English Language · Primary 5

Active learning ideas

Conducting Interviews

Active learning through interviews builds confidence and real-world skills for Primary 5 students, who often learn best when tasks mirror everyday life. Practicing with peers prepares them to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and respect others' experiences, which deepens both language and social development.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Speaking and Representing - P5
• MOE: Listening and Viewing - P5

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Hot Seat
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Peer Hobby Interviews

Students prepare five open-ended questions about a partner's hobbies. They conduct a five-minute interview, using active listening by nodding and paraphrasing responses, then record key points. Partners switch roles and share one strength observed.

Design open-ended questions that elicit detailed responses in an interview.

Facilitation Tip

During Peer Hobby Interviews, circulate and quietly note pairs who ask follow-up questions to encourage others to extend their responses.

What to look for

Provide students with a short scenario (e.g., interviewing a classmate about their favorite hobby). Ask them to write down two open-ended questions they would ask and one active listening technique they would use. Review responses for understanding of question types and listening skills.

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

Activity 02

• Hot Seat
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Topic Survey Challenge

Groups brainstorm ten open-ended questions on a class theme like 'favorite books.' They interview five classmates, take structured notes, and compile a group summary. Discuss ethics like respecting shy respondents.

Analyze how active listening skills contribute to a successful interview.

Facilitation Tip

In Topic Survey Challenge, provide sentence stems on the board to help groups transition from closed to open questions smoothly.

What to look for

Students conduct a brief, 3-minute interview with a partner. Afterwards, they use a simple checklist to assess their partner's performance, noting: Did they ask at least two open-ended questions? Did they use paraphrasing at least once? Did they maintain eye contact? Partners provide one specific suggestion for improvement.

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

Activity 03

• Hot Seat
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Mock Guest Session

Class collaborates to create questions for a 'guest speaker' (teacher or student volunteer). Conduct the live interview with a designated listener-recorder. Review as a group, noting effective techniques and improvements.

Evaluate the ethical considerations when conducting and reporting an interview.

Facilitation Tip

For Mock Guest Session, assign roles like interviewer, note-taker, and observer to ensure every student participates actively.

What to look for

Students write one sentence explaining why obtaining consent is important before interviewing someone. They then list one ethical concern to consider when reporting information from an interview.

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

Activity 04

• Hot Seat
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Self-Reflection Edit

Students record a short self-interview on a personal topic using a phone. Transcribe notes, then revise questions for openness and add ethical checks. Share edited version with a partner for feedback.

Design open-ended questions that elicit detailed responses in an interview.

What to look for

Provide students with a short scenario (e.g., interviewing a classmate about their favorite hobby). Ask them to write down two open-ended questions they would ask and one active listening technique they would use. Review responses for understanding of question types and listening skills.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model interviews first, showing how open questions invite richer answers than yes/no ones. Avoid overloading students with too many techniques at once; focus on one listening skill per activity to build mastery. Research shows that guided practice with immediate feedback helps students internalize questioning and listening habits faster than long explanations.

Successful learning looks like students confidently crafting open-ended questions, demonstrating active listening with paraphrasing and eye contact, and reflecting thoughtfully on ethical considerations. By the end, they should be able to explain why preparation and consent matter in interviews.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Peer Hobby Interviews, watch for students assuming closed yes/no questions work best for all interviews.

  Have students test both question types on their partners and compare the length and detail of the answers. Guide them to notice how open-ended questions uncover richer stories and why that matters for engaging listeners.

• During Topic Survey Challenge, watch for students believing listening means staying silent without interrupting.

  Use the group’s survey results to highlight how active listening cues like paraphrasing ('So you’re saying your favorite topic is science because...') and eye contact confirm understanding and keep the conversation flowing naturally.

• During Mock Guest Session, watch for students thinking interviews need no preparation or ethics rules.

  Before the session, discuss ethical scenarios (e.g., asking about personal topics without consent) and have students plan their questions in advance. Afterward, reflect on how preparation and consent shaped the quality of the interview.

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Methods used in this brief

• Hot Seat