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Interviewing Skills

1.	Form groups of three and decide on a possible topic for an interview (e.g. attitudes to school, sports and hobbies, musical or T.V. tastes- virtually any topic will do for this exercise).  

2.	Each of you is to take on a specific role for the interview (interviewer, interviewee, and observer ) and each of you is to have a turn in each role so you will need to conduct three short interviews altogether. 

3.	Before beginning, study the check-list below. These are the things the observer will be looking for during the interview. As the interview progresses the observer is to rate the interviewer as "Excellent" "Competent" or "Needing Improvement" in each of the categories. 

Verbal

  	(1) Outlining the purpose of the interview at the beginning	
    	(2) Brief utterances e.g. "Oh!" and "Mmm" to encourage the interviewee	
    	(3) Simple restatements to check understanding and encourage the interviewee	
    	(4) Repetition of 1-2 key words for the same reasons	
    	(5) Asking follow up questions to clarify or seek further information	
    	(6) Thanking the interviewee at the end.	

Non-Verbal 

   	(1) Maintaining eye contact	
    	(2) Forward body lean to show interest.	
    	(3) Avoiding movements which distract interviewee.	
    	(4) Appropriately encouraging gestures.	
    	(5) Nodding Head.	
    	(6) Appropriately encouraging expressions. 	

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)