In this activity you will be interviewing American University students (Willamette) to find out about what is expected of university students in the United States. The activity is divided into two parts: before the interview and after the interview.

Before the Interview:

_____ 1. First, you need to work in groups to brainstorm to develop some possible topics about which you can ask questions of Willamette students. These should be topics related to the academic expectations of students at an American university.

_____ 2. Be prepared to share the results of your brainstorming with the whole class. The professor will write the information on the board and together the class will choose four main topics.

_____ 3. The class will now divide into groups - each group with a different topic. In your group, you need to brainstorm again to develop several questions which fit your topic. When you are finished, ask the professor to check your work.

_____ 4. Now, we will spend some time learning some useful phrases for interviewing Americans.

_____ 5. Now, you will take some time to practice these interviewing skills by interviewing each other. Just for practice, try to adapt your questions to the expectations of Japanese universities. You will be partnered with someone outside your group for practice. The professor will be moving through the classroom to listen to your interview practice.

_____ 6. Now, you each need to decide who you plan to interview. It should be an American student (a different one for each one in your group). Also, let's try to have each person in the class select someone different.

_____ 7. Before you actually conduct the interview, we should discuss some Tips for Interviewing and Tips for Using Tape Recorders, as well as practice using the portable tape recorders.

_____ 8. Now you need to conduct and tape record your interview. Please take care of the tape (and tape recorder) and bring the tape back to class on Friday, March 9.

After the Interview:

_____ 9. On your own, outside of class,listen carefully to your tape recorded interview and complete the interview analysis form you have been given.

_____ 10. In class, get back into your groups and share the information you collected:

• Play your tape (no longer than about 5 minutes)
• Share the answers you wrote down
• Share the observations you wrote down.
• Discuss together with the others in your group what all of you learned about the academic expectations for students in an American university. Also, discuss together what you noticed about how the Willamette student made conversation with you. Below are some suggestions for what to say (this is only a suggestion - don't read them directly. Speak naturally.

  "I talked with/spoke with _______________, who is my roommate/an IPC/someone I don't know who was sitting ___________________. "It was hard to understand him | her." "It was easy to understand him | her." "I asked her/him about _________________." "He/she explained to me that __________________." "She/he also said ________________________." "I learned that _____________________________." "I noticed that when she/he spoke they _____________________." "I observed some interesting things about their speaking, such as ________." "Something I didn't understand was when she/he said/talked about ________."

_____ 12. Put the information together on a poster and be prepared to share it with the class. Don't spend too much time on making complicated artwork on the poster - just include the main ideas. Each group will present them informally to the rest of the class.