Story Circles
Story Circles is a small-group listening format in which each person tells a short personal story on a given prompt without interruption, after which every listener gives the teller a very brief 'flashback' of what stayed with them. The methodology was developed by Darla K. Deardorff for UNESCO as a tool for building intercultural competencies and is published in the open-access Manual for Developing Intercultural Competencies: Story Circles. The mechanics given here follow the classroom adaptation by Philippa Collin in the Transition Makers Toolbox, which uses circles of four.
Facilitation script
- 1
Introduce the format and the first prompt and model a story of your own.
5 min - 2
Quiet individual time to choose a story for the first prompt. Then form circles of four, appoint timekeepers and group leaders and go through the guidelines.
10 min - 3
Round one: three minutes per person, listeners silent.
12 min - 4
Flashbacks for round one: each listener, up to 15 seconds per teller.
3 min - 5
Round two on the follow-up prompt, followed by its flashbacks.
15 min - 6
Plenary debrief on listening, common threads and insights.
5 min
Tips
The timing is the method, so ask the timekeepers to be strict and kind: three minutes each and 15 seconds per flashback.
Explain that a flashback reports what the listener remembers, which means no evaluation, no advice and no story of their own.
Write prompts that begin with 'a time when' so people tell an experience and do not give a view.
Common pitfalls
Loose timekeeping, which lets the first teller take eight minutes and leaves the last one with a rushed turn and the sense that their story mattered less
Flashbacks that turn into advice, analysis or 'that reminds me of', which shifts attention from the teller to the listener
A prompt that invites opinions, so people argue positions and the circle becomes a discussion
Skipping the facilitator's own example, after which the first circle sets a cautious tone and stories stay on the surface
Asking circles to report each other's stories in plenary, which breaks the confidentiality that was promised
Variations
The source this page follows uses circles of four with three-minute stories; larger circles need more time because the flashbacks grow with every added person, so a circle of six needs noticeably longer than a circle of four. For intercultural work, mix each circle across backgrounds. For a team, use a work-related prompt such as a time you felt you belonged in a team. Online, use breakout rooms with cameras on and one person per room keeping time. In the Transition Makers version the first prompt is a life story that illustrates one's position on the Wheel of Power/Privilege and the second asks how that position affects confidence in doing community research.
Where it fits
When to use it
A group of people from different backgrounds will work together and know each other only by role or department
You want to practise listening without responding, with a structure that makes it hard to cheat
A session on inclusion or culture needs lived experience in the room before it turns to concepts
A new cohort or project team is starting and there is an hour for getting past introductions
Discussion in the group tends to be dominated by a few voices and you want equal speaking time by design
When not to use it
The group needs to harvest lessons from one project story: Collective Story Harvest assigns listeners themes and produces shared findings
You want a light warm-up: personal stories with strict listening rules are too much for the first ten minutes, so use a Six Word Story or a simple check-in
The prompt would touch on trauma or grief and there is no trained support present; choose a gentler prompt or a different setting
Confidentiality cannot be expected, for example where participants compete or report to each other
People have been told to attend and have not been informed that they will be asked to tell a personal story
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Story Circles?▾
Story Circles is a structured listening format for small groups. Each person tells a short personal story on a shared prompt while the others listen without interrupting, and afterwards every listener tells each teller in a few seconds what was most memorable. It was developed by Darla K. Deardorff for UNESCO to build intercultural competencies such as listening for understanding, empathy and respect.
What is a flashback?▾
A flashback is a listener's very short statement, 15 seconds at most in the version described here, of what stood out for them in someone's story. All listeners give one to the first teller, then to the second, and so on. It shows the teller they were heard and trains listeners to pay attention, because they know they will have to recall something specific.
How many people should be in a circle?▾
The classroom version this page is based on uses circles of four, which keeps a round of stories and flashbacks under 20 minutes. Slightly larger circles work but take longer. Any number of circles can run in parallel, so the format scales to a full room.
Is this the same as Dan Harmon's story circle?▾
No. Dan Harmon's story circle is a plot structure for screenwriting. The name is also used for a community storytelling practice associated with Roadside Theater and Junebug Productions. The format described here is the UNESCO methodology by Darla K. Deardorff.
What makes a good prompt?▾
A good prompt asks for one concrete experience that everyone in the room can answer, such as a time when you felt out of place and what helped. It should be answerable in three minutes and should not require anyone to disclose more than they choose. Start with an easier prompt and use the second round for the deeper one.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Darla K. Deardorff, Manual for Developing Intercultural Competencies: Story Circles (UNESCO / Routledge).