When it comes to teaching world languages, keeping students engaged while also ensuring they understand the target language is key. One highly effective technique used in the Comprehensible Input (CI) classroom is circling. This method provides structured repetition in a natural, conversational manner, helping students process and retain new vocabulary and grammar forms with ease. The purpose of circling is to offer students a lot of meaningful repetition of language, which leads to automatic language growth. Let’s dive into what circling is, why it works, and how you can use it to support your language learners and promote language proficiency!
What is Circling?
At its core, circling is a questioning technique where a teacher asks a series of questions about a single sentence or phrase. These questions are repeated in different ways to gradually increase comprehension without overwhelming students. This method gives students multiple opportunities to hear the same word or structure, but in slightly different contexts, aiding in second language acquisition.
For example, if you’re introducing the phrase La niña corre rápido. (The girl runs fast), a Spanish teacher would ask students questions like:
- Yes/no question: ¿Corre rápido la niña? (Does the girl run fast?) (first question)
- Either/or: ¿Corre la niña o el niño? (Does the girl or the boy run?)
- Who/what: ¿Quién corre rápido? (Who runs fast?)
- Why/where: ¿Dónde corre la niña? (Where does the girl run?)
Activities Great for Circling Opportunities
- stories
- picture talks
- movie talk/clip chat
- news and current events
Why Circling Works for CI
Circling aligns perfectly with the principles of comprehensible Input because it encourages natural repetition without being monotonous. The most important thing for students learning a foreign language is language input that is comprehensible and engaging. Circling allows teachers to use the power of the circling to create opportunities for students to internalize new language structures in a low-pressure way, fostering confidence and growth. Circling is not limited to only TPRS or CI teachers. According to Stephen Krashen and other CI experts, this is crucial for second language acquisition.
Here’s why circling is so effective:
- Repetition without boredom: By slightly altering each question, students don’t feel like they’re hearing the same sentence repeatedly. It keeps things fresh while reinforcing language patterns.
- Comprehension building: With each original statement and the questions that follow, you give students a chance to internalize language meaning and develop understanding.
- Confidence boost: Students feel more successful as they understand the questions and can respond accurately. Over time, this builds language proficiency and speaking abilities.
- Flexible application: This can be adapted for different levels and topics, making it versatile for any world language classroom.
Tips for Effective Circling
If you’re new to circling, here are some tips to get you started:
- Start simple: Begin with straightforward sentences and yes/no questions, especially with novice learners. As students become more comfortable, incorporate more complex series of questions.
- Slow down: Allow students the time they need to process the language and respond, as this is where automatic language growth happens.
- Use gestures and visuals: Pairing circling with gestures or images helps convey meaning, especially for beginners, supporting their second language acquisition journey.
- Monitor student engagement: Comprehension checks are essential. If students seem confused or bored, adjust your questions to re-engage them.
- Gradually increase difficulty: As students progress, extend beyond yes/no and either/or questions to who, what, where, and why. This adds details and promotes critical thinking in the target language.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
While circling can be a great way to facilitate language input and growth, there are a few pitfalls to be mindful of:
- Overusing the technique: Repetition is key, but excessive circling can lead to disengagement. Balance circling with other CI techniques, like storytelling, to diversify language students’ experiences.
- Not varying question types: Using only yes/no questions or basic comprehension checks may limit language growth. Adding a range of questions enriches students’ exposure to different sentence structures.
- Focusing too much on grammar rules: Although grammar is part of language learning, circling prioritizes comprehension over grammar rules for smoother language acquisition.
Circling in Action: An Example
Imagine you’re teaching a beginner Spanish class with the structure “tiene” (he/she has). Begin with the sentence, María tiene un perro (Maria has a dog). Then, work through a series of questions like:
- First question (yes/no): ¿Tiene un perro María? (Does Maria have a dog?)
- Yes/no question (either/or): ¿Tiene un perro o un gato? (Does she have a dog or a cat?)
- Comprehension check (who/what): ¿Quién tiene un perro? (Who has a dog?)
- Add details (why): ¿Por qué tiene un perro María? (Why does Maria have a dog?)
- Negative: ¿María tiene un gato? (Does Maria have a cat?)
This sequence provides language students with exposure to repeated vocabulary and structure in varied ways, promoting language proficiency.
See circling in action at some of the links below:
Circling is an invaluable tool in the world language classroom, particularly for teachers focusing on comprehensible input and/or helping their student achieve language proficiency. With its ability to provide a lot of meaningful repetition of language, boost student confidence, and increase comprehension, circling is the crown jewel of comprehensible input. Through the circling technique, you can help your students achieve automatic language growth.
Have you tried circling in your classroom? Share your recent experiences and favorite tips for making this CI strategy work!
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