Samlo! Tuk Tuk! Songthaew! (ICEBREAKER)

Time

10 minutes
Description

This fun icebreaker is based on three types of public transportation in Thailand:

• Samlo (“three wheels”) is a rickshaw. Pronounced: “sawm-low” (long “o”)
• Tuk Tuk (the sound the vehicle makes) is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi.  Pronounced: “took took”
• Songthaew (“two rows”) is a pickup truck with two rows of covered benches in the back.  Pronounced: “song-tow” (“tow” as in the first part of “towel”)

This icebreaker energizes and adds some silliness to a workshop.  Because the words are unfamiliar and a little challenging to remember, it requires focus and concentration.

Materials

·      Print out the pictures of the vehicles in the file called, “Samlo, Tuk Tuk, Songthaew – Photos.pptx”  You can download it on the Lesson and Material Downloads page at http://www.teachingthem.com.

Preparation

·      None

Procedure

Use the following script (or modify to suit your needs):

• “Let’s do an icebreaker!”
• “I need everyone to come stand in a circle.”
• “Now, place your hands together like this (demonstrate) as if you were about to say a prayer.”
• “This is your ‘Zinger!’”
• “You use it to point to someone and say a word.”
• “There are three words that you must say in the right order, and they describe three types of public transportation in Thailand.”
• “The three types of transportation are ‘Samlo,’ which is a rickshaw; ‘Tuk Tuk,’ which is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi; and ‘Songthaew,’ which is a pickup truck with two rows of covered benches in the back.”
• “So, the three transportations again are: ‘Samlo,’ ‘Tuk Tuk,’ and ‘Songthaew.’”
• “Everyone say them with me….‘Samlo!’….‘Tuk Tuk!’….‘Songthaew!’” (You may want to practice this several times so that they are familiar with the words.)
• “Excellent!”
• “Here’s how this icebreaker is done…I’ll start and point to someone with my Zinger.”
• “I’ll say, ‘Samlo!’”
• “Then that person has to quickly point to someone and say, ‘Tuk Tuk!’”
• “Then that third person has to quickly point to someone and say, ‘Songthaew!’”
• “The fourth person now starts over, quickly points to someone and says, ‘Samlo!’”
• “It’s okay to point right back at the person who pointed to you if you want to try to catch them by surprise.”
• “This keeps going until one of two things happens:
  • Someone gets confused and says the wrong word (or a correct word in the wrong order).
  • Someone takes too long to respond.”
  • “If either of these two things happens, that person is out, and whoever used their Zinger on them starts off the new round.”
  • “What questions do you have?”  (Answer questions.  Then, begin a round, or have someone else begin it.  Play continues until you are down to two or three people.  Announce them as the winners!)