Book excerpt: Emotional literacy has become an important issue in schools, and the ethos behind Circle Time is complementary to the thinking behind this. The Social, Emotional and Behavioural Skills curriculum (SEBS) is being established in schools, and it is recognised as contributing to a positive and successful school environment. Offering many new ideas and activities to try out in Circle Time, this book covers: - why your school needs Circle Time - how you go about starting Circle Time in your school - the underlying philosophy and basic rules - he role of the teacher as facilitator - how you make it work - what to do if language and attention issues are problematic - how to tackle common problems that can occur The activities look at promoting listening and attention skills, self-awareness and self-esteem, class cohesion and empathy, co-operation and friendship skills.