SEMINAR

STORYTELLING THROUGH DIXIT CARDS AND „6 WORDS STORIES”AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION AND INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

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Dixit: a simple name for a game that unfolds layers of imagination, language, and interpretation. This fantasy association game is more than just entertainment; it's a tool for enriching minds, fostering conversation, and unlocking the beauty of abstract thinking.

6 Words Story: Is a non formal learning method based on a complete short story written by Ernest Hemingway: “For sale, baby shoes – never worn.” Six Words forces people to synthesize their ideas in a succinct and meaningful way, cutting away fluff and distilling the idea to its bare essence.

 

Art form: Abstract imagery and storrytelling

 

Purpose of the activity: 

Main purpose of the activity: to attain freedom trough mutual respect and recognition.

This is a participatory method where participants use Dixit cards and 6 Word Story to identify and represent issues of importance to them. 

One purpose for the participants is to narrate their living/working environment (or any type of subject/matter concerning a predefined theme) through one or more cards chosed by them, without forcing any boundaries regarding privacy. 

In the second place, the activity aims to raise awareness on specific issues through art (such as social exclusion or intercultural learning), empowering them to inform others about their stories and to be actively involved in decisions that affect their own lives and their community’s development. 

The activity can be used in the  field of community development, public health, and education.

 

Duration of the activity: Approximately 60 minutes.

 

Objectives: 

1. To reflect on one’s life and on the others.

2. To develop empatyy and understanding of diverse perspectives.

3. To foster creative thinking and expression through imagery.

 

Structure of the activity: The activity is structured in three sessions. 

First session:

• The introductory session should explain the aim of the activity, measure the interest of the participants in it, and start an exchange about what this activity could mean to them.

• First, the youth worker can start by asking the participants whether they have heard of ”6 Words Story” method before. For a better undesrstanding of the idea, if time allows, the moderator  can use a Ted movie:  

https://youtu.be/C8zY0oAdQrs?si=9zVKcz6uo8977aIU

• Using the model of Hemingway’s  6 Words Story: „For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”- the facilitator starts a free discussion about what makes a good story ( short story). The ideas are written on a flipchart ( for example: memorable characters, point of view, conflict( internal/external), tension and suspense, a powerful theme, a dramatic question, honesty and truth etc.);

• Then, the moderator explains the steps of the first activity and the subject. The subject/ theme should be suitable for the context and the participants. 

• The requirement for the first activity is: Think of a situation where you/ a young person you work with/ someone you know has suffered from social exclusion. 
  and write a story in just 6 words about that situation. The activity is individual.

• Each participant writes a story. After 7-10 minutes, the moderator asks the participants to read their story aloud. No comments about the subject are made at this stage of the activity.

• The moderator initiates a discussion about the technicals difficulties encountered by the participants because of the 6 words limit. For example: the brevity of the story allows the concentrated transmission of the idea, but does not create the same impact that the story would have if details were used. By knowing the details, listeners could more easily imagine the visual, auditory, even tactile side of the story, they could experience a greater palette of emotions. 

• After, all the stories are displayed in a "literary gallery". 

Second session:

• The moderator or the group announce the next step will be telling stories trough visuals and explaines how pictures may aid the audience in understanding the story better and faster. Visual representation of a story makes it more simple to remember, as they say: „A picture is worth a thousand words”.

• The moderator asks the participants if they know Dixit game. For a better understanding, he presents the main aspects of the game.

• The moderator asks the author of the selected story to choose a Dixit card from those placed on the table. The book must represent the message of its 6-word story as faithfully as possible. The author will place the book face down on another table. All participants will choose a card that best fits the story and place it face down on the table. The moderator shuffles the cards and places them face up on the table. Participants are asked to recognize which book was chosen by the author of the proposed story. Each participant is also highly encouraged to explain why he chose his card, as well to react to each other’s explanation. They discuss what the chosen books have in common and what they have to do with the story. What new nuances do the images add to the story? How do I make the message of the story stronger for others?

Third session:

• The group is divided in small groups up to 4-5 people. 

• The moderator is explaning the steps of the third activity and the subject: Each group chose a common theme, related to social inclusion, and build a short story ( A 6 WORDS DIXIT STORY about social inclusion, which has a strong message to draw attention to the problem, eaven to offer a solution to the problem. Tell your story using 6 Dixit cards that best express the message. Chose a title for your visual story. The group will put a piece of paper containing the 6-word story face down next to the pictures. 

• Each group gets 10-15 minutes of  time to think about what theme to chose and how to complete the task. 

• After all the stories in the form of text and images have been displayed, the whole group attends the presentation of each story.

 

Recommended questions for debriefing: 

• How did you feel during the activity?-

• What was the most challenging aspect of the process for you?

•  Did you encounter any difficulties that stood out?

• Is expressing yourself easy or challenging for you personally?

• How did the activity influence your comfort in expressing thoughts and feelings?

• Did you discover something new about yourself or others?

• Were there any unexpected insights gained through the activity?

• How did the sharing/ listening experience make you feel? 

• What aspects of the story resonated with you?

• Why the matter chosed by the group was important for them?

How does the Dixit tool work?

• Dixit cards are designed to evoke emotions, thanks to their surrealistic and imaginative pictures. 

• When involved in an evaluation activity or in a debate, through a facilitator-guided focus group discussion, these cards can ease and stimulate a discussion. 

• The issues that can be addressed through this tool are several, for example:  personal goals, community concerns, community assets, the group’s experience about something, what they liked or disliked, health barriers and supports, the good or bad results of a project, event, or public facility.

 

Requirements: The activity can be implemented indoors or outdoors. Dixit cards (or a similar set of images) are the only elements needed; it is preferable to provide pen and paper for those who wish to write down their thoughts.

 

Impact:  The activity allows participants to express their feelings through images, to explain abstract thoughts in concrete words, to be able to understand and use metaphors and symbolism as a new form of selfexpression.

 

Recommended target:

• Girls

• Youths not in employment, education, or training (“NEET”)

• Youths with a migrant background

• Minorities

• Youths from the LGBTIAQ+ community

 

Main need addressed: Educational support

 

Tips for facilitators: This activity is helpful to stimulate youngsters's debate on some topics of common interest and to promote the sharing of concrete stories related to theyr goals. It also helps to bring out how youngsters from very different backgrounds and places in the world can encounter similar problems, same difficulties, same challenges with the reality around. But solutions can also be similar and in this way youngsters can feel less alone. It may not seem like it, but young people feel they expose themselves a lot during this activity. As a facilitator, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong, everyone has the right to express themselves as they feel, especially during the performance. Comments later. It is important to motivate the young people to show their performance to the audience at the end, to be present during the performance, to observe carefully and, at the end of the performance, underline the message and the positive aspects of their work.

 

Adjustment for a challenging situation

This tool is not too difficult to adjust to a setting that involves physical isolation between people.

Participants can gather through a communication platform (e.g., Zoom Meeting) and receive their chosen images:

● directly by the mediator, who can expose them one by one during the online meeting

● via private mailing, receiving the photos of the cards/ images

The only downside of an online version of this tool is that there is no possibility for the participants to touch the cards and see them from up-close which has been shown to be helpful to make a choice.