Melissa Taylor College of Continuing Education Dalhousie University Halifax, NS Lesson Plan: Mock University Entrance Interviews

How can we help our students improve their speaking skills?

Mock university entrance interviews for EAP speaking classes Create Mock Interviews

General information Students prepare for and participate in university entrance mock interviews Designed for EAP students with IELTS scores of 5.5 – 6.5. Role of volunteer interviewers Resources: Study Skills for Independent Learning (2010) and experience working with Immigration, Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS)

Introduction to interviewing Students share their own experiences with interviews Discuss different types of interviews The Canadian interview process Interviewing vocabulary

Canadian resumes Look at international and Canadian samples Online samples University entrance resumes and cover letters from various fields oadSamples

Students prepare resumes professional looking culturally appropriate 1. 1st draft peer feedback from classmates 2. 2nd draft instructor feedback 3. Final draft send to volunteer interviewer

Name / Address / Phone / Objective: Seeking admission into the Pharmacy program at Dalhousie University Summary: Excellent communication skills Willing to do extra work to gain valuable experience Computer proficiency: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Power point and Excel) Education or Training Programs Completed English for Academic Purposes(EAP), College of Continuing Education, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Level2 94.3% 2011 IELTS(International English Language Test), Moncton, NB, Canada 2011 Standard First Aid AID and CPR, Halifax, Canada 2010 Bachelor of Industrial Management, Hekmat University, Mashhad, Iran Work and Volunteer Work History Crew Trainer, McDonalds, Halifax, Canada 2011 Volunteer, Canadian Red Cross, Halifax, Canada 2011 Book keeper(Trainee), Payam Noor Organization, Mashhad, Iran 2008 Award Received Employee of the month(McDonalds), Halifax, Canada 2010 References Available upon request

Interview questions What questions are typically asked in Canadian universities? Examples of illegal interview questions  Are you married?  What is your religion?  How old are you?

Preparation for the mock interviews Students prepare responses to the questions they may be asked Role play interviews with classmates, time permitting

The interview The roles of the interviewer & instructor

Sample of the Interview Questions General questions: Tell me about yourself? Motivation questions: Why would you like to study at Dalhousie? Subject-related questions: Why do you want to get a degree in marine biology? Topical / situational questions Describe some of the local marine management issues, such as the effects of global warming on plankton? Closing Is there anything you would like to say to help us to determine your eligibility for the program?

Video clip of a mock interview

Video clip #2

Marking Criteria Interview Preparation ______ / 10Resume ______ / 5Cover Letter ______ / 5Appropriate and professional presentation Interview Content ______ / 10Demonstrates preparation, knowledge of the program ______ / 10Demonstrates research and knowledge of the field ______ / 10 Thoughtful and appropriate responses to the questions Language Skills during the Interview: ______ / 10Listening Comprehension ______ / 10Pronunciation ______ / 10Fluency ______ / 10Vocabulary Accuracy ______ / 10Grammar Accuracy

Evaluation Students complete a self reflection Students get a copy of their recorded interview Students receive feedback from the interviewer and the instructor

Interviewer observations Language Skills Did the student’s pronunciation, grammar or vocabulary errors impede communication? Interviewing Skills Was the student well prepared for the interview?

Written interviewer observations Leon showed a lot of enthusiasm for the subject matter. Smiled a lot. When he didn't understand a question he asked for clarification. I was able to understand just about everything he said. Subject verb agreement was a challenge at times. He used past tense to talk about current things. I liked the example he gave about being a volunteer tutor. I also liked the fact that he had questions at the end, but in a real setting it would be good to caution him from asking about financial issues and scholarships during an interview…

Thank you letters Research sample thank you letters Students write thank you letters to the interviewers

Challenges Finding professional interviewers who are available The time required to write subject–related questions for each student 15 hours of class time

Goals outweigh the challenges Speaking practice Students become familiar with the Canadian interview process Students get first-hand experience participating in a professional interview Resume writing Fun, energizing activity

Study Skills for Independent Learning. (2010). Global assessment certificate. ACT Education Solutions Ltd. Sydney, Australia. Thanks to Negar, Abdul, Marwa, Areej, Amal, Denise, Kim, Mohammad, Wenfeng, Sultan and Waef for agreeing to have their pictures in this ppt. References: