- This activity encourages a welcoming, inclusive and respectful classroom environment by assuring that class members learn names and the proper pronunications of the instructor and fellow students.
| Instructor Prep. Time | Student In-Class Time | Student Out-of-Class Time |
| Less than 15 minutes | One to five minutes depending on the number of students | None |
None
Step-by-Step Procedure:
This module contains four activities that can be implemented throughout the semester.
Activity 1: State Your Name
- Allow each student to state his/her name to either the entire class or to a subgroup of the class (if class is large).
- Ask the class as a whole, or the subgroup, to repeat the student’s name immediately after the student speaks.
- Upon conclusion of this “round” of names, ask any student who feels that his/her name is often mispronounced to again state the name, and have the group repeat the person’s name.
Activity 2: Names Around the Circle
- Divide the class into groups of eight to twelve students.
- Ask students to form a circle (about one person width between students).
- Start by having one person in each circle call out own name (first only, or first and last), then next person to the left call out own first name, etc. until all have had a turn.
- Repeat two to three times.
- Start with a different person. That person must call out the name of the person on his/her right, who in turn calls out the name of the person on his/her right. Proceed around the circle. When a student cannot recall the name of the person to his/her right, allow others in the circle to assist. Repeat one to two times.
Activity 3: Name Toss
- Divide the class into new groups of eight to twelve students.
- Ask students to form a circle (about a one person width between students).
- Go around the circle once to the left, once to the right, having students call out their own first names.
- Provide each group with one soft non-bouncing object (bean bag, stuffed sock)
- The person with the object (Student A) is to call out the name of another student (Student B) in the circle, then toss the object in an underhand fashion to that student. Student B will in turn call out the name of a different student (C) and then toss the object to Student C. Continue tossing for one to two minutes.
- Suggestions: (a) No “toss backs”; (b) you can’t pass to someone a second time until all students have received the object at least once; (c) try to toss to someone different each time you toss.
Activity 4: The Origin, History and Experience of My Name
- Assign a paper in which each student describes the history of his/her full name, (including nickname), feelings about the name and impact that name may have had on the person.
- Each student describes how he/she came to be named. Students are to check with parents, relatives and other resources. If the student does not know the history and does not have access to resources, he/she may simply state that fact and offer ideas about the choice of names.
- During class, the instructor places students in groups of two or more and asks each student to share the findings he/she wrote about in the paper.
- The instructor asks each student to reflect on the various factors that influenced the naming of classmates, how individuals feel about their names, and the perceived impact names have on individual lives.
- Consider using steps 1, 2 and 3 early in the semester in any class as a way to facilitate learning names and step 4 a bit later in the semester, after students and the instructor know one another’s names relatively well.
- Address students by name frequently during the course either during class, in emails, or on notes written on student papers and encourage students to address one another by name frequently as well.
Suggestions for Use:
