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ATD MEMBER-ONLY TOOLS

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AI
Openers, Volume 1

D
Openers are targeted icebreaker activities that you can use when you kick off your
training program to set expectations with learners or get them quickly introduced to
the topic of training. This job aid contains four different openers.

Can I Get a “Yes”?

Goal: To get loud verbal agreement on acceptable behavior in 3. Ask if there are questions about any of the items listed.
a learning environment.
4. If there are no questions, ask learners, “Can I get a yes?”
Group Size: Any size
to get agreement on acceptance of rules for conducting
Time Estimate: 5-10 minutes
class. If they mumble a quiet “yes,” put on your cheerleader
Materials
voice and ask again, “Can I get a yes?”
• Flipchart paper
• Markers 5. Thank them and post the ground rules on a wall within
Process view of the group.
Preparation: Prepare and post a “parking lot” for out-of-scope Facilitator Notes
questions before the session. See facilitator notes for personal- • You can easily personalize the parking lot to more closely
izing this tool. relate to the industry with which you are working. For
1. Encourage participants to name ground rules while you example, Lockheed Martin makes airplanes, so their
list them on a flipchart page. parking lot could be called a “Hangar”; the U.S. Navy uses
2. To promote staying focused, be sure to include items ships, so you could use “Dry Dock”; or Raytheon Missile
such as: Systems could be “Bay.”
• Add a picture or clipart to the ground rules poster to
• Stay on topic.
match its name.
• If off topic, place questions in the parking lot.
• Provide learners with sticky notes to write their questions
• One person speaks at a time.
and post them on the parking lot poster.
• Review all posted questions and provide answers
throughout the session. If the question requires research,
inform learners that you will provide an answer by a
specified time.
• Make your ground rules useful; refer to them to rein
in disruptive or disrespectful learners and to remind
participants of their agreement.

Submitted By: Sharon Dera, CPLP

126730.27260

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ATD MEMBER-ONLY TOOLS

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AI
Openers, Volume 1

Post-It Connections
Goal: To immediately engage learners in the session topics.
Group Size: 4-12 learners
Time Estimate: 15-20 minutes
Materials
• 5”x7” sticky note pads
• Permanent markers for each person
Process
Preparation: Using the marker, write one topic heading on one
sticky note for each topic you will cover. For example, if you
have five topics, you will have five sticky note topic headings.
Hang the topic headings around the room.
1. Hand out five sticky notes and one marker to each
learner.
2. Ask learners to write one thing they know about each
topic heading using one sticky note page for each. They
may write a fact, an idea, or a question they have about a
topic heading.
3. When they have completed all topics, ask learners to
place each note under the appropriate topic heading.
4. After all the notes are under their appropriate topic
heading, move from one topic to another and lead a brief
guided conversation (three to five minutes) to open the
class based on the responses.
5. The responses can be used throughout the class when
you begin each topic heading.
Facilitator Notes
• This activity allows learners to immediately engage in the
session content.
• It also gives learners an opportunity to move around the
classroom and get to know each other.
Submitted By: Maureen Caspers
 
D
Speed Surfing
Goal: To create interest in a topic and quickly assess group
needs.
Group Size: 2 or more
Time Estimate: 15 to 20 minutes
Materials/Technology
• 1 web-connected device per group (smartphone, tablet,
or PC)
• Flipchart
• Markers
Process
1. Ask participants to pull out their smartphones/tablets/
PCs and find a partner. Ensure that each pair has a
web-connected device.
2. Tell them they will search the topic you are covering in
the session. Their task is to find one interesting fact to share
with the group and one question about the topic they
would like answered.
3. Allow five to seven minutes to search.
4. Have the pairs take turns stating the interesting facts first.
Allow about five minutes.
5. Ask what questions they would like answered. If you can
answer it quickly and immediately, do so. If you cannot,
post the questions on a flip chart and respond when you
reach that information in the content delivery.
Facilitator Notes
• This is a high-energy/fast-paced activity that gets
everyone involved in the topic.
• If the group is large, you can ask for volunteer groups
rather than having all groups report out.
• If you want to encourage networking, have them select
someone they do not know as a partner.
Submitted By: Kris Taylor 126730.27260

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Openers, Volume 1

D
Standards and Norms
Goal: To help the group set accountability and responsibility for Facilitator Notes
participant and facilitator behavior. • People don’t argue with their own rules. On average,
Group Size: 16 to 50 participants set much tougher standards yet feel that they
Time Estimate: 15-20 minutes are fair because they chose them, and we as facilitators
Materials did not impose.
• Flipchart paper • Periodically ask each small group to decide on a scale of
• Masking tape 1-10, with 10 high, how well the facilitator is following the
• One 3”X5” sticky note pad for each subgroup guidelines and how well they are following the guidelines.
• Water-based markers If the facilitator gets a score of less than eight, ask what
Process you need to do more or less of to improve. Ask them to
1. Seat participants in subgroups of four to six. provide the same feedback if they rate themselves less
2. Designate half of the subgroups to be As, and the other than eight.
half Bs.
3. Give each subgroup a sticky note pad and markers.
Submitted By: Bob Pike CSP, CPAE-Speakers Hall of Fame
4. Tell the As that they will have three minutes to identify
five guidelines (each on a separate sticky note, described in
three to five words) the facilitator should follow. These may
be either things to do or things to avoid that will help each
participant gain the most from the class.
5. Give the Bs three minutes to do the same thing, but
identify five guidelines (each on a separate sticky note,
described in three to five words) for participants to follow.
These may be either things to do or things to avoid that will
help each participant gain the most from the class.
6. After three minutes, all A groups meet at a flipchart
posted on the wall with “Facilitator Guidelines” printed at
the top. Tell them they have five minutes to combine all
their guidelines into a list of the top 10.
7. All B groups meet at a separate flipchart with “Participant
Guidelines” printed at the top. They also have five minutes
to combine all their guidelines into their top 10.
8. As present their guidelines to Bs and Bs present to As.
9. You may wish to add a guideline for participants; for
instance, “I’d be willing to accept all 10 of your guidelines
for me if you’d allow me to add one guideline for you.
126730.27260

Would that be fair? The guideline I’d like to add is, in

addition to cell phones off, there will be no texting or
responding to emails during class time,” or whatever you
think needs to be added.

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