discuss this with the class. The discussion should center around the reasons for the ambivalence rather than trying to judge what was "right" or "wrong" in the situation. In fact, any attempt to make judgments should be strongly discouraged.

This exercise can be used individually as well as in a group setting. The number of "dialogues" processed depends upon time available.

Source: Adapted from "Dialogue Within Ourselves," A Manual of Structured Exeriences for Cross-Cultural Learning, Weeks, William H., Paul B. Peterson and Richard W. Brislin, Editors, East-West Center Culture Learning Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii.

1. helping participants get acquainted with each other
   
   
2. demonstrating, through the discoveries they will make themselves, how their decisions are determined by cultural values
   
   
3. acquainting participants with specific cultural differences and similarities among other members of the group
   
   
4. stimulating awareness of problems in transmitting one's own ideas and listening to others'.
   
   

This sort of novel beginning also tends to provide a congenial atmosphere which often leads to some laughter, informal conversation, as well as cultural understanding. Participants are likely to pursue their conversations after the session.

1. Chalkboard and chalk.
2. Paper and pencils.
3. Comfortable seating arrangements, in which chairs can be moved into small groups.
   

1. The leader tells the following parable to the group, illustrating with rough drawings if he chooses:
   
   "Rosemary is a girl of about 21 years of age. For several months she has been engaged to a young man named -- let's call him Geoffrey. The problem she faces is that between her and her betrothed there lies a river. No ordinary river mind you, but a deep, wide river infested with hungry crocodiles.
   
   "Rosemary ponders how she can cross the river. She thinks of a man she knows, who has a boat. We'll call him Sinbad. So she approaches Sinbad, asking him to take her across. He replies, 'Yes, I'll take you across if you'll spend the night with me.' Shocked at this offer, she turns to another acquaintance, a certain Frederick, and tells him her story. Frederick responds by saying, 'Yes, Rosemary, I understand your problem -- but -- it's your problem, not mine.' Rosemary decides to return to Sinbad, and spend the night with him. In the morning he takes her across the river.
   
   "Her reunion with Geoffrey is warm. But on the evening before they are to be married, Rosemary feels compelled to tell Geoffrey how she succeeded in getting across the river. Geoffrey responds by saying, 'I wouldn't marry you if you were the last woman on earth.'
   
   "Finally at her wits' end, Rosemary turns to the last character, Dennis. Dennis listens to her story and says, 'Well, Rosemary, I don't love you ... but I will marry you.' And that's all we know of the story."
   
   
2. The leader now asks the students to write down on a piece of paper, the five characters, listing them in a descending order from the person who's behavior is most approved to the person who's behavior is least approved.
   
   
3. Next, students are split into groups of four or five and asked to discuss the choices they made. Not more than 10 - 15 minutes should be allowed for this discussion; its main purpose is to sharpen the issues, not exhaust them.
   
   
4. Calling them back to the larger group, the instructor asks what results of their discussion have been. Some open discussion is allowed to get a full expression of value perspectives on the story.
   
   
5. The instructor may then ask the group; "Can anyone point to some place, some source within your own past where you learned the values that caused you to take the position that you did?" Students may have some difficulty with this question; no matter. It is intended to be a difficult question.
   
   
6. Next the leader says, "Now I would like you to ask yourselves -- I don't want an answer on this one, just want you to consider -- how many of you feel you could faithfully restate, to the satisfaction of someone else in your small group, the point of view, the value being expressed by that person? Again, I don't want you to answer, just think about the question."
   
   
7. The leader may then summarize the session briefly, making the following points, preferably on chalkboard or newsprint:
   
   
   1. Values come out of one's cultural background. They are difficult to track down to a particular source and are often a part of a person's unconscious behavior.
      
      
   2. Within any particular culture a person's values are usually very logical. They make sense in that culture.
      
      
   3. For these reasons people should be very cautious about making moral judgment about other people's values.
      
      
   4. If one really wants to understand someone else, one has to listen extremely well and try to "get inside" the other person. This is the reason for the question, "How accurately do you think you could re-state someone else's opinion?" Those of you who would have to answer "not very" have some work to do.
      
      
   5. What are some other areas in life where people's values differ?
      
      
8. If the students keep a journal (which can be a useful aid to learning), they should be asked to record what they have learned during the session.
   
   
9. The leader should conclude the session almost as if it were the beginning, rather than the end, of a learning experience. One way to do this is simply to say that this is the end of the formal session and then join one of the small groups for conversation, rather than leave the room.
   
   

Source: Developed by Sidney Simon, Professor of Education, University of Massachusetts. First published in A Manual of Teaching Technigues for Intercultural Education, (UNESCO), Henry Holmes and Stephen Guild, editors, October, 1971.

1. Two cultures are selected to be the focus of attention. T he facilitator prepares a questionnaire to focus on issues to which there are contrasting reactions in the two cultures. The group may participate in selection of the issues. The following are examples.
   
   Attitudes toward - man's basic nature; control of one's environment; women and work; change, life, authority; material objectives, science, technology; time, death; achievement; value of experience; old people; strangers; relationships between sexes; dating; under-dogs; homosexuals; meeting commitments; government bureaucracy; classroom discipline; children being brought up to be independent.
   
   Three questions are asked relating to each issue: How each student
   
   a. Thinks most people from "other" culture feel about the issue in question.
   
   b. Thinks most people from his own culture feel.
   
   c. How he himself feels about it.
   
   Each question is answered on a scale from I - 9 representing opposite extremes, and the individual must answer for the two target cultures and his own by selecting a number on the scale for each. A typical attitude statement might be:
   
   

   Most Hispanic Americans		Most Mainstream Americans		Myself 1. Believe that man's basic nature is Basically Good/Basically Evil 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

   
   
   
2. Each participant is given a copy of the finished questionnaire. Working alone for fifteen to twenty minutes participants answer all questions.
   
   
3. Participants form into small grou ps and try to reach a consensus (one number) upon their conceptions of each culture. This focuses the group's attention on real differences. The exercise ends when each group has reached consensus on all items, or when an arbitrary time limit is reached. (Individuals are not asked to reach consensus on their own perceptions.)
   
   
4. A thorough discussion of the experience both in terms of their reactions to the substantive issues and the process of interaction which occurred during the exercise can follow. A great deal should have been revealed about the way people respond to cultural questions.
   
   Adapted from "We and You" in A Manual of Teaching Techniques for Intercultural Education (UNESCO). Henry Holmes and Stephen Guild, eds. October, 1971.
   

1. Should the child be taught to respect and accept obligations to parents or to become an independent person? (Each sentence begins with Should the Child be Taught -- this introductory phrase will not be re-written for each question.)
   
   
2. ... to control or use the natural environment or to value and derive spiritual sustenance from it?
   
   
3. ... that we are progressing toward better and better life or that we should appreciate what we have?
   
   
4. ... to be motivated by the challenge of competition or by the benefits of cooperation?
   
   
5. ... to judge people according to separate or specific actions or as a whole person?
   
   
6. ... to relate to many people and have many friends or to have only a few deep friendships?
   
   
7. ... to confront problems and interpersonal relations directly or to be sensitive and avoid embarrassing confrontations with people?
   
   
8. ... to think that what they do or achieve is more important than who they are, the quality of their being?
   
   
9. ... to believe that work and play should be separated or woven together so that play or personal enjoyment occurs during their work?
   
   
10. ... to feel that everyone is equal or that there are levels of status relative to age, family role, profession, education, ect.
    
    

Source: David S. Hoopes, Intercultural Network, Inc.

1. "You got eyes to see and wisdom not to see."
2. "Muddy roads call the mile post a liar."
3. "Every bell ain't a dinner bell."
4. "A mule can tote so much goodness in his face that he don't have none left for his hind legs."
   
   
5. "The graveyard is the cheapest boarding house."
   
   

For each of the above proverbs, choose a phrase in your own language or dialect, which approximates the meaning of the proverb. Use familiar language, and symbols, for example: "Kumquats are both sweet and sour," if you aren't familiar or comfortable with "kumquats," substitute "oranges."

What does the original proverb mean? What is the message?

What does the proverb indicate to you about the culture? Can you generalize about it, whether it is traditional, rural, submissive, dominant, happy-go-lucky, cautions, ect.?

What are the dominant values of the culture represented in the proverb?

Think of some parallel proverbs from your own culture. Convey a similar message if you can. If you can not, why not? For example, "For the turtle to make progress, it must stick its neck out," is similar to "To learn to swim, you must first get your toes wet." The message is similar, the symbols are slightly different.

Try to identify the culture from which all five examples are drawn. What type of culture do you think it is, and some reasons why you characterize it that way... elaborate.

At the end of the exercise, the trainer reveals that the culture we are looking at is AfroAmerican Slave - these are real examples of proverbs taken from the folk literature.

The first example, "You got eyes to see and wisdom not to see," is pointing to the slave culture's accurate perception of what goes on around the people, but the sense not to "see" or acknowledge the reality. Emphasis is placed on not knowing something which would upset you or get you into trouble if you acknowledged being aware of it.

In the next example, the muddy roads are relatively impassable, therefore the person traveling them cannot count on the mile posts to gauge how long his journey will take. We can tell this is a rural culture, and that its people are used to translating signals into their own particular knowledge about dealing with nature.

Number three indicates frequent conflicts between the dinner bell, a safe cue, and the bell calling slaves in from the fields, sometimes a warning of imminent danger. Again, the rural culture is reflected in the image of the bell.

The mule often looks like he will be a kind of helpful farm animal, but his legs still can kick you or refuse to budge - so don't be deceived by appearances. Again, an agricultural culture is reflected in the imagery, and a realism born of knowing the environment and what you can expect.

The graveyard, in the last example, is escape from the troubles of a hard life - so don't worry about death - death is a kind of freedom for the slave, rest from all the hard times.

Source: Sandra Tjitendero, University of Massachusetts.



A variation on this exercise is to ask a group to simply list the proverbs and axioms of mainstream American culture. A few examples can be supplied to get the group started, such as:

A women's place is in the home.

Little children should be seen and not heard.

Then the group is asked to determine what value is being taught by the axiom.

Examples Cleanliness is next to godliness Time is money A penny saved is a penny earned Birds of a feather flock together Don't cry over spilt milk Waste not; want not Early to bed, early to rise God helps those who help themselves It's not whether you win or lose, but . . . A man's home is his castle No rest for the wicked You've made you bed, now sleep in it		Values Cleanliness Value of time thriftiness Thriftiness Guilt through association Practicality Frugality Diligence Initiative Good sportsmanship Privacy; property Guilt; work ethic Responsibility

Many of these proverbs were brought from the more traditional societies of Europe. Discuss which no longer apply to mainstream society and why. List proverbs of other culture groups represented in the class and identify cultural meaning and values conveyed by them.

Source: Robert KohIs, International Communication Agency.