Interview Skills Practice

Lesson Details

• Subject: Physical Education (OCR National Diploma in Sport – Unit 3)
• Level: Level 3 (Year 12)
• Duration: 51 minutes
• Class Size: 4 students
• Focus: Developing interview skills in a practical and engaging manner

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand key interview techniques relevant to the sports industry.
2. Demonstrate professional communication and body language in a mock interview.
3. Reflect on their performance, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

Curriculum Links

• OCR National Diploma in Sport – Unit 3:
  • Developing a career in the sports industry.
  • Communication and interview techniques.
  • Professionalism and employability skills.

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up Activity (5 minutes) – Confidence Builder

• Objective: To prepare students mentally and physically for the lesson.
• Activity: "Power Poses"
  • Students will strike confident postures (hands on hips, standing tall) for 30 seconds each.
  • Discuss how posture can impact confidence and first impressions in an interview.

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2. Introduction to Interview Skills (8 minutes) – Interactive Discussion

• Objective: To understand essential interview techniques tailored to sports career pathways.
• Activity:
  • Teacher to present key points about job interview basics (tone, posture, responses).
  • Quickfire discussion: "What makes a great interview?"
  • Students share experiences or fears about interviews.

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3. The Active Interview Circuit (15 minutes) – Practical Engagement

• Objective: To practice responding to interview-style questions in an active format.
• Activity:
  • Station 1 – Speed Networking (3 minutes)
    • Students pair up and respond to a quickfire interview question in 30 seconds. Swap partners.
  • Station 2 – Movement & Confidence (3 minutes)
    • One student interviews another while walking around the room, keeping posture and eye contact in focus.
  • Station 3 – Group Challenge (3 minutes)
    • Scenario-based interview: "Sell yourself in 60 seconds to a sports employer."
  • Station 4 – Reverse Roles (3 minutes)
    • Students play the role of interviewer, practising assessing answers.

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4. Mock Interviews (15 minutes) – Realistic Practice

• Objective: To simulate a real interview experience and provide peer feedback.
• Activity:
  • Teacher sets up a mock sports industry job interview.
  • Each student will take turns being interviewed for 2-3 minutes.
  • Others will assess using predetermined success criteria (tone, clarity, body language).

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5. Reflection & Feedback (8 minutes) – Personal Development

• Objective: To encourage self-reflection and constructive peer feedback.
• Activity:
  • Each student reflects on one strength and one area for improvement.
  • Feedback discussion in pairs.
  • Teacher provides professional tips for improvement.

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Resources Needed

• Stopwatch/timer
• Printed mock interview questions
• Peer assessment criteria sheets

Differentiation Strategies

• For confident students: Allow them to conduct duo or panel-style interviews for additional challenge.
• For less confident students: Provide question prompts or let them work with a peer before answering.

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Assessment & Evaluation

• Informal observation during activities
• Peer assessment of interviews
• Self-assessment through reflection exercise

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Homework/Next Steps

• Research a real sports-related job advertisement and prepare possible answers for its interview.
• Practice an "elevator pitch" about themselves (30-second career introduction).

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Were students engaged in the active components?
• Did they show improvement in confidence and professionalism?
• What aspects of the lesson could be refined?

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This highly interactive and structured lesson will not only develop essential employability skills for students but will also engage them in a unique, movement-based learning experience—perfect for a PE setting.