Notes: This session should educate the girls about the use of communication tools and therefore lead to improvement in self-presentation and  expressing the own will. To highlight the different tools and their combination stepwise, the session is subdivided into 3 parts. The target is to create an understanding for the importance of the combined use of the tools.

Step 1

Bring all girls together standing/sitting in a circle and explain the rules:

1. The coach is going to call out an emotion or mood (fear, sadness, happiness, anger, surprise, boredom, excitement etc.)
2. All participants need to react on the call out by showing the emotion by facial expression only
3. Remind the girls that no sounds are supposed to be used

Step 2

Encourage all participants stand in 2 rows, facing each other (everybody faces a partner in the opposite row)

1. The girls in row 1 need to think of an emotion or mood to show their partners in row 2
2. To show the emotion/mood, they can use facial expression and body language
3. After a few moments (about 30 sec) the partners need to guess the emotion/mood
4. Underline the importance of a clear relation between facial expression and body language
5. Now the girls change roles and row 2 thinks of an emotion/mood to show
6. Change partners (e.g. row 1 moves one position further to their left side) and repeat

Step 3

Each row forms a unit/”gang” by touching each others shoulders

1. Distance between groups is about 20m
2. “Gang 1” is supposed to walk in direction of “Gang 2” with the pretended intention of frightening and intimidating them. They should use communication tools to do that (facial expression, body language, spoken language and stress of voice)
3. “Gang 2” is supposed to stand still while “Gang 1” comes closer and needs to show how close “Gang 1” is allowed to approach them until they feel uncomfortable. To do so, they should make use of communication tools
4. When “Gang 2” signalizes that “Gang 1” enters their “comfort zone”, ”Gang 1” is supposed to stop and stand still immediately
5. Let everybody freeze and ask each group about their perception of each others communication (Why did you say stop at this distance? Clear expression of the own will? Clear cooperation of the single communication tools?)
6. The “Gangs” change their roles

• Try to give coaching advice for an effective cooperation between the communication tools: Extend one arm (body language), serious facial expression, loud and clear voice (intonation), short and clear spoken words (“STOP”)
• Underline importance to combine the single components of communication to express yourself
• Assure everybody also understands the importance of the individual comfort zone
• Give both teams 2 more tries in each role with the use of the clear “STOP” communication

Notes: You can use the extended arm to explain and introduce the basic boxing distance to continue with educating about boxing stance and further basic boxing techniques

Notes: After the exercise, bring all the girls together and create a comfortable situation with everybody sitting in a circle and being able to see each other.

• Try to remind everybody of the brainstorming at the beginning and start to ask about the experiences made in the exercise.
• Everybody is supposed to be included into the discussion! Make sure to involve everybody and try to ask shy and more quiet girls directly.
• Specific questions for reflection and discussion round:
  • How was it to figure out the emotion/mood of your partner (Step 2)? Why easy/difficult?
  • How was it to tell the other “gang” to stop after they entered your comfort zone?
  • What are the components of communication? (spoken language, stress of voice, facial expression and body language)
  • Why is it important to have a clear cooperation of these components for self-expression?
  • What is your personal comfort zone?
  • Does everybody have the same comfort zone? – What does that mean for our treatment of others?
  • How can you show boys to stop teasing you and make your personal will clear?
  • Why is it important for young women and girls to have good communication skills?
  • Why is it important to express ourselves and to present our ideas?
•  Ask every girl to stand up and present herself in a few sentences (name, age, place of residence, what is your dream-job and what do you like about boxing), making use of presentation and communication skills learned in this session.

Notes: This is just a selection of possible questions that could help to lead a discussion. It is important to react to the answers that are given in the discussion round and to be able to adapt your guideline to individual experiences and perceptions.