The Star Student Interview: Supporting ALL Our Students Despite Restrictions

Today, many of us are facing new regulations that restrict what we can include in our curriculum. These policies, which limit diverse and equity-focused content, have left us questioning how we can continue to support ALL of our students while creating a safe, inclusive, and engaging classroom environment.

Now more than ever, we need strategies that center our students, celebrate who they are, and foster a sense of belonging—regardless of external constraints. The Star Student Interview is one of the most powerful ways to accomplish this while staying true to our mission as language educators. It allows us to use the target language for an authentic, communicative purpose: getting to know our students in a meaningful way.

That’s why I’m bringing back Episode 49 of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast and updating this blog post. Whether you’re starting a new semester, returning from a break, or simply looking for a way to celebrate students while using the target language in class, the Star Student Interview is a strategy you can rely on.

In this post, I’ll break down how to implement the Star Student Interview, why it works, and how it helps build a welcoming classroom community—even in the face of uncertainty.

What Is a Star Student Interview?

A Star Student Interview is a structured classroom activity where you interview a student in front of the class using a series of scripted personal questions. Unlike general Personalized Questions and Answers (PQAs), which are open-ended and involve the whole class, this activity puts a single student in the spotlight. It allows for controlled, meaningful interaction that engages the entire class while making the selected student feel valued and celebrated.

The key difference between PQAs and Star Student Interviews is intentionality. I pre-script my questions to ensure they are comprehensible, engaging, and relevant to my students’ interests and experiences. This structured approach ensures that the interview remains student-friendly, interactive, and easy to follow for all proficiency levels while celebrating the uniqueness of each student.

Why Use the Star Student Interview?

This activity offers numerous benefits that make it a staple in my classroom:

✅ Building Community – By focusing on one student at a time, we foster a sense of belonging and encourage meaningful interactions between students who may not otherwise engage with each other.

✅ Using Language in Context – The interview provides natural opportunities for comprehensible input and output, making language acquisition more meaningful.

✅ Creating Engagement – Students are naturally curious about their peers. A Star Student Interview turns this curiosity into a learning opportunity.

✅ Preloading Vocabulary and Structures – If you’re working with a textbook or thematic unit, this activity helps introduce key language in an organic way before diving into formal lessons.

✅ Adaptability – Whether you teach novice learners or advanced students, you can tailor questions to fit any level.

How to Conduct a Star Student Interview

1️⃣ Select a Student

Ask for a volunteer to be the Star Student. I never force students into this role; instead, I focus on making it such an enjoyable experience that others will want to participate next.

2️⃣ Set the Stage

I have a special stool and a sash with the words “Very Important Person” that I place on the student. We celebrate their participation from the moment they step up!

3️⃣ Ask Scripted Questions

I display my questions on slides to ensure they are accessible. Some essential questions include:

• What is your name?
• Where are you from? Where is your family from?
• What is your birthday?
• What are your hobbies or special talents?
• What is your favorite subject in school?
• What are you excited about this school year/month/week?
• Are there any special events happening in your life this month/week?

4️⃣ Engage the Class

After the student answers, I turn to the class and ask follow-up questions. This invites participation and keeps everyone involved.
📌 Example: If the student says they love soccer, I ask, “Who else loves soccer?” and encourage classmates to raise their hands.

5️⃣ Use Rejoinders and Narration

I narrate the student’s responses and incorporate rejoinders (e.g., ¡Qué interesante! ¡Qué chévere!) to reinforce language structures.

6️⃣ Wrap It Up

After a few questions, we all clap for the Star Student. I often take a picture of them with a celebratory slide projected behind them.

Adapting Questions for Different Levels

🟢 Novice Level: Use yes/no questions, either/or questions, and one-word answers (e.g., “Do you like pizza or pasta?”).

🔵 Intermediate Level: Introduce open-ended questions (e.g., “When you were younger, what did you want to be?”).

🟠 Advanced Level: Encourage opinions and explanations (e.g., “If you could live in any country, where would it be and why?”).

Do I Need to Prepare Questions for Every Level?

Not necessarily! I like to prepare novice-level questions, then level up the questions with follow-up questions.

📌 Example: I might start with “Do you like March?” Then, on the spot, I follow up:

• “What do you like most about March? The weather, March Madness, Spring Break?”
• “What do you like to do in March?”

This way, I adjust the difficulty naturally without extra prep.

What Happens After the Interview?

Do we need to do something after the Star Student Interview? Not necessarily, but there’s so much more we can do to extend learning!

📌 Write and Discuss – Co-write a summary of the interview with your students to consolidate oral language, model writing skills, and reinforce key vocabulary or structures.

📌 Exit Tickets – Students write something they learned about the Star Student.

📌 Follow-Up Activities – The next day, I display a picture of the Star Student with a short text and ask comprehension questions.

📌 Games and Polls – I create quizzes using the information from the interview (e.g., Kahoot, Gimkit, Quizlet Live).

FAQs from Teachers

❓ What if a student doesn’t want to participate?
No problem! I never force participation. Instead, I include all students by asking class-wide follow-up questions. Even those who don’t take the spotlight can contribute.

❓ How do you manage shy or introverted students?
For students who dislike attention, I sometimes let them respond via written notes, or I use interactive polling tools like Kahoot to collect responses anonymously.

❓ How do you ensure the interview stays in the target language?
I provide structured answers and allow students to use their first language if needed. I then model their responses in the target language, reinforcing comprehension.

❓ How often should you do this activity?
I do it daily at the beginning of the semester, then once a week (usually Fridays) and before introducing new units.

Final Thoughts

As educators, we don’t always have control over policies, but we do have control over the environment we create in our classrooms. When faced with restrictions on what we can teach, we can still center our students, celebrate who they are, and build meaningful connections through the target language. The Star Student Interview is a small but powerful way to ensure that every student feels valued and heard, reinforcing that their stories matter—regardless of external constraints.

Beyond language acquisition, this strategy reminds students that their voices belong in our classrooms. It fosters a sense of belonging, curiosity, and engagement that transcends curriculum mandates. When we make space for their experiences, we show them that their identities and perspectives are worth celebrating.

If you’re looking for more ways to make the Star Student Interview even more engaging:
📌 Check out these questions from Bryce Hedstrom for inspiration on the types of questions you can ask.
📌 Explore Cécile Lainé’s resource for ideas on how to level up or down your questions to match different proficiency levels.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Have you tried the Star Student Interview? What questions have worked best for your students? Share your experiences in the comments or send me a message.