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Icebreakers

Break the Ice in Classrooms and Meetings

From Kimeiko Hotta Dover, for About.com

Icebreakers are discussion questions or activities used to help participants relax and ease into a group meeting or learning situation. There are two types:

1. Facilitating Introductions
Icebreakers used to help participants relax and ease into a meeting or training; and to help participants learn each other's names and personal/professional information.

2. Topic Lead-ins
Also known as warm-ups, topic lead ins are icebreakers used to identify individual needs and goals, share information and resources, and/or surface resistance. This resource offers advice for using each type, and directs you to many more icebreaker links on the web.

Do you have a favorite icebreaker? Is there an Internet resource or a book on icebreakers that you have found particularly useful? See what others in the community have shared and post your own suggestions in the forum.
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