Interviewing

Interviewing is an interaction in which a teacher presents a student with a planned sequence of questions and listens for answers. These exchanges can be a rich source of information about how the child is constructing concepts or using procedures, and they give the teacher direction for modifying instruction.

Interviewing is also beneficial when done student-to-student or within a group of students. The teacher should assign one student the role of interviewer, one the role of interviewee, and any others the role of observers. In student-student interviews, the teacher needs to provide leading questions and guidelines for interviews, including what to look for. The teacher can also play the role of observer, using observation strategies to gain insight into students' understanding.

Sample interview 8

(grades 3-5)

Display a collection of either two- or three-dimensional shapes. Select one shape that has something in common with more than one shape in the collection. Ask the student to select a shape that is like your shape in some way and to explain the choice. Observe whether or not the student uses visual cues or is able to use attributes. Ask the student to select another shape that is like your shape in some way and to justify that choice.

This sample is based on an activity in John A. Van de Walle, Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, 3rd ed. (New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1998), p. 350.