ORAL HISTORY LESSON PLAN

II. Interviewing—The Question Game

Before I assigned students the homework of writing questions for their interviews, I always played this game with them to teach the difference between open and closed questions (though I didn’t say that when I introduced the game).

Warm-up/Do Now: Write down 3 questions you would like to ask Ms. Morehouse.  Keep the questions PG rated, please!

Draw a T chart on the board, with “class” listed above one side, and your name written above the other.

Intro: We’re going to play a game today in which you can ask me questions, and I’ll answer them (within reason).  Now, I’m looking for certain types of questions.  If you ask me the type of question I’m looking for, you get a point.  If you don’t, I get a point. 

I’m not going to tell you any more about what I’m looking for in the questions.  You’ll start to see what the “winning” questions have in common.

Steps:  Call on different students, listening to and answering their questions.  If they ask questions which only require a yes/no or factual answer, put a point in your column.  If they ask a question which requires an opinion, some thoughtfulness, a description, etc., put a point in their column.  I exaggerate this some, really going into a story with the first few open questions thrown at me.

As the game progresses, students will probably continue to ask closed questions.  As they do, ask their classmates what could be added to their questions so that the class gets a point.  Usually they’ll start adding “why” and “how” and “could you explain” to their peers’ questions.

When they’ve won, stop and have them explain how you got points – what those questions had in common, and then how they got points – what those questions had in common.  Write these ideas down on the board and have students also recall how they changed some questions with a few words to give the class points.

Then label the questions “open” and “closed.”  Tell students they want to ask mostly open questions in their interview so that their interviewee will tell stories, not just give facts.  But also let them know that a few closed questions at the beginning (to get the interviewee comfortable and to get some basics, like name spellings and place of birth) can be really helpful.

Give students a few minutes to write a couple of open questions for the interview they’re going to do.   Do a check for understanding with pairs and with the whole class to make sure they’ve got it.

I’d usually assign question-writing for homework.

Taking It Further

If you’re doing a longer oral history unit and have the time, it’s worth it to do modeling of great interviewing. 

Option 1:
Have students write questions for each other and interview in pairs.  Get some feedback from them about what made them most comfortable, what made them want to talk a lot and tell stories, etc.

Have a few students interview each other in front of the class.  Interrupt them occasionally to have the class analyze the interviewer’s use of open questions, the order of questions, etc.  Have both students reflect after they’re done.

Option 2:
Bring in a journalist.  Call a paper or public radio station, get the education reporter or a friend of a friend.  If you live in a city that’s an 826 location, see if the 826 staff can find a reporter for you.  More than other guests, journalists will often engage students, not lecture to them, and you can ask them to model good interview techniques with you or students or someone they bring in.

Option 3:
Conduct an interview (live and in class or on video tape) on the subject students will be doing their oral histories on with a person who knows about the subject.  When we did oral histories on violence, I brought in a friend who’d been beaten by police in front of his house.  When we did immigration, I interviewed a staff member from Fiji.  I had these guests in during my first period and video-taped the interviews to replay later periods (and later years). 

What’s great about modeling interviews is that you can show them how fluid they can be, that the questions the students have planned should be a guide rather than a script.  When I interviewed Janet, the staff member originally from Fiji, I’d give students copies of the questions I was planning on asking, and asked them to annotate what I ended up asking, what follow-up questions I added, and how the interview ended up differing from my plan. 

Planned Questions for Interview with Janet

Students: While I’m doing the interview, look at the questions I’m asking.  Make marks in the margins as to which ones I’m asking, which ones I’m skipping, if I switch order, and if I add any follow-up questions.  Write any follow-up questions I ask in the margin.

Part I: The Homeland

• I don’t know very much about Fiji.  Can you give me a little introduction?

• How big is it?  How many people live there?  What is the ethnic make up?

• What are some important things people should know about Fijian culture? (ask about specific memory)

• What are some important points about Fijian history people should know? (ask about specific memory)

• Were you born in Fiji?

• What are some early memories you have of your life there? (ask for a specific incident)

• What was a typical day like when you were growing up?

• Did you attend school there?  Can you describe that for me?

• What were conditions like in Fiji when you left? 

• Were there many people leaving at that time?  Why?

• What were your impressions of the United States when you were growing up/were in Fiji?  How did you get those impressions?

Part II: The Journey

• What made you/your family decide to leave Fiji?

• How did you prepare to leave?

• Can you describe that week/day of your departure?

• How were you feeling?

• How did you get to the U.S.? 

• Were there any obstacles in your journey/move?

(prep for follow-ups here)

Part III: Experiences in the U.S.

• Did you know anyone in the U.S. when you prepared to come here?

• What were you planning to do when you arrived?

• What was your first impression of the U.S.?  What was the first thing you remember seeing and wondering about?

• What was something that surprised you?

• Can you describe your first week/month/year in the U.S.?

• How did the U.S. compare in reality to your expectations?

• How did you go about meeting people/making a community here?

• How do you like life in the U.S.?

• How does life here compare to life in Fiji?

• What do you miss most about Fiji?

• Do you consider yourself a Fijian or an American? Why?

• Is there anything else you’d like to add?