Conducting Effective Interviews

Active learning works for this topic because interview skills demand practice in real-time communication, where students must listen carefully, adapt questions, and respond thoughtfully. Memorising theory alone won’t prepare them for the dynamic nature of conversations, so structured activities let them experience both success and mistakes in a safe classroom setting.

• Class 8
• English
• 4 activities
• 25 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Design a set of open-ended interview questions to gather specific information on a chosen research topic.
2. Demonstrate active listening techniques, including paraphrasing and asking clarifying follow-up questions, during a mock interview.
3. Evaluate the ethical implications of interview data collection, including informed consent and maintaining confidentiality.
4. Analyze interview transcripts to identify key themes and supporting evidence relevant to a research question.

Role Play

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Pairs Practice: Mock Interviews

Students pair up, with one as interviewer and one as interviewee on a class-chosen topic like 'school life changes'. Switch roles after 10 minutes, then share one strong open-ended question used. Debrief as a class on what worked well.

Prepare & details

How does formulating open-ended questions enhance the quality of an interview?

Facilitation Tip: During Pairs Practice, circulate and note pairs who rely too heavily on closed questions, then gently redirect them to test open-ended alternatives.

Setup: Adaptable to standard classroom seating with fixed benches; fishbowl arrangements work well for Classes of 35 or more; open floor space is useful but not required

Materials: Printed character cards with role background, objectives, and knowledge constraints, Scenario brief sheet (one per student or one per group), Structured observation sheet for students watching a fishbowl format, Debrief discussion prompt cards, Assessment rubric aligned to NEP 2020 competency domains

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Role Play

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Small Groups: Question Design Workshop

In groups of four, brainstorm 10 open-ended questions for a research topic such as 'local festivals'. Test questions on group members, note responses, and revise for clarity. Present top three questions to the class.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the ethical considerations involved in conducting and using interview data.

Facilitation Tip: In the Question Design Workshop, provide a sample interview topic so groups have a clear context to anchor their question crafting.

Setup: Adaptable to standard classroom seating with fixed benches; fishbowl arrangements work well for Classes of 35 or more; open floor space is useful but not required

Materials: Printed character cards with role background, objectives, and knowledge constraints, Scenario brief sheet (one per student or one per group), Structured observation sheet for students watching a fishbowl format, Debrief discussion prompt cards, Assessment rubric aligned to NEP 2020 competency domains

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Role Play

⏱ 35 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Ethical Scenarios Role-Play

Present scenarios like 'interviewing without permission'. Students vote on actions, then role-play correct approaches in volunteer pairs. Discuss class learnings and compile an ethics checklist.

Prepare & details

Design a set of interview questions for a specific research topic.

Facilitation Tip: For Ethical Scenarios Role-Play, assign roles carefully to ensure quieter students get a chance to speak up and reflect on ethical dilemmas.

Setup: Adaptable to standard classroom seating with fixed benches; fishbowl arrangements work well for Classes of 35 or more; open floor space is useful but not required

Materials: Printed character cards with role background, objectives, and knowledge constraints, Scenario brief sheet (one per student or one per group), Structured observation sheet for students watching a fishbowl format, Debrief discussion prompt cards, Assessment rubric aligned to NEP 2020 competency domains

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Role Play

⏱ 25 min·Individual

Individual: Transcription Challenge

Provide a 2-minute audio clip of a sample interview. Students transcribe key quotes accurately, noting non-verbal cues. Share and compare for completeness.

Prepare & details

How does formulating open-ended questions enhance the quality of an interview?

Facilitation Tip: During the Transcription Challenge, play short audio clips at half-speed to help students catch nuances in speech and pauses.

Setup: Adaptable to standard classroom seating with fixed benches; fishbowl arrangements work well for Classes of 35 or more; open floor space is useful but not required

Materials: Printed character cards with role background, objectives, and knowledge constraints, Scenario brief sheet (one per student or one per group), Structured observation sheet for students watching a fishbowl format, Debrief discussion prompt cards, Assessment rubric aligned to NEP 2020 competency domains

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers approach this topic by modelling both effective and ineffective interviews first, so students recognise the difference immediately. Avoid rushing into activities without setting clear ethical ground rules first, as trust and consent are foundational. Research shows that students retain interview skills best when they reflect on their own performance after each practice session, not just the outcome.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students crafting open-ended questions that spark detailed responses, actively listening during mock interviews, and ethical awareness when handling sensitive topics. They should demonstrate respect for interviewees and confidence in refining their questions based on feedback and outcomes.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Pairs Practice: Mock Interviews, students may assume all interview questions should be yes/no for quick answers.

What to Teach Instead

During Pairs Practice, have each pair compare their first five questions with their next five after a 2-minute reflection pause, then discuss which set yielded richer responses and why.

Common Misconception

During Ethical Scenarios Role-Play, students may think ethics like consent are optional in school interviews.

What to Teach Instead

During Ethical Scenarios Role-Play, provide cards with consent wording for students to practice saying aloud with conviction before each role-play scenario.

Common Misconception

During Pairs Practice: Mock Interviews, students may believe interviews are casual chats without preparation.

What to Teach Instead

During Pairs Practice, ask pairs to swap their first draft of questions and give each other a 1-minute ‘feedback round’ on clarity and openness before conducting the interview.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After Question Design Workshop, present students with the scenario: ‘You are interviewing a local artisan about their craft. One question you prepared was ‘Do you like your job?’ Ask pairs to rephrase it as an open-ended question and share their versions along with two follow-up queries.

Peer Assessment

During Pairs Practice: Mock Interviews, have interviewers and interviewees swap roles after 5 minutes and rate each other on two listening techniques used and whether they felt heard. Collect these ratings to discuss patterns in active listening.

Quick Check

After the Transcription Challenge, give students a short anonymised transcript excerpt and ask them to identify one open-ended question, one active listening instance, and any ethical concern observed.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge pairs to conduct a 10-minute interview on a complex topic (e.g., 'Climate change in your locality') and prepare a 2-minute summary of key insights for the class.
• Scaffolding: Provide a bank of open-ended question stems (e.g., 'Could you describe...', 'How did you feel when...') to help struggling students frame better questions.
• Deeper exploration: Invite a guest speaker to class and have students prepare questions in advance, then reflect on which questions yielded the most useful responses and why.

Key Vocabulary

Open-ended questions	Questions that require more than a 'yes' or 'no' answer, encouraging detailed responses and elaboration from the interviewee.
Active listening	A communication technique that involves fully concentrating on, understanding, responding to, and remembering what is being said, both verbally and non-verbally.
Informed consent	The process of obtaining permission from a participant before an interview, ensuring they understand the purpose, how their data will be used, and their right to withdraw.
Confidentiality	The ethical practice of protecting an interviewee's identity and the sensitive information they share, ensuring it is not disclosed without their explicit permission.
Transcription	The process of converting recorded audio or video interviews into written text, word for word, for analysis.