entrance interviews

At the start of every session we have entrance interviews for the students to determine what level of English they have and what class to put them in. Students expect this and they're usually told by coworkers who have gone before about it, so they rehearse answers. You can usually tell a lot about how a session will go by these interviews and how many "rehearsed answers" you get. These questions are just to get to know a little about the students and gauge their English from their answers. Here's how most of mine went yesterday.

Hi, my name is Dan. It is nice to meet you.

Hi! I am (insertnamehere). Nice to meet you.

I want to ask you a few questions. Is that OK?

There are three people in my family. My husband, my son and I.

Uhm, OK, that's great. So are you a teacher?
Yes I am a teacher. My husband is a worker. There are three people in my family, my husband, and my ...

Right, yes. Three people. Got it. So what level do you teach? Primary school? Middle school? High school?

Primary school. Next year I will teach my son who is only 6 years old. There are three people in my..

Family. Yes. Three. Do you teach English in primary school?

Yes, I teach English to my son and husband. There are three

People in your family. I know. Let's switch gears here. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I want to go to Beijing with my husband and my son.

Well you are IN Beijing right now. I mean, if you could visit any other country, where would you go.

To travel?

Yes, to travel.

I would not want to to travel anywhere. I want to stay home and take care of my husband and my son.

(under breath) *Dr. Phil, eat your heart out.* Ok, (insertnamehere) that is all the questions I have for you. It was nice to meet you. Have a nice day.

It's at this point she walks away a little confused because the question she rehearsed the hardest for wasn't asked. But she gave the answer anyway, she reminds herself, so she should be good. Now that that is over, the first place almost all of them go is outside to call their husband and son to update them.