Textra Games combine the effective organization of well-written documents with the motivational impact of games. The participants read a handout and play a game that uses peer pressure and peer support to encourage recall and transfer of what they read.
In this textra game, the participants reinforce their learning by asking and answering questions. The types of questions they ask require the use of both sides of their brain by requiring convergent and divergent thinking.
Synopsis
Ask the participants to read a handout on the training topic. Ask each participant to write a closed question, pair up with a partner, and answer each other’s questions. Repeat with more partners. Then ask each participant to write an open question, team up with two others, and try to give a better answer than the other participant. Repeat with other triads.
Purpose
To generate closed and open questions on the content of a handout and answer questions from other participants.
Participants
Minimum: 6
Maximum: Any number
Best: 15 to 30
Time
30 - 60 minutes, depending on the length and complexity of the handout.
Handouts
Handout on the training topic
How To Play Two
How To Play Open
Supplies
Blank Index Cards
Pens
Equipment
Timer
Whistle
Room Arrangement
Leave plenty of uncluttered space to permit the participants to work in pairs and triads.
Preparation
Prepare a handout. Cover the key concepts related to the training topic.
Prepare sample questions. Come up with a list of closed and open questions. You will use these questions as samples to help the participants generate their own questions.
Flow
Read the handout. Distribute copies of the training handout to each participant. Tell the participants that you will conduct an interactive exercise about the content of the handout. Encourage the participants to study the handout carefully, underline key ideas, and get ready to earn high scores in the follow-up exercise. Announce a suitable time limit.
Clarify closed questions. At the end of the assigned time, explain that you are going to conduct an activity that involves closed questions. Explain that a closed question is one that can be answered by recalling a specific piece of factual information from the handout. Yes/no questions, multiple-choice questions, and typical short-answer questions belong to the closed-question category. With these types of questions, you can accurately and objectively determine if the answer is correct or not. Present a couple of examples of closed questions related to the content of the handout.
Write closed questions. Distribute two blank index cards to each participant. Ask the participants to write two closed questions about the handout content, using a separate card for each question. After a suitable pause, ask each participant to look at the two questions, select the best one, and place the other question aside.
Explain how to play Two. Distribute copies of the handout How To Play Two. Walk participants through the flow of the game.
Play Two. Give another blank index card to each participant and explain it is the scorekeeping card. Ask the participants to stand up with the question card, the scorekeeping card, and a pen. Announce that the Two game will last for 5 minutes. Set the timer and start the game.
Stop the Two game. At the end of 5 minutes, blow the whistle and announce the conclusion of the game. Ask each participant to count the number of initials on the scorekeeping card to compute the score. Find out which participant has the highest score. Congratulate the winner (or winners, if there is a tie for the highest score).
Clarify open questions. Explain that you are going to conduct a different type of game that involves open questions. Explain that an open question does not have a single correct answer. It lends itself to several different acceptable answers. Open questions typically ask for the participants’ opinions, experiences, feelings, and ideas. They encourage thoughtful, creative, critical, and analytical answers. Present a couple of sample open questions related to your lecture.
Write open questions. Distribute two blank index cards to each participant. Ask the participants to write two open questions about the lecture content, using a separate card for each question. After a suitable pause, ask each participant to look at the two questions, select the best one, and place the other question aside.
Explain how to play Three. Distribute copies of the handout How To Play Three. Walk the participants through the flow of the game.
Play the Three game. Ask the participants to use the reverse side of the scorekeeping card for the Open game. Ask the participants to stand up with an open question card, the scorekeeping card, and a pen. Announce that the Three game will last for 7 minutes. Set the timer and start the game.
Stop the Three game. At the end of 7 minutes, blow the whistle and announce the conclusion of the game. Ask each participant to count the number of different initials in the scorekeeping card. Find out which participant has the highest score. Congratulate the winner (or winners, if more there is a tie for the highest score).
Conclude the activity. Announce the end of the session. Thank the participants for their participation. Collect all the cards with the open and closed questions.
Play Sample
In a recent Train-the-Trainer workshop, I used the earlier article on open questions. Here are some sample questions generated by the participants:
Closed
Which type of questions require higher level thinking?
What training topic was used as the example in this article?
Which type of question has a single correct answer?
Which type of questions require a recall of basic facts?
Open
Which type of question is more useful in a training session? Why do you think so?
What is the major disadvantage of an open question?
What could be a alternative name for “open question”?
Convert this into an open question: “What is your job?”
Handout
How To Play Two
Check your supplies. Before you play the game, make sure you have a closed-question card, a scorekeeping card, and a pen.
Find a partner. When the game starts, quickly pair up with another player. Remember that if you are slow, you may be left out without a partner.
Show your question. Hold up your question card so your partner can read the question. Do not read the question yourself or give any hints for the answer. Pause for a few seconds.
Process the answer. Listen to the answer given by the other player. Decide whether it is correct or not. If it is incorrect, give the correct answer. If it is correct, say “Correct” and write your initials on the other player’s scorecard.
Answer your partner’s question. Read the question on your partner’s question card. Immediately give answer.
Get feedback. If your answer is incorrect, your partner will give you the correct answer. If your answer is correct, make sure that your partner writes his or her initials on your scorecard
Find a new partner. Briskly move around and find a new partner. Don't waste your time with unnecessary conversation. Repeat the process of exchanging questions and answers and collecting the initials from other players.
Compute your score. When the facilitator announces the end of the play period, return your seat and count the number of different initials on your scorekeeping card. This is your score for the Two game.
How To Play Three
Check your supplies. Before you participate in the Three game, make sure you have an open-question card, a scorekeeping card, and a pen. Use the reverse side of your scorekeeping card from the Two game.
Form triads. When the game starts, quickly find two other players to form a group of three for the first round.
Show your question. Hold up your question card so the other two players can read the question. Do not read the question yourself or give any hints for the answer.
Select the Waiter. Point to one of the other two players and ask him or her to cover the ears. Also suggest that this participant moves away a little distance to avoid overhearing the other person's answer.
Listen to the first answer. Ask the participant to answer the open-ended question. Listen carefully to this answer.
Listen to the second answer. Signal to the Waiter to uncover his or her ears. Ask this participant to answer the same open question. Let the first participant listen to the answer.
Process the answers. For the benefit of the Waiter, give a brief summary of the first player's answer. Make a quick decision about which of the two answers is better. Write your initials on the scorekeeping card of the person who gave the better answer.
Answer other participants’ questions. Each of the other two players will take turns to show the questions on their cards. During the next two rounds, you will be competing with another player to give a better answer to the open question.
Form a new triads. After the first round, briskly move around the room to fin two new players to form another triad for the next round. Don’t waste your time with social chitchat. Repeat the process of exchanging open questions and answers and collect the initials of other players by giving better answers.
Compute your score. When the facilitator announces the end of the play period, return your seat and count the number of initials in your scorecard. This is your score for the Three game.