Conversation Starters: 200 questions to get to know someone was submitted by Carol Jungman, consultant, at the 2019 HubICL Workshop on best practices for creating and adapting intercultural learning tools.

Where Do You Go When...? was submitted by Dr. Kristen Seward, clinical assistant professor and associate director of the Gifted Education Resource Institute (GERI) in the College of Education at Purdue University, at the 2019 HubICL Workshop on best practices for creating and adapting intercultural learning tools.

Intercultural People Bingo was submitted by Wendy Nugent, program manager of off-campus study at Colgate University, at the 2020 WISE pre-conference on best practices for creating and adapting intercultural learning tools.

Happy 10th Birthday! was submitted by Dr. Jennifer M. Miskec, professor of English at Longwood University, at the 2020 WISE pre-conference on best practices for creating and adapting intercultural learning tools.

Guided Writing Exercises was submitted by Dr. Bonnie Zare, associate professor in the department of soiology at Virginia Tech, at the 2020 WISE pre-conference on best practices for creating and adapting intercultural learning tools.

Things to think about as you are creating your original or adapted tool

The Parable is a well-known activity that teaches participants about their cultural values. In the Downloads section of the tool, CILMAR has added two new versions of the parable—“A Modern Parable” and “A Lab Parable."

This discussion starter challenges participants to reflect upon how we (often unknowingly) put new people into categories. These categories can determine how we form relationships. 

The One-Minute Paper helps participants to give quick feedback to a facilitator and demonstrate their understanding of a lesson.

This activity is designed for students who are preparing to study abroad. Students may receive an overwhelming amount of advice before they go abroad, so this activity is meant to help them prioritize and determine what is most important to them. This activity may also help them rethink their priorities or their perceptions of what it means to study abroad, as they may encounter information that had not occurred to them before.

This assortment of buttons depicting a variety of images and slogans are perfect for getting a group interacting. They make for great icebreaking conversations at the start of a program, for exploring roles and perspectives during a group experience, or as a unique processing tool.

This collection of unique postcard images are an impactful tool for vision setting, helping participants resolve conflict or establish group norms, or as a dialogue prompt in restorative justice circles. Postcards inspire creative writing and can be used as journaling prompts for self-reflection. The Pick-a- Postcard Kit is a compelling and engaging tool for practicing the use of metaphor and figurative language.

People often find it easier to express themselves through a picture or symbol rather than through verbal means. Because participants can talk about the object or image rather than about themselves directly, they sometimes express thoughts that would otherwise be left unsaid. The thoughts, ideas and connections inspired by the imagery lead to broader and deeper reflection sessions than when using dialogue alone.

Jen Stanchfield of Experiential tools created this teaching, group facilitation and reflection tool in 2002 after a facilitator in one of her conference workshops shared that they were looking for a “pocket sized” de-briefing or reflection tool that would be easy to carry into the field. The set includes 30 high-quality figural charms in a sturdy decorative tin, with carrying bag, plus suggestions for use.