Oral-History Interview Template
Question and answer-line frame.
The Oral-History Interview Template is a structured question-and-answer-line frame for students in grades 3–8 who are gathering first-hand accounts from family members, community elders, or other interviewees. Each row pairs a blank question line with several lined answer-recording rows beneath it, giving students space to either jot notes in the moment or write a full transcription afterwards. Teachers use it across social studies, history, and literacy units to teach primary-source research skills, active listening, and respectful interviewing. It is particularly powerful for local history, immigration studies, cultural heritage projects, and personal narrative units. Because the question prompts are completely blank, students must craft their own questions in advance—an important pre-interview research step—making the template a learning tool at every stage, not just a recording form.
Learning objectives
- Practise formulating open-ended interview questions
- Develop active listening and note-taking skills during live interviews
- Gather and record primary-source oral evidence
- Connect personal and community history to broader historical narratives
- Build respectful communication and interviewing etiquette
How to use this template
- Before the interview, students research the topic and draft 5–8 open-ended questions on the blank question lines.
- Review and refine questions as a class, checking for sensitivity and clarity—especially for elder interviewees.
- During the interview, students write key words and phrases in the answer rows; a second copy can be used for fuller notes.
- After the interview, students expand rough notes into complete answers while the conversation is still fresh.
- Use the completed template as a primary source to write a narrative account, a biography paragraph, or a class oral-history display.
Classroom & home ideas
- Family heritage project—students interview a grandparent or older relative about life in a different era or country
- Local community history unit where students interview a longtime resident, librarian, or former teacher
- Immigration and migration study in which students record a family member's journey story as a primary source
- Veterans or community service focus—paired with Remembrance Day or Memorial Day units for grades 5–8
- Peer interview warm-up—younger students in grade 3 interview a classmate about a favourite memory before tackling a real elder interview
Skills & curriculum links
Frequently asked questions
How many questions should students prepare before an interview?
Five to eight questions is ideal for a 10–15 minute interview. Encourage students to mark two or three as 'essential' in case time runs short, and to prepare two follow-up prompts like 'Can you tell me more about that?' to use naturally.
What if the student cannot find someone to interview in person?
The template works equally well for video calls or written correspondence. Students can email questions and record typed replies in the answer rows, or watch an archived oral-history video and transcribe key responses.
Is this suitable for a sensitive topic involving personal or family trauma?
Yes, but preparation is important. Teachers should preview student questions for sensitivity before the interview, remind students to follow the interviewee's lead, and include a 'skip this question' option so the interviewee feels fully in control.
Can this template be used for fiction or creative writing units, not just history?
Absolutely. It works as a character interview frame in creative writing—students interview a fictional character and fill the answer rows with invented dialogue, building voice and backstory at the same time.
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