Talking sticks
Support slower, uninterrupted contributions.
15 minutes · Any number of people
Use this activity in the Studio →Source timing: not specified. Planning range is an estimate; adapt it to the actual group. Source group guidance: Any number of people. This describes the playing group, not a maximum attendance for the whole event.
Intention / Goal
Support slower, uninterrupted contributions.
Materials
Distinctive speaking object, Timer (optional)
Facilitator & access notes
Choose an object and language appropriate to the group. Do not claim a specific cultural lineage without evidence. Provide an accessible way to request the turn without reaching for an object.
How to facilitate it
- Agree that the person holding a chosen object has the speaking turn.
- Place the object within reach and let people take it when ready.
- After a contribution, return it so another person can choose to speak.
Reflection prompts
- Notice: What did this activity reveal about how we work together?
- Carry forward: What would you like to try next?
Credit & lineage
Seeds for Change (documented version; original creator not established).
Concise original Playformation facilitator wording based on the Seeds for Change guide. Consent/access alternatives and estimated planning defaults are identified; this is not a claim of original authorship.
Anti-copyright: you may copy, adapt, use and distribute this adapted entry, provided the resulting work remains anti-copyright. Source: https://seedsforchange.org.uk/resources
Seeds for Change: Talking sticks ↗
Seeds for Change facilitation tools PDF, page 20 ↗
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