Procedure:
- To begin the lesson, the instructor asks the students (or only those of a certain level) to sit in a circle. The students are familiar with the ritualized form of the telling circle and know, that for the next 15 minutes, they may relate their experiences from the previous week. The instructor tells as well what s/he has experienced and what worries him or her.
- Of course, the discussion rules (see #9) which have already been introduced, must be observed. The leadership function may also be assumed by a student, if this has been practiced before (see #14 and 15).
- The following rules have been proven useful for practicing listening comprehension: the students may ask the child who speaks a couple of questions. Then, it is the next student‘s turn to tell about his/her experiences.
Variants:
- The telling circle can also take place at the end of a lesson unit instead of the beginning of the class.
- In case of a current event that preoccupies the students, the story telling circle may also be used for a discussion on the subject, with the time limit extended, as required.
Comments:
- Each student determines if s/he wants to participate in the conversation or not. However, the instructor should ensure that mostly every child participates.
- In general, children like to tell stories in great detail. The instructor or the student moderator must ensure no students exceed the time limit and that all have a chance to tell. An hourglass may be a very useful means to enforce time restrictions. If the sand has passed through the hour glass (2 or 3 minutes), this signifies the speaker’s time has run out.