30-45 Minutes
Learning Objective(s)
- How to adapt in a social setting
Instructions
We have unwritten rules all around us. They are there to make it easier for us to navigate in a social setting. Unwritten rules make it easier for groups to function.
The unwritten rules regulate what we should do or how we should behave toward one another. They can vary depending on the situation and people in the group. We follow unwritten rules every day, we are aware of some and unaware of others. We expect others to behave in a certain way in certain situations. What happens if we break the unwritten rules? Ultimately, this can lead to problems in the group.
Instruction
Step 1 – Start a group discussion about unwritten rules:
- What is an unwritten rule?
- How do they affect us?
- Can we change them?
- Who informs us about them?
- How do we get the information?
Step 2 – Split into groups and pass out the exercise sheet.
Step 3 – Ask them to start a discussion based on the questions on the sheet.
Step 4 – Ask each group to account for their answers.
Feedback
Finish with a discussion based on the following questions:
- Who/what teaches us the unwritten rules and in what situation?
- How do the unwritten rules affect us?
- How can we help someone who has not been taught these rules?
- What would you need if you came to a different culture or country and did not know about the specific unwritten rules connected to the culture or country?
- How do you think immigrants in your country get this information?
- How do you think people with difficulties in social settings get this information?
- Further feedback?
Exercise
Unwritten rules are something that affects us all- for better or worse. You can find them all around us and we are expected to live up to them. But, how do we know what they are? What happens when we do not follow them?
Here are some topics you can explore and discuss how they are affected by unwritten rules. If you come up with other topics, feel free to talk about those.
What unwritten rules are connected to…
- Clothing?
- Queues?
- Our bodies?
- Between men and women?
- How and when to use our phone?
- Within the family?
- Between friends?
- At work?
- At school?
- On the Internet?
- At restaurants/cafes?
- At a store? On the buss/train?
- At public locations?
- When succeeding at something?
- In an elevator?
- In traffic?
- If you are Ill?
Collecting and sharing student results
Instructor will take notes during the discussion. Give feedback collectively and/or individually after the exercise.
Reflection/self-assessment
- Did it go as planned?
- Was the exercise valuable in working with the specific soft skill?
- Did the participants understand the task?
- Does something need to be changed/explained until next time?
The young people that we meet have often been isolated from social situations for longer periods of time. That means that they might need to work on their social skills. The unwritten rule are very important to be able to navigate in all kinds of social settings.
Instructions
We have unwritten rules all around us. They are there to make it easier for us to navigate in a social setting. Unwritten rules make it easier for groups to function.
The unwritten rules regulate what we should do or how we should behave toward one another. They can vary depending on the situation and people in the group. We follow unwritten rules every day, we are aware of some and unaware of others. We expect others to behave in a certain way in certain situations. What happens if we break the unwritten rules? Ultimately, this can lead to problems in the group.
Instruction
Step 1 – Start a group discussion about unwritten rules:
- What is an unwritten rule?
- How do they affect us?
- Can we change them?
- Who informs us about them?
- How do we get the information?
Step 2 – Split into groups and pass out the exercise sheet.
Step 3 – Ask them to start a discussion based on the questions on the sheet.
Step 4 – Ask each group to account for their answers.
Feedback
Finish with a discussion based on the following questions:
- Who/what teaches us the unwritten rules and in what situation?
- How do the unwritten rules affect us?
- How can we help someone who has not been taught these rules?
- What would you need if you came to a different culture or country and did not know about the specific unwritten rules connected to the culture or country?
- How do you think immigrants in your country get this information?
- How do you think people with difficulties in social settings get this information?
- Further feedback?
Exercise
Unwritten rules are something that affects us all- for better or worse. You can find them all around us and we are expected to live up to them. But, how do we know what they are? What happens when we do not follow them?
Here are some topics you can explore and discuss how they are affected by unwritten rules. If you come up with other topics, feel free to talk about those.
What unwritten rules are connected to…
- Clothing?
- Queues?
- Our bodies?
- Between men and women?
- How and when to use our phone?
- Within the family?
- Between friends?
- At work?
- At school?
- On the Internet?
- At restaurants/cafes?
- At a store? On the buss/train?
- At public locations?
- When succeeding at something?
- In an elevator?
- In traffic?
- If you are Ill?
Collecting and sharing student results
Instructor will take notes during the discussion. Give feedback collectively and/or individually after the exercise.
Reflection/self-assessment
- Did it go as planned?
- Was the exercise valuable in working with the specific soft skill?
- Did the participants understand the task?
- Does something need to be changed/explained until next time?
The young people that we meet have often been isolated from social situations for longer periods of time. That means that they might need to work on their social skills. The unwritten rule are very important to be able to navigate in all kinds of social settings.
Assessment Methods
- Discussion
Resources needed
- No resources needed
