Asking a series of questions to a new private student has many benefits as you get some idea of:
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their listening skills
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how fluent they are
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their ability to produce extended speech
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range of grammar and vocabulary
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common errors they make
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gaps in their knowledge
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pronunciation difficulties
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personal interests
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learning experiences
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ideas for future lessons

With higher-level learners, I use a set of questions which I have tried and tested over the years. Rather than a scripted interview (one in which you only ask the questions you have prepared), I prefer to give a semi-scripted interview in which I follow most of the questions in order but may modify some, omit others and even add some, if I feel they are suitable.
Here’s a list of questions you might find helpful (you certainly don’t need to ask all of them):
Growing up
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What’s your full name?
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How do you spell it?
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Where were you born?
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Where did you grow up?
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What were you like as a child?
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As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
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What’s your earliest memory?
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What hobbies did you have as a child?
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Who were your heroes / role models when you were a child?
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Who was your best friend as a child and what did you like about him/her?
Professional life
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What do you do for a living?
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What are some of the things you like and dislike about your job?
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What qualifications or training did you need for your job?
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Tell me about a typical working day.
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Do you prefer working alone or in a team?
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What are your professional ambitions?
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What qualities do people need in order to do your job successfully?
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If you could do any job, what would you choose?
Free time
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What do you like doing in your free time?
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At weekends, do you get up early or do you prefer to stay in bed?
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Describe your perfect weekend
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What do you like reading?
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What kind of music do you like listening to?
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Do you watch much TV and if so, what programmes do you like?
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What is your opinion of social media such as Facebook or Twitter?
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If you could invite 5 people to your home for a dinner party, who would you choose?
Learning English
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How long have you been learning English?
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Do you think you have a talent for learning languages?
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Why do you think some people pick up languages easier than others?
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Do people from your country have a reputation for being good at learning languages? Why? Why not?
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Have you ever been to an English-speaking country? How was the experience?
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Rank the 4 skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) in order of importance.
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Do you think you are primarily a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learner?
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Do you think you are a global or analytical learner?
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What, in your opinion, are the characteristics of successful language learners?
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What are the characteristics of effective teachers?
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How do you like learning? What teaching methods or activities do you dislike?
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If you were the teacher, how would you teach this class?
What other questions might you ask a new private student?
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