Passing Circle Staff Guide
PASSING CIRCLE STAFF GUIDE
Active Listening & Directional Response Activity
Facilitator Guide • Page 1 of 2
Activity Overview & Setup
Target Skills: Active listening, auditory processing, directional tracking.
Group Size: 4–25 players (seated or standing in a circle).
Passing Props: 1–3 small beanbags, balls, or tokens per group.
Pacing: Read clearly; pause slightly before each bolded action word.
Core Direction Cues Immediate physical response
LEFT
Pass Left ⬅
RIGHT
Pass Right ➡
PASS
Pass Ahead ⮂
1
Story 1: The Grocery Store Trip
Left: 4 Right: 4 Pass: 1
Marcus went to the grocery store after work. He turned LEFT when he entered and walked RIGHT toward the produce section.
He picked up some apples and looked LEFT for a shopping basket. There were none, so he walked RIGHT toward the front of the store.
A worker pointed LEFT and said, “The baskets are over there.”
Marcus went LEFT, grabbed a basket, and headed RIGHT back toward the produce.
He finished shopping and went to the checkout. The cashier said, “Please PASS your coupons to me.”
Marcus paid, picked up his groceries, and walked RIGHT toward the exit.
Outside, he turned LEFT toward his car and realized he had left his phone at the register!
2
Story 2: The Job Interview
Left: 4 Right: 4 Pass: 1
Tasha had a job interview at 10:00. She arrived early and walked RIGHT through the front doors.
The receptionist told her to turn LEFT and wait in the seating area.
Tasha sat down and looked RIGHT at the clock. She still had fifteen minutes.
The receptionist called her name and said, “Please go LEFT down the hallway.”
Tasha stood up and walked LEFT. At the end of the hallway, she turned RIGHT and entered the interview room.
The interviewer smiled and said, “Please PASS me your résumé.” Tasha handed it over.
The interviewer asked several questions. Tasha listened carefully and answered each one.
When the interview was finished, she walked RIGHT toward the exit, turned LEFT, and headed home.
Facilitation Note for "PASS": In Story 1 and Story 2, the word PASS appears naturally in conversation. Clarify before reading: "PASS" means passing the object across the circle or forward to the next neighbor!
Left, Right & Pass Stories • Instructional Resource Turn over for Stories 3 & 4 and Facilitation Toolkit
STORIES 3 & 4 + FACILITATOR TOOLKIT
Passing Circle Staff Guide • Continued
Page 2 of 2
3
Story 3: A Day at the Park
Left: 4 Right: 4 Pass: 2
Saturday afternoon, Daniel met his friends at the park. He walked LEFT through the entrance and saw his friends sitting on the RIGHT.
Daniel walked RIGHT toward them and dropped his backpack beside the bench. His friend said, “PASS me the water bottle.” Daniel passed it over.
Another friend pointed LEFT toward the basketball court. “Let’s go over there.” Everyone walked LEFT.
After playing basketball, they walked RIGHT toward the picnic tables. Daniel looked LEFT and saw someone had brought snacks. “PASS those chips over here!” Everyone laughed.
After eating, Daniel picked up his backpack, turned RIGHT, and headed toward the parking lot. Then he realized his sunglasses were missing. He turned LEFT and went back to look for them.
4
Story 4: The Busy Morning
Left: 3 Right: 5 Pass: 2
It was a busy morning at work. Alex walked RIGHT into the building and headed LEFT toward the office.
His supervisor called out, “Alex, can you PASS me those papers?” Alex picked up the papers and passed them over.
Then his supervisor said, “Take these forms RIGHT down the hall.” Alex walked RIGHT down the hallway and stopped at the first office on the LEFT.
He delivered the forms and walked RIGHT back toward his desk. A coworker asked him to PASS the stapler. Alex passed the stapler over.
Then he noticed the clock. Lunch time! Alex grabbed his lunch, turned LEFT, and walked toward the break room. He opened the door, looked RIGHT, and saw an empty table. Finally, he sat down and took a much-needed break.
Progression & Variations
1. Multi-Item Rush: Introduce 2 or 3 items at spaced intervals around the circle. Participants must track multiple simultaneous cues.
2. Accelerating Tempo: Read the first paragraph at a measured cadence, then steadily increase reading speed as the group syncs.
3. Reverse Rule Mode: Advanced challenge: call "Inversion!" where players must pass in the opposite direction of the spoken cue.
Guided Debrief Questions
- Sensory Focus: "What helped you anticipate when a cue was coming versus getting caught off guard?"
- Group Synchronization: "What happened when one person passed late or early? How did the circle recover?"
- Real-World Connection: "Where in daily life or work does a split-second listening lapse cause confusion?"
Staff Observation & Formative Checkpoints Quick observational criteria
Auditory Attention Maintains visual/auditory readiness without getting distracted by nearby chatter.
Directional Discrimination Reacts without hesitation to "Left" vs "Right" without looking at neighbor's hands.
Cooperative Recovery Assists neighbors smoothly when multiple items converge or an item is fumbled.
Left, Right & Pass Stories • Instructional Resource Complete 4-Story Facilitator Pack
