Hollywood Squares Takeoff Recaps Long Sessions
Kathleen Burke-Scheffler uses this review game in multiple-day training sessions. At the end of the first day of class, she has each student write two or three questions from the day’s content.
Questions can be in multiple-choice, true/false or fill-in-the-blank form. Burke-Scheffler, a trainer with U.S. West in Minneapolis, collects the questions and adds a few herself.
At the start of day two, she uses the questions for a takeoff on “Hollywood Squares.” She simulates the tic-tac-toe game show by setting up three chairs. She asks three volunteers to sit on the floor in front of the chairs, while three volunteers sit in the chairs and a final three volunteers stand behind the chairs.
Each of the nine “celebrities” is given a card with an “X” printed on one side and an “O” on the other to tape to their bodies as questions are successfully answered.
She asks for two volunteers to serve as contestants and has them pick members of the “celebrity” squares to answer the questions in turns. Burke-Scheffler then asks one of the pre-written questions. The chosen celebrity answers it. The contestant then agrees or disagrees with the answer given by the celebrity. If the contestant chooses correctly, the celebrity space is awarded to that contestant and the celebrity puts on the appropriate X or O on their shirt as contestants try to form three in a row.
Remaining trainees are given agree/disagree cards to flash to aid in contestants’ decisionmaking.
This is a classic revisiting technique first published in Bob Pike’s Creative Training Techniques newsletter. Used with permission.
