Methods

The first year of the project (2004-2005) our work with students followed an anthropological approach. This included mapping the identity descriptions of Russian-speaking students and asking them about cultural differences that should be acknowledged and dealt with to make a person feel comfortable in an unfamiliar cultural environment. We used discussion groups, interviews and essays to discover the most problematic issues in the students’ everyday communication, in both their personal and professional life.

In autumn 2005 we took a step further to implement a method of Forum Theatre in the students' study processes. To prepare a Forum Theatre performance, students first attended an introductory lecture about the method, carried out several exercises to enhance their verbal and physical expression, and participated in an improvisation workshop where they carried out exercises and games to gain courage and skills in improvising. Then, students prepared and performed a performance of Forum Theatre.

The last task that the students were introduced to was the structure of debriefing. We wanted to emphasise the crucial part of debriefing in ensuring that any kind of experiential method provide a deep learning experience.