Interviews are a rich resource for teaching English. They provide authentic language samples, varied question forms, and insights into diverse perspectives, making them an excellent tool for practicing listening, speaking, and comprehension. This article explores how to integrate interviews into ESL lessons and includes examples of famous interviews that are globally accessible and suitable for educational purposes.
Why Use Interviews in the ESL Classroom?
Using interviews in English lessons offers a multitude of benefits. They introduce students to real-world language, cultural references, and storytelling techniques, making lessons more relatable and memorable. Here are a few reasons why interviews are effective for TESOL teaching:
- Develop Listening Skills: Students hear authentic accents, intonations, and conversational styles.
- Introduce Vocabulary in Context: Interviews naturally introduce students to context-specific vocabulary.
- Enhance Comprehension: Analyzing interviews encourages students to identify main ideas and supporting details.
- Encourage Speaking and Writing: Interview activities allow students to practice asking questions, forming responses, and engaging in discussions.
Famous Interviews for Classroom Use
Here are some globally recognized interviews suitable for an educational audience. These interviews offer different cultural perspectives and cover interesting topics, making them ideal for discussion and language practice.
- Oprah Winfrey Interviews Malala Yousafzai (2013)
- Why Use It? This interview introduces students to topics of education, resilience, and activism. Malala’s story is inspiring for students and Oprah’s interviewing style provides clear, well-paced questions.
- Activity: Have students listen and take notes on key points. Follow up with comprehension questions or a group discussion on the importance of education worldwide.
- David Frost and Richard Nixon (1977)
- Why Use It? Known for its depth and impact, this interview shows how interviews can address complex subjects respectfully. Frost’s questioning strategy and Nixon’s responses offer insight into political history and language structure.
- Activity: Use excerpts to practice listening comprehension and discuss the technique of asking difficult questions. Ask students to analyze Frost’s strategies, then role-play with their own questions on similar themes.
- Princess Diana with Martin Bashir (1995)
- Why Use It? This interview is famous for its candid nature, offering students examples of expressing emotion and telling personal stories. It’s a good example of how personal interviews can touch on deeper life experiences.
- Activity: After viewing, have students practice forming empathetic and open-ended questions. Discuss with students how interviewers create a comfortable space for interviewees to share openly.
- Elon Musk’s Interview with Joe Rogan (2018)
- Why Use It? This interview covers technology, innovation, and space exploration in an informal setting, appealing to students interested in science and technology.
- Activity: Use a transcript or clips to introduce vocabulary related to technology. Have students summarize Musk’s ideas and discuss whether they agree or disagree, practicing both comprehension and expression of opinion.
- Nelson Mandela with Oprah Winfrey (2000)
- Why Use It? Nelson Mandela’s interview with Oprah is globally respected and covers topics like leadership, forgiveness, and perseverance. The conversation showcases respectful interviewing and Mandela’s measured responses provide excellent language examples.
- Activity: Students can listen for specific themes, like peace or leadership, and create their own follow-up questions. As a group, discuss Mandela’s ideas and identify key vocabulary related to leadership.
Teaching Activities and Exercises Using Interviews
Here are creative classroom activities that use interviews to engage students in practicing English:
- Interview Role-Play
- Activity: Have students pair up, with one acting as the interviewer and the other as a notable person, such as a historical figure or celebrity. Provide guiding questions but allow room for students to improvise and respond creatively. This activity encourages active listening, speaking, and role-playing, making learning interactive.
- Variation: Students can also interview each other as themselves to foster a friendly classroom environment and build confidence.
- Listening and Summarizing
- Activity: Play an excerpt of an interview and ask students to summarize the main points, either verbally or in writing. This exercise builds listening comprehension and encourages students to identify key ideas and supporting details.
- Tip: For lower-level students, provide a list of key vocabulary before the exercise to aid understanding.
- Create Your Own Questions
- Activity: After showing an interview clip, ask students to generate their own questions they would ask the interviewee. Discuss the types of questions asked in the clip and why certain questions are more effective.
- Goal: This encourages critical thinking and builds students’ understanding of forming clear, specific questions.
- Interview Transcription and Analysis
- Activity: Provide students with a transcript of a famous interview. Have them identify phrases, verb tenses, and question forms, then discuss how the language shapes the tone of the interview.
- Goal: This activity reinforces grammar and language structure while offering insight into conversational English.
- Grammar in Context
- Activity: Use transcripts to analyze grammatical structures, such as past tense in storytelling or the use of open-ended questions. Highlight key grammar points and ask students to create similar sentences or questions.
- Tip: Focus on one grammar point per lesson to avoid overwhelming students.
- Vocabulary Development
- Activity: Select clips that introduce specific vocabulary, like technical terms or adjectives describing emotions. Create a list of these words and ask students to listen for them, then use them in sentences.
- Goal: This reinforces listening skills and contextual vocabulary acquisition.
Final Thoughts
Using interviews in TESOL classrooms offers students an engaging way to practice English. By selecting interviews that resonate with global audiences, TESOL teachers can make lessons culturally inclusive, relevant, and enjoyable. Through role-play, transcription analysis, and real-life discussions, students gain exposure to authentic language, learn about famous global figures, and practice expressing their own thoughts in English. This approach not only builds language skills but also broadens students’ understanding of communication and critical thinking—making interviews a powerful tool for any TESOL classroom.
