Here is Laura’s second discussion point for us:
Laura: Circling at the more advanced levels: this is very confusing to me. Last year I scaled down circling structures with Sp.IV seniors. I thought they didn’t need it as much, it was also much, much harder to do. I was SO, SO wrong. By April, a few of my students told me they missed “the pounding” as they call circling because that was what helped them remember more.
Me: I don’t see circling as pounding. I think we focus too much on that word. For me, circling is merely coming up with as many ways as possible to rephrase a question for reps. We can get very creative with this, never following any kind of pounding pattern, although new teachers should follow the pattern, but there comes a point when you just need to gently do circling both more and more slowly and also finding new ways to rephrase the questions (including asking the same question as the one before it but with emotional changes in the way you say it, but gently, not in a pounding way. That is just my opinion.
Laura: For me it is very hard to circle more complex, longer structures, especially when doing PQA.
Me: Yeah. This is a big point. A really big point. When you say that you try to circle more complex and longer structures, you are telling me that you are focusing on the structure and not the comprehension. Cut down those big structures a bit. Get reps on their parts. I am sure that others on this list, especially Bryce and Laurie and those who are experienced at upper level TPRS, have other ideas for this.
Laura: Story burn out hit that class early, and PQA seemed to keep their interest better. I wonder how others teaching more advanced students do with circling and stories.
Me: I just wouldn’t do it. Kids who are grounded for years in TPRS still need i + input without the hard pounding of difficult structures that you describe. Hopefully the upper level experts weigh in on this and maybe they will comment on this IF they have time in this busy week as things ramp up for the year.
Laura: Thank you for all the work you do to keep this blog alive. It is to me what someone said an invaluable high level teacher seminar.
Me: Right on. You are welcome.