Back to Lessons & games for ESL teachers

 

 

Courtesy of

EVA HOMOLOVA

ESL/EFL Teacher Trainer

homolova@fhv.umb.sk

 

Warm Up Activities using Authentic Materials (Part 1 of 5)

ESL lesson using job advertisements (14-18 years)

 

Go to Introduction

 

 

Create new words:

 

 Language and skills

vocabulary, spelling, combining letters into known words

 

 

 Level

beginners / intermediate / advanced

 

 

 Time

2 minutes and more (depends on teacher and learners)

 

 

 Materials

paper and pen (dictionary for checking spelling)

 

 

 Preparation

none

 

Procedure  Pair, group or individual work. The learners should write as many words as they can using letters in the words JOB ADVERTISEMENT. They can use fewer letters but not more. Examples: men, read, red, advent, tea, a, an, the, tear etc.

 

The teacher can decide on categories such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and learners have to write words that fall into the category or the topic is given such as PROFESSION, HOBBIES, TRAVELLING etc. and learners should write words that would fall under the topic label.

 

 

Fill in words:

 

 Language and skills

topic related vocabulary, spelling, dictionary work

 

 

 Level

intermediate / advanced

 

 

 Time

3 minutes and more

 

 

 Materials

paper, pen, dictionaries

 

Procedure: Individual/pair or group work.

 

The teacher writes words job advertisement on the blackboard like this:

 

J

O

B

 

Apply (an example)

D

V

Experience (an example)

R

T

I

S

E

M

E

N

T

 

These letters are initial letters of words learners must write. Less advanced learners can write any words, for advanced learners teacher can state the topic area such as JOBS (examples given), INTERESTS, ENVIRONMENT. In case the teacher uses this activity as a warm up activity for the lesson that aims at making use of job advertisements in developing language and skills, such areas as WORK, PROFESSION, WORK PLACE are strongly recommended.

 

The learners can check their words with each other or in dictionaries. This activity can be organized as a competition with a time limit.

 

 

Jobs around us:

 

 Language and skills

thematic vocabulary, spelling, dictionary work

 

 

 Level

pre-intermediate / intermediate / advanced

 

 

 Time

5 minutes and more

 

 

 Materials

paper and pen (dictionary for checking spelling)

 

 

 Preparation

none

 

Procedure: Individual work leading to class work. The teacher writes the alphabet in a column on the blackboard. The learners must use every letter as an initial letter of a job. If necessary the teacher can deliberately omit letters which are not initial letters of any job. Less advanced learners can use dictionaries, for advanced learners a time limit can be set.

 

Example: Accountant, Businessman, Correspondent, Designer, etc.

 

In the feedback stage a complete list of jobs can be written on the blackboard.

 

 

Who is this job for?

 

 Language and skills

scanning / answering questions

 

 

 Level

pre-intermediate / intermediate

 

 

 Time

10 minutes 

 

 

 Materials

copies of several adverts

 

 

 Preparation

questions written on the blackboard or transparency

 

Procedure: Learners work in pair and skim job adverts to find answers to the following question:

 

Which job would be suitable for someone who:

  • Enjoys traveling?

  • Has business experience and wants responsibility?

  • Can't work during the day?

  • Has got telephone skills?

  • Can't work in the evenings or at weekend?

In the feedback session learners justify their ideas by forming statements such as:

 

Sales representative is a good job for someone who likes traveling.

 

 

 

Click here to return to Introduction or to go to any of the 4 other lessons:

 

2. Teaching Reading

3. Teaching Vocabulary and Grammar

4. Teaching Writing

5. Teaching Communication

 

 

Copyright 2004 Eva Homolova

 

 

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