Northern Ireland Curriculum Links

Is there a Second World War site near you?

Is there a Second World War site in Northern Ireland still visible near you?
You can still see Grey Point Fort – where Maureen Lightbody worked in signals – today.

Or do you have a family object or photograph from the Second World War?
Take a photograph of the site or object and research some information about it.
If you’d like to submit your photo and research to our website, we may add it to Your Stories.

You can contact us on this website or at searchlightstories@nmni.com.

Conduct an interview: record your own oral history

Recording an oral history is a good way to develop skills in planning, research and active listening.

Tips and tricks for recording an oral history

Define your topic

• Be clear about your subject and share this in advance with your interviewee. It might be about school life in the past, women in the workplace, or the local impact of climate change.
• Defining your topic will help you shape your research and it is fairer to your interviewee to set clear limits
• State your topic again at the beginning of the interview

Planning and preparation

• If you plan to record the interview, practise beforehand and get your interviewee’s permission
• Don’t get into detail when you set up your interview, or you may find your interviewee feels you already know everything and they won’t tell you again as fully
• Make sure you have a quiet place for your interview
• Think of some key questions to ask

Asking good questions

• Start with an easy question to relax your interviewee and get them talking
• Your questions should be as broad as possible. Avoid closed, yes/no questions  
• Don’t fire a lot of questions but take your cues from your interviewee
• Use good follow up questions

Active listening

• Your role is to encourage rather than cross-examine
• Listening receptively is important – if you show interest people will keep talking
• Maintain eye contact and think about positive body language

Keep them talking

• Don’t show off your knowledge, or your interviewee may feel they have little to tell you
• Don’t interrupt and don’t put words into their mouths
• If your interviewee falls silent you can try comments such as ‘You were saying that…’ to help them recapture their train of thought

Finally

• Make clear what you plan to do with your interview. You will need to get the interviewee’s permission if you want to share it in any way. Sharing with your school class may be acceptable but an older generation may not be happy with social media.
• Thank your interviewee for taking time to share their experiences with you