Looking back

The oral history interview 'Looking back' provides a further source about the past.

An oral history interview is a primary source of information about the past. Watching and listening to personal accounts of experiences and events from the past can help build historical knowledge. It is important to note that oral histories depend on people's memories and experiences and can be inaccurate due to the passing of time and the interviewee's perspective.

An oral history interview is generally a narration that is guided by open-ended questions. An open-ended question usually begins with how, what, when, where or why. Phrases such as 'What do you think about...?' and 'Tell me more about...' are open-ended as they are asking for answers that require knowledge and opinions. The interviewer asks questions about the past and records the interviewee's responses through video, audio or written notes (with a scribe for young students). The interview can be analysed and inferences made to give a clearer picture of an event or period of time.

Familiarise yourself with the interview questions (.docx 21kB).

On an IWB or on large sheets of paper write the interview questions.

Discuss with students what they already know about going to school in the past. Record the information under the relevant questions.

Tell students that they will be watching a video in which a child asks an older member of the community some questions to find out about what school was like when he was young.

Pause the video at significant points and listen to students verbalise their thinking about what the man has said. At the end of each question and reply, discuss the answers. Briefly record the answers in a different colour on the IWB or paper charts. Compare and discuss any similarities and differences presented in the two sources. Where there are differences, discuss possible reasons. Consider:

Ask students to talk about how they think school has changed over time and how they know this.