What to do
Ask everyone to get into pairs and face each other. Tell them all that they are going to talk about a topic. Give them a few choices; school, TV, music etc.
They are not to listen to the other person. In fact, they want the other person to stop talking, so they can talk about what they are interested in.
After a minute or so, repeat the exercise with different pairings.
Come together as a group and discuss how it felt to be talking like this.
- Was it frustrating?
- Could they hear the other person?
- How does it feel to not be listened to?
- Are there times in everyday life that they feel like this?
- Is it ever hard to make yourself heard at Woodcraft Folk?
- What is more important, talking or listening?
- Do talking and listening go together?
Make a list of ways in which it would be possible to improve the talking and listening skills of the group so that everyone gets a say.