Vocational and Secondary/High Schools: Engaging Icebreakers with Depth and Purpose”
“Games? In high school or vocational schools?” – Absolutely!
“Games? In high school or vocational schools?” – Absolutely!
In diverse groups, such as those in vocational colleges or upper secondary schools, well-thought-out, age-appropriate icebreakers offer a valuable opportunity to build trust, discover common interests, and ease social integration.
Key considerations: The activities should be clearly structured, voluntary, and respectful – never childish.
Especially helpful: Teaching Boards provide visual guidance, enhance transparency, and facilitate understanding – particularly in linguistically diverse classrooms. Here are three tried-and-tested activities that respect young adults and motivate participation.
🎯 1. Speed Friending
How it works: Students pair up and spend 1 minute discussing specific questions. Examples include: “What’s a movie you think everyone should see? or If you could live anywhere for a year, where would it be?
Why it works: The fast pace encourages focus and openness – conversations are free-flowing yet focused. This method is particularly effective in large classes where many students are unfamiliar with each other. Tip: Use a Teaching Board to display questions as a guide – and offer the chance to deepen discussions later in small groups.
🎯 2. Getting to Know You Task: Your Life as a Playlist — Without Music
How it works: To begin, students come up with a title for their playlist that reflects their current vibe, mood, or identity. Then, they create a list of five tracks—each one representing a specific sound, feeling, moment, or habit that says something about who they are.
They are also encouraged to write a brief explanation of each track to help others understand the meaning behind it.
Once finished, students share their playlists in small groups or with a partner, choosing a few tracks to explain and discuss.
Why it works: Students are already familiar with playlists, so the format feels natural and engaging to them. It gives them the chance to express themselves without requiring deep personal disclosure. At the same time, it opens the door to genuine, fun conversations. Classmates often find they relate to one another in surprising ways, which helps build community from day one.
🎯 3. Design Your Personal Logo
How it works: In this activity, students design a personal logo that represents who they are. Students are asked to create a visual symbol that reflects their personality, interests, values, and style. Instead of traditional self-portraits or written bios, students communicate who they are through design.
Why it’s valuable: This activity gives students an opportunity to express themselves in a creative but low-stress way. It avoids overly personal questions and instead focuses on identity through symbols, color, and design.
It also fosters great conversation. As students explain their logos, they reveal things about themselves—sometimes even surprising things they hadn’t thought to share otherwise.
Best of all, the finished logos serve as a visual celebration of individuality, helping to create a classroom culture of respect, diversity, and belonging right from the start.
Even in upper secondary, high schools, and vocational schools, there should be room for humor, exchange, and personality – as long as this space is created with intention. Age-appropriate icebreakers not only foster community but also send a clear message from the start:
👉 Here, you can be yourself, express yourself, and contribute. The Teaching Board becomes a bridge between structure, language, and content – especially in groups with diverse linguistic backgrounds.
👉 Extra Tip: All three methods are available as editable Teaching Board templates – complete with images, example sentences, and clear instructions. Perfect for kicking off the new school yea
