problem solving esl lesson plan

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Speaking skills: Speaking matters

• 1 Speaking skills: Speaking matters
• 2 Speaking matters: Developing fluency
• 3 Speaking matters: Developing and dealing with accuracy
• 4 Speaking matters: Assessing speaking
• 5 Speaking matters: Personalization
• 6 Speaking matters: Problem-solving
• 7 Speaking matters: Role-play
• 8 Speaking matters: Pairwork

Speaking matters: Problem-solving

By Adrian Tennant

• No comments

This article looks at problem-solving activities and what they are like. It covers how to set them up, why it's good to use them, the disadvantages and what you should do after the activity.

Introduction

Students need a reason to speak in the classroom. Many speaking activities seem to have no aim other than to get students to talk to each other, but for what reason? By doing the activity what will they achieve? Some activities, like pairwork activities, try to create a purpose by creating an information gap - i.e. where one student has some of the information and another student the rest and, only by speaking to each other can they complete the task. However, this simple transference of information only replicates a small part of what speaking in real life is used for.

Role-plays are another favourite classroom activity designed to get students speaking, but these often focus on creating scenarios or situations where students practise functional language such as giving directions, asking for information, etc. Although this is realistic, it is still often on a level of one student having information that another student doesn't. In real life, we often speak about something when we both, or all, share a lot of the same information. This can take the form of a discussion or a debate where we have opinions, but it can also take the shape of a discussion based on having to solve a problem. In this article, we'll take a closer look at problem-solving speaking activities.

What are problem-solving activities like?

There are a number of types of problem solving activities. For the sake of simplicity I'll split them into three types:

1. The opinion problem-solving activity.

In this type of activity students are given information to discuss where there is not necessarily one right or wrong answer. This type of activity differs from a normal discussion in that there is a built-in problem within the information.

You and three friends rowed out to a small island in the middle of a lake. When you landed you forgot to tie the boat up properly and it has drifted away. Night is now approaching. It is 3km back to the shore, but one of your friends can't swim. You do not have any food with you and you don't know if anyone knows where you are. What do you do?

Students are then expected to discuss the problem and come up with a solution. To help students you can provide a set of ideas/options for them to choose from. You can also make the activity more complicated by giving each student a 'role card' with an extra piece of information on it (that might be a problem) i.e.

There is no wood on the island so you can't build a fire. At night the temperature drops to freezing .

2. The logical thinking problem-solving activity.

In this type of problem-solving activity there is usually one correct solution. To arrive at the solution the students need to discuss information they are given and logically work out what the solution is. There are two ways in which the information can be given, either split between a number of students so that they don't have the same information and they must share it, or where they all have the same information and simply have to discuss things together. In the later version a set of questions can often help students work out the answer. (See activity 2 in the 'Practical ideas' section below for a logical thinking activity).

3.The information gap problem-solving activity.

How does this differ from a normal information gap (i.e. a pairwork information gap where one student has information that the other student doesn't)? Well, the main difference is that in a normal information gap activity it is simply a matter of transferring the information, i.e. two students have a profile of a person. Student A knows the person's age and nationality, etc. Student B then asks 'How old is he?' and fills in the missing information they obtain in the correct space, etc. In a problem-solving information gap, getting the missing information is not the ultimate aim, but merely a stepping stone on the way to solving a problem.

Why use problem-solving activities?

Apart from the fact that these kinds of activities can be a lot of fun they are also very stimulating. They usually require students to communicate information to each other where the focus is on expressing ideas and opinions and not simply repeating phrases. In many ways, problem-solving activities replicate 'real' speaking in that people have a need to speak. Problem-solving activities can also be an effective way of practising language items that have been taught, i.e. both grammar and vocabulary. They are also a great way of developing students' cognitive abilities helping them to process language in a meaningful way.

Are there any disadvantages to problem-solving activities?

Yes, there are. One of the major problems is that stronger students often dominate the discussions, taking over and giving the less able students little opportunity to contribute. Often, this is due to the need for one person to organize and collate information and ideas. One way around this is to give certain students specific tasks, i.e. someone to 'chair' the discussion, someone to make sure everyone has a turn, etc.

Another disadvantage of this type of activity is that students may become frustrated when trying to solve the problem and, especially if they don't have the language skills in English, will switch to their L1. To avoid this it is important that you, the teacher, consider what language they are likely to need in order to complete the task and to pre-teach any necessary phrases, expressions or vocabulary you think they do not possess. Remember, using a problem-solving activity is not the main focus of your lesson/teaching but simply a way in providing students with a forum for using the language they have learnt.

How do you set up a problem-solving activity?

As with other speaking activities, how you set up the activity will often be the difference between a successful activity and one that doesn't work. The first thing to consider is whether the activity uses the language you want the students to practise. If not, then ask yourself why exactly you are using it. Then, it is important to look at the language that is needed and make sure that you pre-teach any new language before they start the activity. This will help the activity run smoothly with the focus being on solving the problem rather than working out the meaning of any new language. Finally, think about whether you want students to work alone to begin with and then discuss the problem with other students or whether you will start with pair or groupwork. Whenever you decide to use pair or groupwork think about who you get to work together so that there is a balance in each group.

What should I do after the activity?

Just as with roleplays, don't just move onto a different activity. If you move on immediately after the activity and don't at least discuss what happened, then students will often lose interest in problem-solving activities, or at least won't benefit to the full. There needs to be an obvious outcome and a rounding-up of the activity. Opening up the activity to a class discussion where you compare solutions is an obvious follow-up. It is also important that during the activity you note down any mistakes students made with the language and think about how you will tackle these either after the activity or in a subsequent lesson.

Some practical ideas

An opinion problem-solving activity

Here I am going to use the idea I mentioned earlier but give a few variations to show how it can be run in a number of different ways.

Variation 1

Put students in groups of 3-5 and give each group a copy (or copies) of the following handout:

Ask students to talk to each other and make a list of possible solutions. Ask them to also think about what problems they might face/encounter with each solution. i.e. If they stay on the island, where will they sleep and what will they eat? What if there is no food on the island? etc.

Variation 2

Give the students the same handout, but also give them the following options (either as part of the handout or written on the board).

• One of you swims to the shore to get help.
• Try and make a fire on the island to attract attention.
• Find somewhere to sleep for the night and then try and get off in the morning.
• Look for the boat and get one person to try and swim to it and bring it back.
• All swim back to the shore taking it in turns to help the person who can't swim.

Variation 3

Give the students the same handout, but also give each one a role card with extra information. i.e.

  A logical thinking problem-solving activity

A new teacher starts working at school. In her class there are a set of triplets, Ana, Bryan and Carl. Unfortunately, the teacher can't remember which one is which, but she has some notes about the three kids.

She knows that two of the triplets are boys and one is a girl.

Carl, one of the boys, is always calm and patient.

• One of the triplets likes playing football and he has a tattoo on his arm.

One of the triplets has red hair, one brown and one blonde.

• The triplet who doesn't get angry easily has short blonde hair.

The triplet with red hair has an earring and she likes to sing.

The triplet who has a tattoo gets angry easily.

Can she work out who is who?

Students should be able to work out the answer simply with the information provided, but, if you want to help them you could also give them a set of questions to answer. e.g.

• Should the teacher have known which triplet was Ana? Why?
• Which triplet likes to sing? How do you know?
• What colour is Ana's hair?
• What else do you know about Ana?
• What kind of person is Carl?
• Does he have a tattoo?
• How do you know?
• What colour is Carl's hair?
• Does Carl like football?
• Which triplet likes football?

These questions guide students through step-by-step, enabling them to work out the answer.

An information gap problem-solving activity

A simple example of this would be to use the same worksheet as above but cut the information about the triplets into strips, put students in small groups and give each student one or two strips. Tell students they have the information between them but that they must not show their information to the other students in their group.

A new teacher starts working at school. In her class there are a set of triplets, Ana, Bryan and Carl. Unfortunately, the teacher can’t remember which one is which, but she has some notes about the three kids. Can she work out who is who?

One of the triplets likes playing football and he has a tattoo on his arm

The triplet who doesn’t get angry easily has short blonde hair.

• British English

Speaking matters: Developing fluency

Speaking matters: developing and dealing with accuracy, speaking matters: assessing speaking, speaking matters: personalization, speaking matters: role-play.

Speaking matters: Pairwork

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Pronunciation skills with Adrian Underhill: Overcoming common pronunciation challenges

By Adrian Underhill

In the last article in this series, ELT pronunciation expert Adrian Underhill looks at how to overcome common pronunciation problems.

Pronunciation skills: Consonants – consciously rediscovering the ON and OFF voice buttons

In his latest article, ELT pronunciation expert Adrian Underhill looks at consonants and how consciously rediscoving the ON and OFF voice buttons can benefit both your teaching and your students’ learning.

Pronunciation skills: Minimal pairs /θ/ and /ð/

In this video, Adrian looks at the minimal pairand and /θ/ and /ð/ and shows us how to make each sound in a simple and effective way while giving advice on how to gain control of the physicality needed to produce each sound.

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• Functional Language
• Games and Role Plays

Talking about problems and solutions

LESSON OVERVIEW

In this lesson plan students will do a lot of different activities and learn words and expressions for talking about problems and solutions .

TALKING ABOUT PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

First, students have to do a short warm-up which involves discussing questions about everyday problems we might experience with different devices as well as their attitude towards solving such problems. Next, students move to the first vocabulary exercise. They have to match sentence halves to create expressions used for talking about problems . After that, they read six dialogues between people who face some problems and those who might help to solve them. Their task is to find in the dialogues: three verbs that mean ‘solve’, three ways to ask for help, three ways to ask about a problem, and four ways to suggest a solution. They also need to discuss whether the problems described in the dialogues have ever happened to them and what they did to solve them.

PRACTICE: WRITING + ROLE PLAY

To practise the words and phrases students have just learnt, they get one writing task and a role play activity . First, they need to look at the photo given and discuss what the problem might be and who could help them to solve it. Then, they write a short dialogue connected with the photo. Remind them to use words and phrases from the previous exercises. Finally, the lesson ends with a role-play. To let students practise the expressions for talking about problems and solutions , we prepared four scenarios . Choose whichever you find appropriate for your students or do all of them as they involve different day-to-day situations. Make students work in pairs, give them a card with a role to play and prepare to have a conversation with their partners.

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Hi everyone,

I really like this lesson plan and have used it several times with different groups. They tend to get quite engaged when it comes to the role play part.

There’s just one little issue: In my lesson today I noticed that the links to Situation 4 for the role playing exercise do not lead anywhere. It looks as though the slides have been deleted. Would be fantastic, if you could sort that out.

Thank you! Sina

Hi Sina! Thank you so much for your feedback! Awesome to hear that the lesson is useful 🙂 We’ve just checked the issue and it seems that everything works fine on our end. Please, write to us on our chat or email us so that we can help you sort it out!

fabulous lesson, thanks.

An excellent practical English lesson, my students love those!! Thanks a lot!

Thanks! Happy to hear that 🙂

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Problem solving speaking activity

Students work in pairs or small groups trying to find solutions to 5 different problems. It is a good opportunity to practice the second conditional ( I would…, If I were in this situation …), modal verbs    ( should, might, mustn’t etc.) and negotiating (agreeing/disagreeing/expressing your opinion/asking about your partner’s opinion).

To practice agreeing and disagreeing please see Problem Solving Part 2 ,  School Problems ,  Moral Dilemmas , Workplace Dilemmas  and Parental Decisions activities.

Personal Experience

I have used this activity both with adult and teenage students, levels intermediate – advanced. It works well as a warm-up (giving the students just one problem) to a regular class, and may also be used during conversation classes (takes around 20 mins.) Make sure to allow some time for the groups to present and compare their ideas at the end of class.

Problem Solving

I am teaching a fifth semester, Modern Languages Program, course at the university level and I found these activities are excellent to have my students speak more and more fluently. Thanks so much for posting them.

Wonderful news, Jhon! I’m so glad to hear my ideas worked out with your students as well.

I would like to take the time and THANK YOU for the ideas and for sharing this material. I am going to use it for sure. I work with teenagers who need to practice the language a lot and when given the proper topic, get engaged in a good discussion. I find your material very useful. Thanks!

• Pingback: Problem solving speaking activity: part 2

I just discovered your website, it’s amazing. Thanks so much for sharing !

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Lesson Plans Digger

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Tag: problem solving

Another desert island task.

Saw this shared on facebook and just had to repost it, should cause some interesting debates.

Desert Island Problem Solving Speaking Activity

Follow me on twitter  @ RobbioDobbio

Before you use these materials… We’ve created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. We have released 5 episodes so far and you can download teacher’s notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉

https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/

Task handout:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!503&authkey=!ABjaGRY8sNM-iRU

Language handout:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!504&authkey=!AICWqGyfQ2DTrCE

It’s an old classic but as they say, the old ones are the best!

Warm up questions

What’s the most remote place you’ve ever visited?

Did you spend the night there?

Do you like camping?

Have you ever slept under the stars?

Would you consider it?

What’s the most dangerous natural environment you’ve been in? Jungle? Desert?

What things do you always take with you on holiday?

Give out desert island and language handouts and explain the situation.

You have been selected to take part in a social experiment. You and your group will be taken to a desert island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You will have to survive there for a year without contact with the outside world. The island has:

• Fresh water
• Banana trees
• Coconut palms

The climate is mild (not too hot, not too cold) first individually make a list of 8-10 things you think you will need to survive. Then, as a group you will have to decide on 8 things, list them in order of importance.

Students think of their own personal lists first.

In groups they first list all the possible problems they will encounter, then decide on a list of items that will help with these problems.

Students present their lists to class explaining their decisions.

Students must go into more depth about how their island will work.

Students must decide on:

• Roles and responsibilities
• Division of labour
• Justice / punishment / laws /rules
• Decision making

Students present their system to the class, other groups can ask questions.

We’re definitely going to need ________________

__________________ will be vital / essential / extremely useful / completely useless / a waste of space

I can’t live without ____________________

Making Suggestions

I think we should……………….

I reckon we ought to…………………

Why don’t we………………………..

How about / what about + gerund………………………….

Agreeing / Disagreeing

The €100,000 question, conversation topic

Put your students in groups of 3 and ask them the following question:

What would you do with €100,000?

Give them 2 minutes to share their ideas, then have them report each other’s answers to the class. (each person reports someone else from their group’s answer)

Did anyone give it to charity?

Give out the following handout:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!452&authkey=!AB2H6x3IinOC6wE

In their groups students discuss the problem and then present their ideas to the class.

As a wrap up ask the students which suggestions they thought were the best, see if they can come to an agreement as a class on how to give the money away.

A long lost aunt that you didn’t know you had has recently passed away. In her will she left your group €100,000 with a note saying it should be given away to “make the world a better place.” Decide in your groups who you are going to give it to.

I think we should……………….

I reckon we ought to…………………

Why don’t we………………………..

How about / what about + gerund………………………….

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79 Problem-Based Lesson Plan Template

Problem-based lesson plan template.

For additional information on Problem-based instruction, please visit our Teaching Strategies page of the MNSU Instructional Design Services .  In order to implement a problem-based instruction lesson in your classroom, there are a few planning steps to consider.  Fill in the blanks with your lesson-specific information in order to plan your problem-based lesson.

1. Develop clear and measurable learning objectives (including cognitive and behavioral objectives) – based on Bloom’s Taxonomy

• Students will be able to {verb} {noun}.

Ex: Students will demonstrate the methods of organismal biologists, including observation, phylogenetics, experimentation, and form/function studies.

2. Identify the learning resources students will need to access at home before coming to class.  These resources are generally what you would normally do in a traditional lecture format class (lecture, videos, etc)

• Reading materials
• Watch instructional video xxx (name of the video) for xx minutes http://www …
• Exercise on worksheets, if any
• Suggest other learning resources

Ex:  Before class on Thursday, please watch instructional video #1.

Learning Resources my lesson will include:

• __________________________________

Technology Resources I will need to create the pre-class learning resources:

3. Prepare the real-world, contextual problem that students will use to explore the content.  You can either create a problem or select one from an existing problem bank.  Follow the guidelines below for both selecting and creating a problem.

Garner’s (2010) suggested PBL problem elements:

• The topic of concern captures the attention and interest of participating students.
• Students are required to make judgments and decisions by analyzing a variety of options in choosing their best course of action.
• The proposed problem has a level of complexity that involves all team members in the data gathering and decision-making phases.
• Questions are open-ended and invite group members to participate.
• There is a direct connection between the PBL scenario and course learning outcomes.

Students should be able to answer the following four questions when working towards a problem solution:

• What do I know (about the problem or issue)
• What do I need to know to solve it?
• How do I get that information?
• How do I apply that information to determine a solution?

You can also use created problems from resources like the University of Delaware’s PBL Clearninghouse

My problem:

Ex: (From A Principles of Organismal Biology course)

200,000 people applied to be a part of the Mars colonization project. The 40 candidates that were selected have asked you, a biologist, to describe for them what plant or animal life might exist on Mars or what life might exist on Mars eventually through colonization, adaptation, and mutation. Based on your knowledge of Earth biology, what might a Mars plant or animal look like? How could you prepare the colonist for creatures or life they might encounter?

4. Define the procedures for in-Class problem analysis that your students will be completing. Let students know if they need to bring or prepare anything before class.   The idea is to create an active learning environment where students interact with the content and the instructor acts as a guide.   Activities should scaffold the students into the problem solution.

• Establish ground rules for participation
• Assign discussion groups or roles in the problem-solving process
• Students define facts and significant information surrounding the problem
• Pose challenging questions to further discussion
• Students define objectives and possible solutions

Activities students will complete analyzing the problem:

Technology Resources my students will need to complete the analysis:

Ex: Create a graphic organizer of your choice (graphic, infographic, flyer, blog, etc) that  illustrates the lineages of life. Categorize them by one of the following: their biodiversity, anatomy, physiology, development, behavior, biogeography, fossil record,  or ecology.  Then hypothesize how the lineage might be extended to include extraterrestrial life and add those branches to your organizer.

5. Identify any post-analysis activities that your students will be completing.

• Shift context – students see problem or solution from another point of view
• Follow up discussion
• Shift time frame – “what’s next?”, “How could this situation be different?”

Activities students will complete post-analysis:

Technology Resources my students will need to complete the post-analysis activities:

Ex: Write a counterargument to your problem solution.  Take the side of those who might not agree with your conclusions.  What alternatives or arguments against your theories exist?

• Create the assessments that you will use for determining students’ mastery of the learning objectives.
• Formative/Summative
• Challenging questions
• Interactive quizzes
• Problem solution presentations

Ex: Using what you have learned in this class, present and describe a lifeform colonist might encounter in the Martian environment. Visuals, such as a drawing, would be useful to help the colonists identify possible lifeforms. Use the scientific method to present your lifeform hypothesis.

Assessment(s) I will use in my problem-based lesson:

Technology Resources my students will need to complete the assessment(s):

7. Verify that your assessments and activities align to the learning objectives.  Do they allow your students to demonstrate that they have achieved the learning objectives?

Maverick Learning and Educational Applied Research Nexus Copyright © 2021 by Minnesota State University, Mankato is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Problem solving

Problem solving lesson plan

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Choose to download one or more individual resources

Problem Solving: Lesson plan

Problem solving: Presentation slides

Demonstrating your skills quick fire activity

Problem solving in practice: Interactive worksheet

Our problem solving content focuses on one of these skills and develops understanding of the six stages of problem solving, as well as identifying different types of situations in which young people might already be using these skills. Furthermore, it encourages them to use an adaptive approach, explaining that different types of problems can be approached in different ways.

The activities on this page support your teaching of these skills through an independent activity, quick activities or a full length, curriculum-linked lesson plan. 

Teaching resources:

• Problem solving: Lesson plan and presentation slides – full lesson plan including icebreaker for use with a group of students in the classroom
• Demonstrating your skills: Quick-fire activity  – 10 minute activity for a group of students in the classroom, can be used as an icebreaker for the lesson plan
• Problem solving in practice: Interactive worksheet – activity for independent learning whether remote or in class

Lesson plan

(60 -75 minutes)

This lesson is designed to equip young people with an adaptable approach to solving problems, large or small. It includes a short film and scenarios that encourage development of practical problem solving skills which can be useful for learning, day to day life, and when in employment.

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify problems of different scales and what is needed to solve them
• Illustrate the use of an adaptable approach to solving problems
• Understand that problem solving is a core transferable skill and identify its usefulness in a work setting
• Work on a problem solving activity in a team

The lesson aims to reinforce students’ understanding of the potential future applications of this skill as they move into the world of work, particularly in an activity differentiated for an older or more able group on creating new opportunities.

Quick-fire activity

(5 - 10 minutes)

The demonstrating your skills quick-fire activity focuses on helping young people understand the key skills that are needed in the workplace, including the importance of problem solving.

Students will be asked to name the skills being demonstrated in a variety of scenarios, and identify ways they’re already using those skills in this short activity.

You might find it useful as a starter or icebreaker activity to begin a lesson, or at the end to allow students to put what they have just learnt in the Problem solving lesson into practice.

Interactive worksheet

(20 - 25 minutes)

Please note that students below the age of 14 cannot sign up for their own LifeSkills account. Any independent tasks must be printed or downloaded and provided digitally for them to complete as they are currently hosted on educator pages.

The Problem solving in practice interactive worksheet introduces some of the themes from the full lesson plan and gives students some practical strategies for problem solving, including introducing the six stages of problem solving. The worksheet can be printed or completed digitally, so can be used flexibly to give students practise putting their problem solving skills into action. You might choose to assign it:

• As homework following the Problem solving lesson
• For independent study
• For remote learning

Looking for more ways to boost self confidence with LifeSkills?

Other lessons that may prove useful for students to build on these activities include the  Adaptability  and  Innovation and idea generation  lessons. Alternatively, consider encouraging them to apply their skills through  Steps to starting a business  or the  Social action toolkit .

Why not build problem solving in as a focus in your students’ wider curriculum? Refer to our  Content guide to find out how this resources can be used as part of your teaching.

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Why not try one of these next?

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Staying positive and learning through experience are key to succeeding in challenging situations. Try this lesson and help your students succeed at work.

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ESL Worksheets for Teachers

Check out our selection of worksheets filed under topic: problems at work. use the search filters on the left to refine your search..

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Customised lessons

Worksheet type

Advanced (C1-C2)

This lesson looks at the issue of Ageism in the workplace. Students will read an article and listen to a conversation focusing on the issue. Exercises look at related vocabulary, reading and listening skills and offer students an opportunity to discuss issues relating to the topic.

Note: this lesson can take 60-90 mins.

by Joe Wilson

Intermediate (B1-B2)

A breaking news lesson about Portugal’s recent move to make it illegal for employers to contact workers after working hours, with a news report about the new law and an article offering the opinions of four employees on their work situation. Students will learn related vocabulary, practise reading and listening skills and reinforce their new vocabulary with conversation practice.

by David J. Marriott

This worksheet centres around a video about the problems with people who are over-friendly. Exercises look at related vocabulary, and students will be given the opportunity to interact with the script, do listening and reading comprehension tasks, as well as discuss the issues raised in the video.

Linguahouse.com is in no way affiliated with, authorized, maintained, sponsored or endorsed by TED Conferences LLC.

This lesson focuses on the recent reports of companies having multiple interviews for the hiring process. There is a listening exercise based around a job interview and reading exercises around an article which reports on the phenomenon. Students will have an opportunity to discuss job interviews and look at related vocabulary.

Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

This ESP worksheet presents a list of discussion questions designed to encourage vets to talk at length about their profession.

This ESP worksheet presents a list of discussion questions designed to encourage hotel managers to talk at length about their profession.

Students watch a short news report about a ship that became stuck in the Suez Canal. The lesson focuses on listening and reading comprehension and vocabulary development. The lesson concludes with discussion questions followed by a "what did they say?" activity.

by Stephanie Hirschman

This lesson will centre around a video which discusses the problems with miscommunication and how to avoid it. Students will work on vocabulary from the video, looking at synonyms, definitions and using the words in context. Students will also engage in comprehension questions and discussion related to the topic.

In this lesson, students will watch a Reuters video about Polish Highlanders protesting the government lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will look at vocabulary from the video: looking at pronunciation, words forms, and usage. They will answer comprehension questions about the video and react to different viewpoints around the controversial topic of lockdown.

In this lesson, students will read a text about why people who are working from home should still call in sick if they are not feeling well. Students will look at verb + noun/adjective collocations and work on vocabulary related to the text. The discussion will centre around the difference in sick leave in different countries and the sick leave policies in the students’ own companies.

Students watch a report about the humorous and embarrassing mistakes commonly made by workers attending online meetings for the first time. The worksheet focuses on listening comprehension, discussion and vocabulary related to the topics of technical difficulties and other remote working problems.

Students read an article about working and commuting. The worksheet focuses on reading comprehension, vocabulary development and discussion.

By Stephanie Hirschman

Elementary (A1-A2)

The theme of this elementary+ lesson plan is work-related problems. Activities cover office, company and personal work problems. The worksheet ends with a dialogue-based exercise in which students listen to two colleagues trying to fix a printer problem.

Students read an article about the things that people find most annoying in the office in this lesson plan. Activities focus on understanding the text, plus key words and phrases. The lesson ends with an activity for students to discuss the article.

In this lesson, students learn words and phrases related to leadership and being a manager. Students read an article about what makes a good manager and practise vocabulary for positive and negative leadership qualities. They also learn management verbs and discuss what being a manager is like.

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