Procedure:
- The classroom (or a part thereof that is freed of tables, chairs, etc.) is divided into two parts (with chalk or a string). In the beginning, the entire class stands on one side of the dividing line.
- The instructor then enumerates a series of characteristics (see below) one after another. If one of the characteristics applies to a student, s/he immediatly moves to the other side of the line.
- The list should be age-specific and reflect other class-specific situations. Examples of characteristics:
Those who…- are wearing jeans today
- know or speak a special dialect of their mother-tongue
- are older or younger than the average student in class
- were born in their parents‘ country of origin
- have spent part of their school days in this country
- regularly read a newspaper
- have already been subject to discrimination
- have friends with physical or mental disabilities
- are prejudiced against another group of people.
- The students discuss the following questions:
- Did someone meet a student in a group with whom s/he thought to have no commonalities?
- How does it feel to belong to a large group?
- How does it feel to be alone, or almost alone?
- In your lives, where have you already had similar experiences:
a) belonging to a majority,
b) the feeling of being alone and not belonging?
Expansion
For a second or third round, the students can also previously compile the characteristics. However, the instructor must have the right to veto, in view of potentially sensible or discriminating points.