Preparing for a Teaching Interview

by Yasemin Tezgiden

One of the most important things candidates should do before an interview is to prepare, prepare and prepare. Think of it as a kind of presentation! Just as you prepare for a presentation, you need to rehearse before your teaching interview. You may be asking “How I am supposed to know what I am going to be asked?” You are right, you may not be able to guess all the interview questions beforehand, but there are some basic questions that are asked to each and every candidate like. Be ready to answer them!

1. Please introduce yourself (Talk about your academic, educational and professional background. Talk about your (practice or voluntary) teaching experience.)


2. Why do you want to work with us? (Do some research about the institution you are applying for: their program, type of courses instructors teach, teaching staff and their backgrounds, the mission of school, the administration, etc. Do not tell them that you want to work with them because it is easy to work with young learners or adults. Tell them you are fond of their language teaching policies, their professional work environment, the qualitative teachings staff, etc. )


3. How can you contribute to our institution? Why should we hire you? (Do not tell them they should hire you because you are a METU graduate! Talk about your strengths (your ease of using technology, your communication skills, your expertise on materials, testing, etc., your study abroad experience, etc. Show them how enthusiastic you are for working with them.)


4. What is your teaching philosophy? What are your beliefs as to good teaching? (Sit down and think about what you think about how a foreign language is best learned – input, output, communication, meaning/form/function, classroom interaction, learner autonomy, etc. Try to prepare a body of coherent set of beliefs. You may already have some certain beliefs, but it is good to reflect on them BEFORE you go to an interview.)


5. How would your students describe you? Why? (Democratic, authoritarian, enthusiastic, hard working, encouraging, facilitator, good coach, friendly? Give concrete examples from your experience).


6. What are your strenghts and weaknesses as a teacher candidate?

If you are prepared for these kinds of basic questions, you will feel more confident. This will be reflected in the way you speak and the way you act. Even if you are asked an unexpected question, you may come up with an answer much more quickly if you think about these issues in advance.

Here are some frequently asked ELT-related questions. To find the answers to these questions, go back to your major course books or do some online research:

1. What is the role of giving feedback in language teaching?

2. What is your philosophy of correcting student errors?

3. Would you prefer summative or formative evaluation?

4. How would you deal with individual differences in your classes?

5. You are a young teacher. Do you think you will be able to manage student behavior in your classrooms?

6. What do you do to make sure you develop yourself professionally?

7. How would you solve conflicts with your colleagues?

8. What do you think of postmethod?

9. How would you teach literature/culture?

For more tips on teaching interviews, see the following websites:

http://www.teachinginterview.com/teacherinterviewtipsarticle1.html

http://www.career.vt.edu/interviewing/TypicalQuestions.html

For writing a CV:

http://www.awc.metu.edu.tr/handouts/Writing_Your_CV.pdf

http://www.awc.metu.edu.tr/handouts.html