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Inside/Outside Circles:
This discussion technique gives students the opportunity to respond to questions and/or discuss information with a variety of peers in a structured manner. Students form two concentric circles and exchange information with a partner until the teacher signals the outer circle to move in one direction, giving each student a new peer to talk to.
How to Use
1. Split the Class
Decide which half of the students will form the inside circle and which half will form the outside circle.
2. Question
Put a question or statement on the board. Give students at least ten seconds to think of an answer on their own.
3. Share
Ask students in the inside circle to share their response with the classmate facing them in the outside circle. When they have done this, ask them to say "pass,” at which point their partners in the outside circle will share their responses.
4. Rotate
On your signal, have the outside circle move one step to the left or right and discuss the same question with the new partner. Option: post a new question or give the new partners a different discussion point.
When to Use
Use Inside/Outside Circle at any point in the lesson to structure meaningful conversation:
Desk Circle
Instead of having the students form circles, have partners move desks to face one another and form a long row. When it is time to change partners, students stand up and move one desk to their left or right. Students at the end of the row move to the desk they were facing.
Secret Inside/Outside Circle
Students in one of the circles can be given information that students in the other circle are supposed to find out through questioning techniques.
This discussion technique gives students the opportunity to respond to questions and/or discuss information with a variety of peers in a structured manner. Students form two concentric circles and exchange information with a partner until the teacher signals the outer circle to move in one direction, giving each student a new peer to talk to.
How to Use
1. Split the Class
Decide which half of the students will form the inside circle and which half will form the outside circle.
2. Question
Put a question or statement on the board. Give students at least ten seconds to think of an answer on their own.
3. Share
Ask students in the inside circle to share their response with the classmate facing them in the outside circle. When they have done this, ask them to say "pass,” at which point their partners in the outside circle will share their responses.
4. Rotate
On your signal, have the outside circle move one step to the left or right and discuss the same question with the new partner. Option: post a new question or give the new partners a different discussion point.
When to Use
Use Inside/Outside Circle at any point in the lesson to structure meaningful conversation:
- Before introducing new material to begin a discussion or highlight key issues in the presentation to come
- During a lesson to process important concepts before applying them in group or independent work
- After a reading to discuss key concepts
- Before an assessment to review information
Desk Circle
Instead of having the students form circles, have partners move desks to face one another and form a long row. When it is time to change partners, students stand up and move one desk to their left or right. Students at the end of the row move to the desk they were facing.
Secret Inside/Outside Circle
Students in one of the circles can be given information that students in the other circle are supposed to find out through questioning techniques.