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17 - Talking Circles

from Part 3 - Social and emotional wellbeing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2024

By
Jennifer Cartmel ,
Marilyn Casley  and
Kerry Smith
Edited by
Susanne Garvis  and
Donna Pendergast
Susanne Garvis
Affiliation:
Griffith University, Queensland
Donna Pendergast
Affiliation:
Griffith University, Queensland
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Summary

Through the process of talking to one another, children become creators of their own future as they collaborate and build relationships. Talking Circles are designed to encourage children to ask questions about their lives and how they can make a difference for themselves, each other and their community. This process helps to build the resilience and leadership skills of children. These qualities are important in helping children to consider their world view and day-to-day challenges, which enables them to contribute to their own health and wellbeing.

Keywords

HealthwellbeingchildhoodAustraliaearly yearseducationTalking Circlesideasconversationscommunication

Information

Type
Chapter
Information
Health and Wellbeing in Childhood , pp. 276 - 289
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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References

Further reading

Cartmel, J., Bobongie-Harris, F., Hadley, F., Harrison, L., Irvine, S. & Barblett, L. (2022). ALFs Stage 3 Children’s Video [Cartoon]. Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. https://youtu.be/yyLZANC8FZk

Children’s Consultation for the Approved Learning Frameworks: Cartmel, J., Bobongie-Harris, F., Barblett, L., Harrison, L., Irvine, S. & Hadley, F. (2021). Approved Learning Frameworks – Children and Young People’s Voices [Cartoon]. Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. https://youtu.be/QZ0T9PQ33-g

Generative listening

Generative listening is a feature of Theory U. The toolshero website provides a brief overview of the elements of the theory, with a focus on the different types of listening that help individuals to be aware of the social system in which they are operating.

Talking Circles guidebook

This is the original version of the resource developed to support student educators to host Talking Circles. It outlines, step-by-step, how to create a Talking Circle with children.

References

Australian Government Department of Education (AGDE) (2022a). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.Google Scholar
Australian Government Department of Education (AGDE) (2022b). My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (V2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.Google Scholar
Autism CRC (2023). National Guideline for Supporting the Learning, Participation, and Wellbeing of Autistic Children and Their Families in Australia. www.autismcrc.com.au/access/supporting-children?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkqSlBhDaARIsAFJANkhvxmw9LxhcGC-ZBqvETmF7NwoqcveMTgoyssrchRdYRcGXDM9uGmkaAjitEALw_wcBGoogle Scholar
Barblett, L., Bobongie-Harris, F., Cartmel, J., Hadley, F., Harrison, L., Irvine, S. & Lavina, L. (2022). ‘We’re not useless, we know stuff!’ Gathering children’s voices to inform policy. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391221139912CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cartmel, J. & Casley, M. (2014). Talking circles: Building relationships with children. Communities, Children and Families Australia, 8(1), 67–80.Google Scholar
Cartmel, J., Macfarlane, K., Casley, M. & Smith, K. (2015). Leading Learning Circles for Educators Engaged in Study. Department of Education and Training.Google Scholar
Casley, M. & Cartmel, J. (2010). Talking Circles: Gathering the wisdom of children. Early Childhood Australia Queensland Branch.Google Scholar
Lundy, L. (2007). Voice is not enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal, 33(6), 927–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moss, P. & Petrie, P. (2002). From Children’s Services to Children’s Spaces. RoutledgeFalmer.Google Scholar
Scharmer, O. (2009). U Theory. Berrett-Koehler.Google Scholar
Scharmer, O (2018). The Essentials of Theory U: Core principles and applications. Berrett-Koehler.Google Scholar
Scharmer, O. & Kaufer, K. (2013). Leading from the Emerging Future: From ego-system to eco-system economics. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.Google Scholar
Smith, K. (2019). Talking Circles as a strategy for listening to children’s voices in school age care [Unpublished Masters dissertation]. Griffith University.Google Scholar
Stanfield, B. (2000). The Art of Focused Conversation. New Society Publishers.Google Scholar
Ulvik, O. (2014). Talking with children: Professional conversations in a participation perspective. Qualitative Social Work, March, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325014526923CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van Nijnatten, C. (2013). Children’s Agency, Children’s Welfare: A dialogical approach to child development, policy and practice. Policy Press.Google Scholar
Wall, K., Cassidy, C., Robinson, C., Hall, E., Beaton, M., Kanyal, M. & Mitra, D. (2019). Look who’s talking: Factors for considering the facilitation of very young children’s voices. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 17(4), 263–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X19875767CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wall, K. & Robinson, C. (2022). Look who’s talking: Eliciting the voice of children from birth to seven. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 30(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2022.2026276CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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