

Simulation Exercise, Exercise, Video

See what I'm saying

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This activity lets participants experientally learn part of reality of people with hearing disabilities. A 30-minute movie is both an interesting experience and a simulation - many participants will quickly become bored because of lack of audio stimuli.

Aims of the tool

Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge developed:

PAX will be willing to change their actions and the society in order to include the differently abled (A)
PAX will experience an everyday situation of the deaf (here: watching a movie) (K)
PAX will become aware that people are equal regardless of their ability level, and should be treated accordingly (A)
PAX will be able to come up a solution to an everyday problem of the differently abled (S)

Description of the tool

1. Energizer: Charades - pick several people and give them words/concepts to communicate to the group. Start with something easy and proceed to near-impossible (15min)
2. Tell PAX that they will now see a movie telling a story they might know. Play Wizard of Oz in American Sign Language ( - (for best effect turn off the sound) (37 min) (NB: the PAX might fall asleep, but don’t interfere)
3. Debriefing 01 (15min)
4. Focus PAX’s attention on how the subtitles were different from what we usually see in movies (noise descriptions, position, name of the speaker). Divide PAX in groups of 5-7.
5. Each group gets an A3 paper, a marker and one of the disabilities assigned (deaf, visually impared or on a wheelchair). The groups have now time to come up with something that used to be impossible for their kind of people, but has since been solved (e.g. enjoying movies for the deaf).
6. The groups then come up with a situation that currently presents a challenge impossible to overcome.
7. Each group presents their problem. Afterwards, they swap papers.
8. Each group then has 5 mins to come up with a sample solution to the problem they’ve received. Short presentation.
9. Debriefing 02

*Debriefing 01*
How did you like the movie? How was it different from what you normally watch?
Are you bored or tired? Why?
Was it easy to stay focus and not fall asleep?
Was the movie too long? (compare the 37 minutes to the usual 90+ minutes)
What difference did the lack of music make? What’s the role of music?
Have you paid attention to the signs? Could you understand them?
Did you talk during the movie? If not, why?
Were the emotions easy to read without voice? Why?

How do the deaf experience movies?
How is it similar to how you do it?
What helps them experience movies better? (e.g. subtitles)

*Debriefing 02*
How can people in such situations feel?
Can the disabled solve their own problems? Should they? How can we help?

*Additional resources and materials*

*Youtube - cute and/or informative videos*

Toddlers Talks in a Bike Shop
Car Talk Toddlers
Sleeping Beauty by Deaf Dad and Daughter
Two Deaf Pre-schoolers Talking About Marriage Pt 1
Two Deaf Pre-schoolers Talking About Marriage Pt 2
Sean Forbes - Let's Mambo (music video in ASL)
See What I'm Saying - promo of a film about deaf entertainers

On ableism


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Tool overview

This tool is for

Participants age: 13-19 English good enough to follow film subtitles

and addresses

Social Inclusion, Disability

It is recommended for use in:

Youth Exchanges
Training and Networking

Materials needed:

an internet connection or a downloaded Youtube video
a3 papers (1/each 5-7 people)
marker pens


2 hrs

Behind the tool

The tool was created by

CISV Poland / CC-BY-SA

in the context of

a youth peace education mini-camp

The tool was published to the Toolbox by

Marcin Sedlak (on 8 July 2015)

and last modified

20 June 2015

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