Add@Me Learning Methods Database (EN)

The group sits in a circle. The vi facilitator asks the participants to go around the circle sharing with the rest of the group the story of their name (how did they get their name, if they like their name, if they were to have another name what would that name be).

An alteration to the activity that can make it longer is to ask participants also to introduce themselves by providing two positive adjectives that characterize them and begin with the same letter as the initial of their first and last name. Another proposal is to ask participants to give for each letter of their name a word that relates to them.

Participants will go one by one and share their name as well as the story of it, it can be the real story or an imaginary one if some of the particiapnts do not know the story of their name. The vi facilitator will open or close the sharing, also by telling the story of his or her name.

Breaking the ice with the group.

No materials are needed for this exercise.

The steps and rules of the exercise are explained in the summary section.

No reflection is needed but in case the vi facilitator would like to, he/she can ask the group how they found out about the story of their name and invites them - if they would like - to discuss it further during the break.

The group may be silent or participants may feel uncomfortable to share the story of their name or maybe they do not know it. In such a case the vi facilitator can ask them just to share their name and think and share why they have it or if they think it fits for them.

We suggest this exercise to be done with participants over 13 years old.