Instructions Empathy Land

Brief explanation on video for all applications. Teachers are advised to be sure to also read the information below.

For home, language training or work click here for written instructions.

Instructions Empathy Land at school PDF

Citizenship Lesson and Empathy Land PDF

Empathy Land is an interactive board game played by three to six participants. It can be played in language training, at home, at work and, of course, in the classroom. The participants are confronted with statements regarding cultural values and customs. Are they correct or incorrect? Based on the answers, participants develop awareness and understanding of each other’s cultural background. After Empathy Land is played out and everyone is in Empathy Land, it is fun to have a conversation to share the experiences with each other.

Below are the general instructions. The cards are often written from the perspective of children but can be read by adults as how is this how it goes in my family or family in your family or culture or that this is also your own desire or opinion. In conversation you can gain further depth by discussing whether it is

Learning Objectives

  • The participant develops awareness and understanding of differences and similarities in habits and values of classmates.
  • The participant will gain an understanding of different cultures, perspectives,, subcultures and gray areas in between.
  • The participant realizes that habits and behaviors are often an expression of deeper cultural values.

Players: 4-6 players per game board

Duration

50 minutes/ optional: 10-20 minutes extra

  • Explanation by teacher/initiator and formation of groups (10 minutes)
  • Playing Empathy Land (25 minutes)
  • Group discussion (15 minutes)

Supplies

  • One board game for each group
  • A set of playing cards for each group with questions
  • 1 dice per group (if there is no dice present, students can use “dice roller” on google)
  • Pawns (coins or anything else that can represent the player)

Step 2: Instructions

The teacher/initiator can begin by describing the objective of the game: The purpose of the game is to get to know each other better and discuss differences in customs and habits. Differences that just may be there and that it is fun and useful to know about each other.

  • The game begins with a player taking a card and reading it to the group
  • The other players decide whether they think this statement is “true” or “false” for the reader’s home situation
  • After everyone votes by holding up “true” or “false,” the reader gives the answer
  • The player(s) who answered correctly may roll the die and move as many spots on the board, clockwise
  • The player(s) who did not answer correctly may not roll the die
  • The reader may always roll the die.
  • In the event that no one player has the correct answer, the reader may take another card and players may vote again
  • If a player lands on a plane, they may jump forward along with the plane to the designated compartment
  • If a player lands on a submarine, they must return to the designated square
  • After a student takes a card and all those who had the answer correct have walked on the game board, it is the turn of the student to the left of the previous one (clockwise).
  • The player who reaches the No. 50 box first has won
  • Alternative: to keep the game going longer, a rule can be implemented that the player must land exactly on 50, if they throw too high they walk back on the board.

Step 3: Discussion

It is useful to have a group discussion. Possible questions:

What did you notice? (start with an open-ended question)
Were there things that surprised you?
Was it always the same for everyone in the group?
What were the differences?

How can you deal with those differences?
Could that have gone differently; how have other groups dealt with similar issues?
How did students indicate doing things differently than the rest of the group?

Has everyone dared to share what they do at home?
How would you react if you were among the minority?
Where do you think the differences come from? (male/female, relationships, hygiene rules, importance of family, religion, culture, etc.)