¡Habla Conmigo! How Interviews Mimic First Language Learning in Spanish Class

Hey there, Joyful Journey Makers! Let’s talk about one of the most powerful tools for helping your students build confidence and fluency in a second language—interviews. The practice of interviewing helps students practice using language in a real-world context, which mimics how they learned their first language: through conversation, repetition, and interaction. It’s no wonder interviews are such an effective way to strengthen language skills!

In this post, we’ll explore the science behind why practicing language through interviews is so effective, and I’ll introduce two FREE activities that will get your students speaking and thinking in Spanish in no time. And yes, you read that right—FREE. Because I know you’ll love using these activities with your students! (Who are we kidding, you don’t have to wait – here’s a freebie for ya – ope! – and another one!)

Why Interviews Help Students Learn a Language (Hint: It’s How They Learned Their First One!)

Let’s start with the science behind why interviews work so well for language learning:

Context-Based Learning: Interviews give students the chance to practice language in a meaningful context. Rather than memorizing words in isolation, students use the language to ask questions and respond to others, which helps them retain vocabulary and grammar more effectively. Studies show that contextual learning leads to deeper understanding and better long-term retention.

Replicates First Language Acquisition: Think about how young children learn their first language. They aren’t sitting in front of textbooks or doing grammar drills—they’re listening, speaking, and interacting. By practicing through conversation, they pick up vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure naturally - in other words, they acquire it. They don’t “learn” a new language. Interviews in the classroom replicate this process by providing students with opportunities to engage in real-world dialogue.

Active Recall and Processing: When students conduct interviews, they’re actively recalling vocabulary and applying it in real time. This active processing engages the brain in a way that promotes memory retention. By forcing the brain to pull words and phrases from memory, students strengthen their language skills through repetition and correction.

The Neuroscience Behind It

The key to why interviews are so effective lies in the social brain. When students engage in interviews, their brains activate regions involved in language processing, memory recall, and social interaction. The brain thrives on learning through interaction because it mirrors real-life communication. Research shows that when students actively participate in conversations, they activate their brain’s language centers, leading to improved fluency and retention.

In addition, the error correction that naturally occurs during interviews—when students make mistakes and correct them—reinforces memory pathways, making the language more accessible during future conversations.

FREE Spanish Interview Activities (Yep, Free!)

Now that you know the magic of interviews for language learning, let me introduce two fantastic activities that will get your students speaking Spanish and practicing vocabulary—for free! These activities are simple to implement and create an engaging way to build language skills through conversation.

Beginner Spanish Interview Worksheet
This activity is designed for beginner learners and gets them practicing basic conversational phrases like “¿Cómo te llamas?” (What’s your name?) and “¿Cómo estás?” (How are you?). Students interview three classmates, asking the questions and writing down their answers.
- What’s Included: The worksheet includes sections for students to record their interview responses, helping them organize their conversations while practicing speaking and listening skills.
- Why It’s Awesome: This activity gives students structured practice in a fun, low-pressure setting while encouraging peer-to-peer interaction. And did I mention it’s free? Yes, this gem is ready to be used in your classroom immediately without costing you a thing!
La Entrevista Worksheet
Another interview activity designed for slightly older students, this worksheet helps them create and practice a skit where they introduce themselves and ask about a partner’s name and how they’re feeling. It’s all about basic greetings and conversational language.
- What’s Included: Students work with a partner to fill out the skit template, taking turns asking and answering questions in Spanish. The worksheet walks them through common phrases like “Mucho gusto” (Nice to meet you) and “Adiós” (Goodbye), so they can practice a complete conversation.
- Why It’s Awesome: The structured script format makes it easy for students to stay focused and feel successful, while also leaving room for creativity as they perform their skits. And the best part? This activity is also 100% free, so you can start implementing this powerful strategy in your class today!

5 Fun Ways to Use These Interview Activities

Warm-Up Interviews: Use these activities as a fun way to start class. Have students pair up and spend a few minutes interviewing each other before transitioning into the main lesson. It’s a great way to get students speaking right away!
Interview Scavenger Hunt: Turn it into a scavenger hunt! Have students move around the room to interview as many classmates as they can within a set time limit. The goal is to gather as many unique responses as possible. It’s a fun way to practice quick conversations and active listening.
Interview Speed Dating: Set up your classroom for “interview speed dating.” Students will have one minute to interview a classmate before rotating to the next person. This fast-paced activity keeps everyone engaged and ensures they practice speaking with multiple peers.
Peer Feedback: After students complete their interviews, have them share their conversations with the class. Encourage classmates to provide positive feedback or helpful corrections to make the learning process collaborative and supportive.
Post-Interview Reflection: After the interviews, ask students to reflect on their experience. What new vocabulary did they learn? Were there any phrases they found challenging? This encourages self-assessment and helps them identify areas for improvement.

The Gist of it All

Interviews are a powerful tool for building language skills because they replicate the natural way we learn languages—through conversation, interaction, and repetition. With my two free Spanish interview activities, you can start implementing this strategy immediately, helping your students practice speaking in a fun and engaging way.

Resources

Abu-Rasheed, H., Weber, C., & Fathi, M. (2023). Context based learning: A survey of contextual indicators for personalized and adaptive learning recommendations – A pedagogical and technical perspective. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1210968

Blog, S. (2023, September 1). Engaging language learners with total physical response (TPR). https://sanako.com/engaging-language-learners-with-total-physical-response-tpr

Bong, B. (n.d.). Learn Languages With The Mimic Method! – Interview With Idahosa Ness. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsctNvZp1wM

Frost, R. (n.d.). Total physical response – TPR. TeachingEnglish. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/managing-lesson/articles/total-physical-response-tpr