Helpful interview techniques

Learners should understand that practitioners do not know everything about how adults learn. The more information learners can share, the more likely it is that practitioners can improve the opportunities for learning.

Practitioners can also:

Create a comfortable, supportive environment

• Welcome learners
• Give learners a tour of the program
• Offer coffee
• Initiate social chat - if appropriate, the practitioner could share some personal information on commonalities with the learner
• Maintain positive body language

Be clear on the purpose of the discussion

• Explain the purpose of the screening process
• Explain the materials that will be used
• Emphasize the importance of the learner's role
• Discuss the importance of the team approach
• Explain how the results will be used

Ensure that the questions and answers are clear

• Make sure learners understand the questions by providing examples or by asking if they understand the questions and have them paraphrase
• Use clear language
• Use open-ended questions when inquiring (how or why)
• Allow sufficient time for responses
• Provide alternative answers if the person is having difficulty providing an answer (for example, the practitioner could ask: "You mentioned you hated school, could you explain why?" If the learner responds with "I don't know" or with silence, the practitioner could then ask: "What part of school did you hate - the students, the teachers, the tests, or the homework?")