Basic Interviewing Skills: A Workbook for Practitioners (Methods / Practice of Social Work: Direct

by Valerie Nash Chang, Sheryn T. Scott

This workbook helps students develop essential interviewing skills such as communicating involvement, listening actively, reflecting, using open- and close-ended questioning, exploring basic information, seeking clarification, setting goals and contracting, and expressing warmth, respect, genuineness, and empathy. It is designed to be used in a collaborative classroom setting with students working in groups of three, with one member representing the client, one member representing the practitioner, and the last representing the peer supervisor. It emphasizes immediate feedback and self-evaluation.

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 1999

Reviews

[Genese Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

That book—Basic Interviewing Skills: A Workbook for Practitioners by Valerie Nash Chang and Sheryn T. Scott—is a thoughtful, hands-on guide for developing core interviewing techniques, especially in social work and counseling contexts. It emphasizes:

- 🤝 Empathy and genuineness: Encouraging practitioners to express warmth and respect during interviews.
- 🧠 Active listening and reflection: Teaching how to respond thoughtfully and clarify client statements.
- ❓ Questioning strategies: Balancing open- and close-ended questions to explore information effectively.
- 🎯 Goal setting and contracting: Helping interviewers guide conversations toward meaningful outcomes.
- 👥 Collaborative learning: Designed for triad practice—client, practitioner, and peer supervisor—with immediate feedback and self-evaluation. #