Flashcard games are powerful aids for mastering pairs of matching items. Young learners use them for memorizing letters of the alphabet; older learners, for increasing foreign-language vocabulary. Typical flashcard activities present closed questions on one side and single correct answers on the other side.
Recently, we have been experimenting with a special type of flashcard games with open questions that elicit different acceptable responses. The other sides of these flashcards are usually left blank. The participants receive feedback--and score points--from peer assessment.
Here are brief descriptions of a dozen open-ended flashcard games that deal with multicultural communication. The structure of these games could be used as templates for different training topics.
1. Best Actor. This roleplay activity uses about 10 flashcards, each with a blank side. The other side contains specifications for a roleplay: It identifies a prime role and a secondary role. It also contains a brief scenario about a problem situation. The activity involves three players. During each round, the first player reads all the information from the flashcard and assumes the prime role. The player next to him or her takes on the secondary role. The two players conduct the roleplay while the third player observes the action. At the end of the round, the observer makes positive comment and a constructive suggestion about the portrayal of the prime role. This is followed by the second player making similar comments. The activity is repeated with other flashcards and other players assuming the primary role.
2. Best Answer. Each of the flashcards used in this game contains an open-ended question. (Example: What would a person who is in the stage of minimization usually say?) on one side. The other side is blank. The flashcards are arranged with the blank side on the top. The first player picks up the top card and reads the question. All other players secretly write a suitable answer on a piece of paper. When everyone has finished writing, the first player listens to each answer and selects the best answer. The game continues as before with each of the other players taking on the role of the first player.
3. Best Arguments. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game. Each flashcard displays a piece of advice on how to improve the effectiveness of intercultural communication. (Example: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.) The other side is blank. The flashcards are arranged with the blank side on top. The first player reads the advice on the top card and assigns the pro and con roles to the next two players. These players debate the validity and the usefulness of the piece of advice. The debate is stopped after about 2-minutes. The first player and any non-debating players jointly decide which debater performed better. The game continues as before with each of the other players taking on the role of the first player.
4. Best Future. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game. Each flashcard displays a piece of advice on how to improve the effectiveness of intercultural communication. (Example: Identify and reconcile the differences that may interfere with collaborative projects). The flashcards are arranged with the blank side on top. The first player reads the advice on the top card. Each of the other players project themselves 5 years into the future and make up a story of how implementing this piece of advice improved their personal and professional life. The first player listens to these stories and select the best story. The game continues as before with each of the other players taking on the role of the first player.
5. Best Heading. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game. Each flashcard displays a short paragraph about a key topic related to diversity and inclusion (for example, the iceberg model of diversity) on one side of the flashcard. The first player reads the paragraph from the top card. Each of the other players write a suitable heading for the paragraph. The first player listens to these headings from the other players and selects the best one. The game continues as before with each of the other players taking on the role of the first player.
6. Best Illustration. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game. Each flashcard displays a piece of advice on how to improve the effectiveness of intercultural communication. (Example: Don’t interpret the other person’s facial expressions according to the norms of your culture). The flashcards are arranged with the blank side on top. The first player reads the advice on the top card. Each of the other players draw a picture on a piece of paper. After 2 minutes, the first player examines the pictures and selects the one that is clearly related to the pieces of advice. The game continues as before with each of the other players taking on the role of the first player.
7. Best Story. Ten to twenty picture postcards are used in this game. Each card depicts a group of people interacting in an alien environment. (Example: A young man selling slippers to tourists in front of Taj Mahal.) The first player selects a photo card from the middle of the packet and displays it to the other players. These players independently make up a realistic story that takes place in the context depicted in the photograph. The first player listens to these stories and selects the best story. The game continues as before with each of the other players taking on the role of the first player.
8. Best Support. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game, each with a topic related to diversity and inclusion (for example, culture shock). The other side of the flashcards are left blank. The cards are arranged with the blank side on top. The game is played by three to five players. The players turn the top card over and conduct a free-ranging discussion of the topic. After 3 minutes, the players conclude the discussion. Each player secretly rates how each of the other players supported the discussion with positive comments and constructive criticism by writing a number between 0 and 5 on separate pieces of paper. These rating slips are folded and placed in front of the appropriate participant. Later, each player opens the slips of paper and adds the numbers to compute the score for his or her support. The game is repeated with new topics from other cards.
9. Best Telepath. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game, each with a topic related to diversity and inclusion (for example, conflict management). The other side of the flashcards are left blank. The cards are arranged with the blank side on top. The game is played by three to five players. The players turn the top card over and secretly write five words strongly associated with the topic, keeping in mind that the score earned by each word will equal the number of people who wrote the same word. After everyone has written five words, the participants reveal the list and score each word in each list. For example, if there are five players and if all of them wrote the same specific word, they all get 5 points. If one of them wrote a unique word, not duplicated by any other player, this word gets a single point. Each player adds the total score earned by all words. The person with the highest score earns the title, Best Telepath.
10. Five Answers. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game, each with an open question that lends itself to several acceptable answers (Example: What is an important culture value of Nordic Europeans?). The front of the flashcard displays the open question and the back contains five different acceptable answers. The game is played by two or more people. The first participant takes a flash card from the middle of the packet and reads the question. All players, including the person who read the question, write as many different answers as possible within 2 minutes. The flashcard is turned over to reveal the five answers. Each player receives a point for each of his or her answers that corresponds to one of the five answer. A player can receive zero to five points. The player with the highest number of points wins the round. The game is repeated with another player taking the role of the reader.
11. Last Player Standing. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game, each with an open question that lends itself to several single-word answers (Example: Which capital city is located in South America?). The other side of he flashcard is blank. The cards are arranged with the blank side on top. The game is played by three to five players. All players begin the game by standing up. One of the players reads the question on the top card and immediately gives an answer. All players take turns, going around to supply another answer. A player loses (and sits down) if he or she hesitates too long, repeats a previous answer, or gives an incorrect answer. The last player who is still standing wins the game.
12. One Among Many. Ten to twenty flashcards are used in this game, each with an open question that lends itself to several single-word answers (Example: What is the name of an African country?). The front of the flashcard displays the question and the back contains a long list of acceptable answers. The game is played by two or more people. The first player (the Reader) takes a flash card from the middle of the packet and reads the question. All players, including the person who read the question, write as many different answers as possible within 2 minutes. The flashcard is turned over to reveal the list of answers. If the answer given by a player is included in the list, he or she scores a point. The game is repeated with another player assuming the role of the Reader.