REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS AND ROLE-PLAYING GAMES FOR PRACTISING THE METHODOLOGY
Now, let’s turn theory into action! In this section, we’ve designed some interactive exercises to help you gain a practical understanding of the concepts you’ve explored in the earlier theoretical sections of the guide.
This section is perhaps the most critical part of the guide because it encourages what we call “Active Learning”. To truly apply the techniques and concepts introduced in this guide in real-life situations, it’s vital for you to not just read and memorise them as abstract theory. Instead:
You should understand, reflect upon, take ownership of, and practise these concepts.
This is where “Active Learning” proves crucial, since it is “the process of having (learners) engage in some activity that forces them to reflect upon ideas and how they are using those ideas” . In this area, there are numerous activities that we can utilize to approach the idea of Active Learning, including role-playing, Bibliotherapy*, film viewing, and real-life scenarios. In the context of this specific Guide, we have chosen to present, but also to explore together, two of them, namely, real-life scenarios and role-playing games.
These exercises are meant to be interactive and can be used in various ways and settings. You can use them individually for self-paced practice, or you can incorporate them into group activities where all members actively participate and share their feedback, fostering peer-to-peer learning.
REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS AND HOW TO APPLY EMPATHIC ACTIVE LISTENING TECHNIQUES
How do case studies/real-life scenarios work?
Case studies are a useful tool for teaching effective communication. They involve real-life stories that engage learners actively. By examining real situations and considering different viewpoints, learners improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Specifically, when these case studies deal with complex situations in family-school-community relations, they can help parents, teachers, professionals, and community members practise difficult communication processes in a safe environment.
Below, you’ll find the case study suggested by this guide for practising Empathic Active Listening in a situation of cyberbullying, along with instructions for working with this activity, either on an individual level or as a group of learners.
The Case Study in action: A 4-Step Process
- Step 1 – Presentation of Case Study: The activity starts by studying carefully the case study. You can find the Case Study we created for the purposes of this Guide in the Appendix that follows this chapter.
- Step 2 – Take a Quiz: After studying the given case, try to engage with the quiz presented next in the Appendix of this Guide, by expressing your opinions. This quiz aims to help you identify the problem presented in the case study, familiarise yourself with the theoretical framework, as well as assess your existing knowledge of the topic.
- Step 3 – Reflection / Discussion: This step has two main objectives. Firstly, to explore and comprehend the child’s emotions based on the situation described in the case study. Secondly, to examine alternative approaches for the adult to manage the situation. In the Appendix you can find some suggested points to reflect upon (in case of individual learners) or to discuss (in case of group learning), along with their corresponding answers, where applicable.
It’s worth noting that most of these topics don’t come with “correct” answers. This is because our objective at this stage isn’t about cognitive learning but rather fostering reflection. However, there are a few specific points supported by existing literature that are included to help learners gain a clearer understanding of the subject being discussed or reflected upon, enabling them to participate in the discussion or reflection more confidently.
- Step 4 – Practical Tips: Following the reflection and discussion, the exercise concludes by offering practical advice customised for each group, directly related to cyberbullying and in line with the principles of Empathic Active Listening. You can find the tips at the Appendix of this Guide.