Aim:

• To enable participants to discuss a topic with different individuals.

Basic Structure:

• Participants are to form two concentric circles.
• Each person from the circle on the inside is paired with someone on the outside. They are to stand facing each other.
• The leader asks a question to the whole group and pairs discuss their responses with each other, for a set amount of time (for example 2 minutes).
• When the time is up, the leader signals the young people to rotate: Those in the outside circle move one space to the right so they are standing in front of someone new.
• The leader can use the same question or a new question with every rotation.

Variations:

1. Instead of two circles, participants could also form two straight lines facing one another. To switch partners, one line just slides over one spot, and the leftover person on the end comes around to the beginning of the line.
2. When used in a debate, each circle can be assigned a particular viewpoint which they need to argue in favour for (for example, the inner circle is to argue in favour of eating gummy bears for lunch, while the outside circle have to argue against it – refer to “Creative Debate”).

Adapted from: www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/