Explain how after tea/coffee break you will be part of a small study group. Explain how each group had a number and the name of a tribe of Israel from the Bible. Divide the attendees into groups by numbering
(or by language or pre-selection for strategic reasons.) Ideally you will want 3 people per tribe in this 14 hour workshop (Divide # of attendees by 3 to find out how many tribes you will have. For example, if there are 15 people there to be trained you would have 5 tribes. Then out loud number all of the attendees. Gesture to each person one at a time and say, you are a ”1, next person is a 2, next is 3,4,5” then start over with the 6th person saying “you are a 1,2 3,4,5 and then again 1,2,3,4,5. Then all of the 1’s go into tribe #1 Reuben, # 2’s go into Simeon and so on through tribe #5. Ask tribe instructors to stand up and identify themselves by tribe (and if pre-assigned list the people for each tribe.) After tea/coffee break sit with your tribe instructor.
Always use the STS registration form as people arrive at the workshop. It is designed to help you sort out possible needs for forming some of the tribes by language spoken. Even when you know everyone attending will speak a common language, you may later be glad you gathered the information on “other languages spoken.”
During the first 3 hours of the workshop, no one needs to be seated according to the STS tribe assignments, so during that time staff can discover and arrange any special tribe needs such as putting the same language speakers together, or arranging to place some special needs people or educators with specific instructors well equipped to teach them.