To practice listening outside of a classroom environment, students can be asked to perform interviews. The goal of the interviews is not to do them perfectly, but to make students aware of different experiences and opinions, and to teach them how to listen.
- Activity goal
- Practice skills
- When
- In class
- Where
- Offline
- Duration
- < 30 minutes| < 60 minutes
- Group size
- Small | Medium
Step-by-step
Step 1
Select interviewees (outside social bubble, like a peer, a guest lectuerer, a teacher etc.)
Step 2
Develop interview questions (tip; research a bit about the interviewee's background to facilitate a more informed conversation).
Step 3
Discuss conditions to conduct the interview with your students. Think about the listing techniques and communication skills and creating a safe environment for the interview.
Step 4
Let students conduct interviews. Distinguish different roles within the interview: the interviewer, the interviewee and the observer.
Step 5
Let students reflect on the interview and provide feedback for each other. Encourage them to explore how their understanding has evolved and if any preconceptions were challenged.
Step 6
Let students summarize key takeaways.
Step 7
Provide constructive feedback on the interview (process).
Tip 1
Let students share their insights with the class. This can be done through a brief presentation or a group discussion format, depending on the class size. Emphasize the importance of active participation and respect for diverse perspectives during these sharing sessions.
Tip 2
A student can be asked to perform interviews in different ways. To make interviews accessible within a lesson plan, students can be asked to write a short analysis of what they learned during the interviews and be asked to share this during the class. "
