Yarning and story-telling are beautiful ways of learning and an important part of First Nations culture. The process of holding a “Yarning Circle” is a great way to engage in this communication method.

A yarning circle is a harmonious, creative and collaborative way of communicating to:

encourage responsible, respectful and honest interactions between participants, building trusting relationships
foster accountability and provide a safe place to be heard and to respond
promote student–student interactions and student–school–community connectedness
enrich learning experiences for students (source: QCAA).

In the school setting, it can be used by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in a group, and is not about people ‘presenting’ their ideas or thoughts, but rather about engaging collectively to share ideas, stories and passions.

A yarning circle should be a safe space, where children can feel like they can share and talk about problems and concerns too. The circle exists to break down that teacher/student barrier that can exist, the creation of the circle changes the conversational dynamic between people. It can be a great way of encouraging your more quiet students to speak up and share their voice.

Including a ‘yarning stick’ which is passed around the circle can also be a useful tool. If you’re looking for an Indigenous organisation to help you create a Yarning Circle space in your school, reach out to the team over at Deadly Ed.

Further Resources:

Yarning Circles in the School Setting