When doing circle time with a class, children are often concerned about voicing responses in front of their peers.

Instead of asking children to say their answers/comments, ask them to write them on a whiteboard. The children then hold their whiteboards above their head with their answers/comments facing behind them (so nobody else in the circle can see). The teacher can then walk around the outside of the circle and see all the comments.

This has proved very responsive, especially with those children who have social interaction difficulties.