Fifty-eight-and-a-half Ways to Improvise in Training: Improvisation Games and Activities for Workshops, Courses and Team Meetings

Citation

Cattell, A. (2001), "Fifty-eight-and-a-half Ways to Improvise in Training: Improvisation Games and Activities for Workshops, Courses and Team Meetings", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 33 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2001.03733cae.001

Fifty-eight-and-a-half Ways to Improvise in Training: Improvisation Games and Activities for Workshops, Courses and Team Meetings

Fifty-eight-and-a-half Ways to Improvise in Training: Improvisation Games and Activities for Workshops, Courses and Team Meetings

Paul Z. JacksonGower£49.50

Keywords: Training techniques, Games

In his introduction, Paul Jackson describes the book as a resource for trainers, facilitators and others who find themselves in need of a swift, energising activity.

The text details "fifty-eight-and-a-half" improvisational activities which either can be used as ice-breakers or can be included as discussion elements within workshops, courses and team meetings. Sections within the book suggest activities under the following headings:

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  alert and energise;

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  working together;

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  influencing relationships;

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  resources;

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  emotions and attitudes;

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  scenarios;

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  creativity;

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  wisdom; and

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  conclusion (including the half exercise!).

As an aid to the trainer, each activity has an easy-to-read graphic ratings chart as an introduction, giving details of the suggested number of participants and time to be taken. Additionally, guidance is given as to whether the activity is team or individual, and whether it is visual, verbal or physical.

Further information, outlining an explanation of the activity and suggested trainer or facilitator prompts and side coaching questions, is also given for each exercise. On a number of activities, additional variation or development of exercises is given.

At first glance, the book appears to be over-simplistic in content and possibly a variation on a theme of books of a similar genre. However, after using a number of the exercises either as energisers or as part of the content of larger workshops and programmes, the reader is struck by the overall user-friendliness of the text and the tried-and-tested quality of the content.

For readers looking for a simple, energetic, participative and no-nonsense approach to participant enjoyment and learning, the book represents a rich source of ideas, all of which have the capacity to be further developed. As a hardback text, the price of £49.50 may seem a trifle expensive but, overall, the book offers a valuable addition to the bookshelf of those interested in learner-centred participation.

Alan CattellStaff Development Manager, University of Bradford