Covering the education beat this quarter gave me the chance to constantly interview kids with more frequency than I had in the past. It’s tougher than you might think.
It’s really important to think of talking with kids as more of a conversation than an interview. Kids love one-word answers. They can often get nervous and not be able to think of answers at all. Whether you are interviewing someone very young or as old as 17, these tips might help you conduct an engaging interview.
- Prepare the child for the interview: While you are setting up your camera or gathering your notes, take time to talk to the child for a minute or two about what will happen during the interview. Saying something like, “I will be talking to you about _____ (topic) will help the child be aware of what is going on.
- Ask open-ended questions: This goes for all interviews, but it really needs to be stressed with the younger set. Kids may not understand the context of the interview, and could think that saying “yes” and “no” is the answer you’re looking for. You want the child to go beyond the short answer. It’s quite common that you may ask a child “How was the contest?” and the answer you receive may be “Fun!” which is great for a quick sound byte, but not necessarily for a quote.
- Here are some examples of general open-ended questions that can help move the conversation along…
Describe what you did today at ________(event)
What is your favorite part of ________(topic) and why?
How did _____ help you?
- Smile! The last thing you want is to come off as intimidating. Smiling is contagious, especially with children. They like adults who come off as “fun” and it’s your challenge to do your best at making a child feel at ease. You want to make sure you are professional, but not talking to the child in a condescending manner. Be friendly. Make sure the child feels important. Say things like “Thank you so much for taking the time to do the interview! I’m so excited to chat with you about _____!”
——————————————————————————————————————————————-
Anna Lempereur graduates this month with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Medill. She starts as a full-time reporter for a South Dakota television station this summer.