Interview a witness
Role-play interviewing a witness with a partner, prepare clear questions, take notes, and practice active listening to gather accurate, respectful information.
About this activity
Role-play interviewing a witness with a partner, prepare clear questions, take notes, and practice active listening to gather accurate, respectful information.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Find a partner and tell them you will role-play an interviewer and a witness.
- 2
Step 2
Choose who will be the interviewer and who will be the witness.
- 3
Step 3
Decide on a simple scene for the role-play and agree on three basic facts about the witness (where when what).
- 4
Step 4
Write six short clear questions on index cards or paper one question per card.
- 5
Step 5
Sit facing each other with your paper pencil and index cards ready.
- 6
Step 6
Practice three active-listening signals like nodding making eye contact and saying "I see".
- 7
Step 7
The interviewer asks the first prepared question aloud.
- 8
Step 8
The interviewer waits quietly while the witness answers so they can listen carefully.
- 9
Step 9
The interviewer writes down the witness's main points after each answer.
- 10
Step 10
The interviewer asks one follow-up question to clarify a detail from the notes.
- 11
Step 11
Continue asking your remaining questions one at a time using quiet listening and note-taking.
- 12
Step 12
Swap roles so the witness becomes the interviewer and repeat steps 7 to 11.
- 13
Step 13
Compare your notes with your partner to find any differences.
- 14
Step 14
Write down one thing you did well and one question you would change for next time.
- 15
Step 15
Share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do I run a role-play 'interview a witness' activity with my child?
Start by explaining the goal: practicing clear questions and active listening. Pair the child with a partner, assign roles (interviewer and witness), and give the witness a short, age-appropriate scenario. Have the interviewer prepare 5–8 questions, set a 5–10 minute timer, and take notes. Afterward debrief: compare notes, give positive feedback, highlight strong questions, and swap roles so each child practices both interviewing and recounting.
What materials do I need for a witness interview role-play at home?
You’ll need notepads or a simple worksheet, pens or pencils, index cards with short scenario prompts, and a quiet space. Optional items: props (hats, bags) to make roles fun, a timer or phone, a checklist of good question techniques, and an audio recorder for review. Prepare scenario cards in advance and keep materials minimal so kids focus on listening and asking clear questions.
What ages is the witness interview role-play suitable for?
This activity adapts well for ages about 6–16. Children 6–8 do best with brief, guided interviews and simple who/what/where questions with adult support. Ages 9–12 can handle open questions, note-taking, and short debriefs. Teens (13–16) can practice more complex scenarios, ethics, and reflective feedback. Always adjust language, time, and scenario complexity to match each child’s attention and maturity.
What are the benefits and safety tips for doing witness interview role-plays with kids?
Benefits include improved listening, clear questioning, empathy, memory recall, and note-taking. Safety tips: use fictional, age-appropriate scenarios and avoid real traumatic topics; supervise and model respectful questioning; remind children not to disclose personal or sensitive information; stop if a child seems upset; and don’t share recordings or details without consent. Emphasize learning and empathy rather than interrogation or blame.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use instead of index cards, paper, or a pencil if we don't have them?
Use sticky notes or a notebook instead of index cards, a tablet or phone notes app instead of paper, and a crayon or marker if you don't have a pencil so you can still write the six prepared questions and take notes as in steps 4 and 9.
What should we do if the interviewer keeps interrupting the witness or talking too much during the role-play?
Remind the interviewer to follow step 8 by counting silently to three after each question, practice the active-listening signals from step 6, and place their pencil down while the witness speaks to avoid interrupting and to help them write only main points as in step 9.
How can we change the activity for younger children or make it more challenging for older kids?
For younger children, reduce to three very simple questions and use picture prompts for the scene, while for older kids add more detailed note-taking, a two-minute silent summary after each answer, or require five follow-up questions to increase difficulty as you repeat steps 4–11.
How can we improve or personalize the role-play to make it more fun or more useful to share on DIY.org?
Add simple props and costumes for your chosen scene, record the interview on a phone to review accuracy when you compare notes in step 13, and create a short written or recorded summary to upload as your finished creation on DIY.org as directed in the final step.