TPI: Constructive Interaction & Communication Exercise

[Anu Mandapati]

MATERIALS NEEDED:
• The Wright Family Story
• One playing card, penny, pen, paper clip or some other small item for each person in the group

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Have your entire group stand in a circle facing each other.

2. Give each person in the circle a playing card, penny or some other small item that can be passed easily from hand to hand. They should all have the same type of object.

3. Tell the group that you are going to read them a story and every time they hear any word that sounds like right, they are to pass the object in their hand to the person on their right, and every time they hear the word left, they should pass the object to the left.

4. Start reading the story (see next page) slowly so that they have a chance to catch on to what you want them to do. Then read the remaining part of the story faster.

5. At the end, check to see if everyone has an object in their hand. If your group is typical, some will have two or three objects and others will not have any.

6. After reading the story, ask the questions and conduct the debrief (see last page).

LIFE WITH THE “WRIGHT” FAMILY
One day the Wright family decided to take a vacation. The first thing they had to decide was who would be left at home since there was not enough room in the Wright family car for all of them. Mr. Wright decided that Aunt Linda Wright would be the one left at home. Of course this made Aunt Linda Wright so mad that she left the house immediately yelling, “It will be a right cold day before I return.”
The Wright family now bundled up the children, Tommy Wright, Susan Wright, Timmy Wright and Shelly Wright and got into the car and left. Unfortunately, as they turned out of the driveway someone had left a trash can in the street so they had to turn right around and stop the car. They told Tommy Wright to get right out of the car and move the trash can so they could get going while there was still day light left. Tommy took so long that they almost left him in the street. Once the Wright family got on the road, Mother Wright wondered if she had left the stove on. Father Wright told her not to worry he had checked the stove and she had not left it on. As they turned right at the corner, everyone started to think about other things that they had left undone.
No need to worry now, they were off on the right fine vacation. When they arrived at the gas station, Father Wright put gas in the car and then he discovered that he had left his wallet at home. So Timmy Wright ran right home to get the money that Father Wright had left behind. After Timmy Wright had left, Susan Wright started to feel sick. She left the car saying that she had to throw right up. This of course got Mother Wrights attention and she left the car in a hurry to go right after Susan Wright. Shelly Wright wanted to watch Susan get sick, so she left the car right away too. Father Wright left Tommy Wright who was playing a game in the backseat.
With all this going on Father Wright decided that this was not the right time to take a vacation, so he gathered up all of the family and left the gas station as quickly as he could. When he arrived home, he turned left into the driveway and said, “I wish the Wright family had never left the house today!”

Questions:
Q: Who was asked to move the trash can?
A: Tommy Wright

Q: Was the stove left on?
A: No, Father Wright checked.

Q: Who had to throw up?
A: Susan Wright

Q: What were the children’s names?
A: Tommy Wright, Susan Wright, Timmy Wright and Shelly Wright

Q: Did the Wright Family go on vacation?
A: No

Debrief:
1. How hard was it to listen and pass objects at the same time? Do you ever have multiple things going on when you’re “listening?”
2. Did you find this an easy or hard activity? Why? Do you ask for what you need when someone is communicating?
3. Did you assist others who needed help/were confused? How can you pull together as a team? (Many times someone in the group starts saying “’left” or “right” to help the entire team stay on top of things.)
4. Are you a “bigger picture” or “small detail” person?

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