The Interview and Demo Lesson

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The Interview and Demo Lesson
Updated 19 April 2009

This article has also been featured in the ELT Times.

Before going to work at a school you will more likely than not that you will have to pass the interview and possibly have to do a demo lesson. Three things to remember to do before your interview.

First, look over your CV, make sure you know dates, what you taught, where, etc. Second, know the answers to typical interview questions. Third, at the end of the interview, the interviewer will probably ask you if you have any questions. Always say "yes"! Having questions shows that you have researched the school and are seriously considering teaching there. You can find a list of some questions that you should ask in Section 2 of Things to Ask Before Accepting a Job.

While most interviewers are pretty good at their job, some aren't. If you do end up with a bad interviewer, this article has some ways to make the interview better. Here are some common questions with answers: Part 1 and Part 2.

When considering whether or not to accept a job, you should find out answers to some questions. See Things to Ask Before Accepting a Job for more info. There are good schools and bad schools out there, make sure that you work at a good one. Read Warning Signs of Bad Language Schools to find out more.

Typical Interview Questions
1. Teaching Experience
● Describe your teaching experience (number of students in a class, years, ages, etc)
● What levels have you taught?
● What course books are you familiar with?
● What are your long term plans?

● Why did you leave your last job?
● What are your three best qualities?
● What are your three worst qualities? (Don't be too negative here. Mention your short comings and how you are trying to make them better, by attending workshops, conferences, researching, etc)

● What is your best teaching moment/accomplishment?

● What is the most difficult problem you've had to overcome?

● How do you discipline students?

● How are you a team player?

2. Professional Development
● How do you keep up to date with teaching and methodology?

● What professional journals/periodicals/magazines are you familiar with?

3. Situations
● How would you go about teaching…(passive voice, the difference between Z and Y vocabulary, etc)?
● How would you deal with a supervisor if you knew they were wrong?
● How can you contribute to the school?
● Why should we hire you?
● What can you bring to this organization that no one else can?
● Describe a situation in which you had to (completely disregard your lesson plan, deal with an unruly student, confront a supervisor, etc)

More Information
You can find more in 50 Common Interview Questions. There are also suggested answers that an interviewer wants to hear.

The Demo Lesson
Some schools may ask you to do a demo lesson before you are hired. Here are some things to keep in mind for the demo lesson.
● Ask to observe the class beforehand and speak to the teacher
● Be prepared to make comments on the class and to suggest a suitable lesson
● Prepare thoroughly
● Don’t try and wow them too much. Just show them an accurate representation of how you would teach.
● Ensure you try out any technology, cue tapes etc beforehand.
● Make sure you know how long it will last. Typical demo lessons are only about 10 minutes, but some schools may ask you to teach an entire 40-60 minute class.



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