Read what a teacher says about this activity:

‘An interview activity gives learners the opportunity to practise speaking about a variety of topics. It’s a simple activity to set up, and works well in mixed-ability classes.’

Stage 1:  

Draw the following table on the board.  

Ask your learners to copy it down. 

You and your partner Yes No
Yes    
No    

Stage 2:  

Put your learners in pairs. 

Stage 3:  

Say to the class: ‘You are going to interview your partner about their likes and dislikes. You must complete the table with the information you learn.’ 

Elicit what language/phrases learners will need for this activity. 

Useful phrases include: 

  • Do you like …? 
  • I like/don’t like … 
  • So do I. 
  • Neither do I. 
  • Me too. 

Stage 4:  

Elicit the information they think should go in each of the boxes. Use the text below to explain as needed.  

  • In the top left box you write three things you both like.  
  • In the bottom left box you write three things your partner likes, but you don’t.  
  • In the top right box you write three things you like, but your partner doesn’t.  
  • In the bottom right box you write three things you both don’t like. 

Stage 5:  

Circulate, monitor and support. 

When you first use this activity, it may be helpful to demonstrate the activity with a strong learner. 

Glossary

Circulate: Move around the classroom to check what learners are doing, and if they need any help. 

Demonstrate: To show and explain how learners should do a task.  

Elicit: How a teacher gets information from learners, e.g. asking questions, prompting. 

Monitor: The way a teacher watches to see how well an individual, group or class is doing a particular task.