8

Looking for work

Curriculum Coverage
Listening and speaking

Listen for general meaning in conversations about work

Listen for detail in explanations about job vacancies
Listen for main points to get key information about jobs
Ask for and give information about job vacancies
Ask for and give information about jobs

Reading and writing

Read and find information in job advertisements

Understand main points in an article on body language
Read forms for job applications
Write additional information on an application form
Fill in forms for job applications and work experience

Key functions

Describing jobs and duties

Using the telephone
Giving personal information
Making requests
Describing self and others
Asking for clarification and explanation

Key grammar

88

Review and practise tenses

Phrasal verbs
Discourse skills ordering ideas
Can and could for requests

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

Skills
L2/E2.1b, 1c, 1d, 2d, 6c
Lr/E2.2b, 6c
Lr/E2.3c
Sc/E2.2a, 2d, 4a
Sc/E2.1a, 1b, 3a, 3b, 3c; Sd/E2.1b

Skills
Rt/E2.2a
Rt/E2.1b
Rw/E2.1a, 2a, 4a
Wt/E2.1b Ww/E2.1a
Wt/E2.1a, 1b Ww/E2.2a

Resources to support the unit

Audio play and recording cassettes (teachers

own)
Dictionaries for class
ESOL core curriculum. Check each curriculum
reference for ideas for presentation
Cards with job names and definitions (teachers
own)
Cards with job names for 20 Questions
(teachers own)
Cards with recruitment words and definitions
(teachers own)
Selection of job advertisements from magazines
and newspapers (teachers own)
Role-play card for telephone role plays (teachers
own)
Application form to photocopy (teachers own)
Access to computers and Internet if possible

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

89

Page 1
Looking for work

Differentiation

To introduce the theme and content of the unit

and set and discuss learning objectives.

Task

Use the pictures to elicit sources of information

for job vacancies. Check vocabulary,
pronunciation and word stress. Correct and
practise chorally if needed.
Learners discuss the questions in pairs/small
groups. Whole class feedback.

Less confident work on fewer items or prepare

matching exercise with jobs on one set of cards,
definitions on another.
Some learners may need individual support to
rehearse and practise structure.
More confident learners work at own speed
through the table and add other examples.

Activity B

Listening to a radio
report

Pre-task activity

Page 2 and 3
Describing jobs

Task

Materials

Dictionaries
Audio radio report
Report cards

Activity A

Vocabulary:
job names

Rationale
To extend vocabulary for jobs; to look for words in
a dictionary; to practise verbs and prepositions for
talking about jobs; to listen for main points and
extract information from radio report; to listen for
word stress; to use correct pronunciation

Pre-task activity

Elicit some occupations the learners are familiar

with. Write them up on the board or on cards.
Elicit what they do and write up with target
vocabulary. ie deals with, looks after etc, e.g. A
child-minder looks after children. A cashier deals
with money.
Ask learners how many of the jobs in the
pictures they know. Check pronunciation.
Elicit 1 or 2 examples of what they do and
practise using the target vocabulary, e.g. work
in, deals with, look after.

Task

90

Teachers Notes Unit 8

In small groups, learners choose five jobs of any

kind that they like, and five they don't. Each
group reports to whole class.
Play the audio for task 2, asking learners to listen
for job titles and to complete the table.
If necessary, play through again, pausing after
each job is mentioned. Learners fill in table and
compare the result from the report with the
group's previous results. Give out dictionaries for
task 4. Learners can tick names they know and
look up any they dont know in a dictionary.
Write accountant on board as an example to
teach syllables. Say the word and elicit the
number of syllables (3). Tap it out to clarify. Do
the same for other jobs, e.g. chef (1), teacher (2).
Play audio for task 5 and ask learners to count
and mark number of syllables.
Go back to example on board accountant
and say the word, emphasising the stressed
syllable. Then mark it.
Play audio again and set learners to mark
stressed syllables in task 6.

Differentiation

Less confident learners listen to audio again.

Prepare matching exercise with jobs on one set
of cards, definitions on another.
Focus on stress in more familiar words.

Extension

Learners complete task in pairs, using

dictionaries if required.
Get feedback.
Focus on prepositions, e.g. work for +
organistion/company; work with + people.
ESOL E2

Elicit some examples from learners of jobs they

like and don't like.

Play 20 questions as whole group or in teams.

One person chooses or is given an occupation,
the others can ask 20 yes/no questions to guess
what the job is, e.g. Do you work outside? Do you
work with children? Do you help people? Are you a
nurse?

Page 4
How a company gets new
staff

Task

Materials

Audio Explaining your job

Cards with recruitment words and definitions

Rationale
To understand the short-listing procedure; to
practise listening for gist and detail; to practise
describing an office procedure for using time
markers to show sequence

Activity A

Listening:
explaining your job

Extension

Vocabulary

Task

Ask how many learners work/have worked in an

office.
Elicit various types of jobs people do in offices,
e.g. receptionist, manager, etc.
Draw attention to photo. Elicit what learners
think these people do, e.g. Who is the manager?
Who is the assistant?
Introduce some key lexis: company, companies,
recruit, stockroom, application form, short-list,
applicant.

Learners role-play the conversation.

Activity C

Pre-task activity

Point out that these are the steps in the

procedure from the audio for Activity A.
Go through them with the learners, checking
vocabulary. Ask the learners to practise them
with the correct intonation.
Play the audio again, pausing to focus so the
learners can hear the sequence markers.
Learners can then work in pairs to explain the
steps to each other, using the sequencing markers.

Learners work in pairs with the audio script to

complete the activity using new vocabulary and
dictionaries.

Extension

Give out cards with recruitment vocabulary from

the audio script and definitions.
Learners match the words and definitions.
Learners choose words from the audio script and
prepare their own definitions. They read out the
definitions and other learners guess what the
word is.

Task

Play audio through once and ask some general

gist questions, e.g. What does Bill Martyn do?
Play the audio again and stop it at the right
places so that the learners can fill in the blanks.

Materials

Differentiation

Some learners may find it useful to read a

gapped version of the script.
Learners write the new vocabulary with a
definition, possibly in their first language.

Activity B

Speaking: focus
on time markers

Pre-task activity

Page 5
Job vacancies

Demonstrate the importance of sequence by

giving some simple instructions first without the
sequence markers and then with sequence
markers , e.g. crosssing the road Look right
look left and then cross the road.
Elicit other examples from the learners

Job adverts from newspapers and magazines

Rationale
To obtain information; to explore the conventions
of job advertisements, e.g. abbreviations

Activity A

Reading advertisements
for jobs

Pre-task activity

Recap on where you find job vacancies

magazines, newspapers, Internet. Discuss
how/where to get copies, for example, library,
and newsagents.
Explain three forms of the word advertisement
full form advert, ad.

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

91

Look through a range of ads learners identify

different abbreviations list and elicit full
word/meaning.

Task

Do tasks 1 and 2 as a whole group exercise.

Write up answers on board or OHT.
Discuss answers with the class and reach
agreement.
Learners complete the table in task 3 in pairs.

Differentiation

Extension and differentiation

Discuss different ways of recording new lexis

including abbreviations and their full forms.
Learners record the new words they have
learned so far in this unit, e.g. on a word web.

Extension
Learners work in groups with 4 or 5 job ads from a
local newspaper. Ask them to complete a similar
table to task 3. They then report back on the job.

Materials

To practise modals can and could; to practise asking

questions with attention to phonology and
intonation; to practise phoning and asking and
giving information about jobs

Activity A

Listening: asking
questions about a job
advertisement

Pre-task activity

Establish situation to elicit Can I, Could I/you.

Write up some examples on board, e.g. Could
you give me directions to the supermarket? Can I
have your telephone number? Can you pass me
that pen? Could you open the door?
Elicit some more examples.

Task

92

Learners work in pairs/small groups to think of

topics for questions, and then form the
questions.
ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

Discuss the role of the person answering the

call. S/he may pass on the call to another
department or take it. You need to know this
before you start asking questions about the job.
In some cases people phoning may find a
recorded message, which asks for personal
details so that they can send an application form
and further details.

Task

Rationale

Listening: answering
questions about job
advertisements

Pre-task activity

Page 6 and 7
Phoning about a job
Completed table from previous page.
Audio Asking questions about a job.
Role cards for telephone practice.

Learners with less developed literacy have a

copy of the audio script and work on the task
through listening and repeating.
Other learners use the written prompts in the
learners material.

Activity B

Play audio for task 2 through once, pausing to

check the learners' ideas.
Play again, pausing to focus on what Vanessa
says.
Learners use the written prompts in the learners
material to practise Vanessa's role, paying
attention to stress and intonation.

Play the audio, pausing to discuss answers to

questions in task 1.
Play the audio for task 2, pausing to focus on
what the person answering the phone says.
Learners work in pairs to practise a version of
the phone call.

Differentiation

For less confident learners, reconstruct the

original phone call repeating phrases straight
after the voice on the tape.

Extension

Teacher provides role cards. In pairs learners

practise phoning in response to other
advertisements.
Some learners could role-play a call where the
switchboard operator passes on the call to
Personnel or Human Resources or the
Recruitment section.
Learners could prepare and practise leaving
details on a pre-recorded answer phone
message.

Page 8
Completing a job application
Activity A

Reading:
understanding forms

Materials

Photocopiable resource an application form

Learners can complete the Information about

applicant form in block capitals and in Caps and
lower case. They complete the form and then
compare answers in pairs.
The most confident learners can work with a
partner, ask each other the relevant questions
and complete the Information about applicant
form with their partners details.

Rationale
To work on the conventions of application forms

Pre-task

Copy and show them the whole application

form and explain that they will work on it bit by
bit.
Ask what forms learners have had to fill in.
Elicit/discuss main headings on forms. Recap on
the word title and the meaning of the various
titles given.
Discuss how forms ask for the same information
in different ways using different words, e.g. job
and post.
Write up your title and name and check that
they can respond to the different instructions.

Tasks

Page 9
Employment experience
Activity A
Rationale
To use the present simple to talk about jobs and
duties

Pre-task activity

Check the instruction words: Print and Delete on

form 1; block capitals and Please specify and Tick
as appropriate on form 2.
Learners work individually or in pairs to answer
the questions in task 2. Check the answers as a
group.

Writing: filling in forms

Task

Review capitals and lower case, with examples

for when learners write down their personal
details in Activity B.
Whole class feedback on different ways forms
ask for the same information.

Differentiation

Learners with less developed literacy skills need

practice forming letters of the correct size and
putting them in the best place on the
Information about applicant form.
To check vocabulary put words on cards and
pair those that mean the same thing e.g. first
name, forename, post, position.

Use your job to make the distinction between

what the job is and what the duties are. Give an
example of one of your duties and then ask the
learners to come up with others.
Explain that application forms will often ask for
information about job duties in both present
and previous jobs. It is important to describe job
duties well as it shows your past employment
experience.

Task

Activity B

Vocabulary:
jobs and duties

Before learners do task 1, make sure learners

understand items ae.
Clarify that in a list of duties, the pronoun
I is not repeated and the different items are
separated by a comma; and is often used before
the final item in the list.
Learners can practise the s of the 3rd person
singular when they give their answers, e.g. A
gardener cuts the grass, keeps the flowerbeds tidy
and puts in new plants.
Set up task 3 as pair work.
Learner circulate interviewing each other.
Set a time limit and maximum number of jobs.

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

93

Page 10
Thinking about your skills

Differentiation

Less confident learners can work with fewer

exponents.

Materials
Cue cards with phrases which take a gerund e.g.
I enjoy ... , I like ... , I dont mind ... , I can ...
Im good at ... Ive got ....

Rationale
To raise awareness of the importance of evaluating
currents skills and aptitudes for getting the right
job; to focus on and practise sentence structures
with the gerund, e.g. like, enjoy, mind, be good at

Activity A

Materials

Speaking: talking about

your skills

Pre-task activity

Page 11
Application forms and
references

Ask students to think of the type of work that

they would like to do and make a list of the
useful skills they have for this type of work.
Elicit a few examples to start them off. At the
end of the activity they can go back to their list
and add other things they have thought of.

Cards with sentences like: I make jewellery. I cook

very well. I have a clean driving licence. I play the
guitar. I work in the community centre. I go the
English classes twice a week. I speak .(put in
own language). I bought a fridge last week. My
sons name is .

Rationale
To introduce learners to how to complete the
additional information space on an application form;
to introduce the idea that you have to ask someone
to be a referee and give a reference

Activity A

Writing about yourself.

Task

94

Use the speech bubbles to focus on uses of the

gerund. Ask the learners to underline examples.
Demonstrate how the gerund is used after like
and enjoy and after be good at and dont mind.
Elicit other examples. Also focus on can + verb
for ability. Point out that these verbs and phrases
are useful for talking about skills.
Drill the sentence structures using cards with
these words on them: I like ..., I enjoy ..., I dont
mind ..., I dont enjoy ..., I dont like ..., Im good
at ... , I can .... Learners choose a card and make
a sentence.
Elicit examples of other useful/hidden skills the
learners have to complete task 1, using the
target language.
Learners work individually to think about things
they are good at and enjoy and complete the
notes in the table for task 2. Circulate and give
encouragement.
For task 3 learners work in pairs. First,
demonstrate with a more confident learner. Ask
what he/she is good at, e.g. Im good at making
clothes. Then ask for an example, e.g. For,
example I make all my childrens clothes.

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

Pre-task activity

Show examples of an application form. Ask

learners to think about what to put in the
additional information space. Give out cards
with sentences like these or write them on an
OHT or the board:
I make jewellery. I cook very well. I play the guitar.
I work in the community centre. I helped in my
fathers shop. I have a clean driving licence. I go to
English classes every week. I bought a fridge last
week. I have three children. My son is at university.
I speak ... (put own language). I help at the local
youth club. I do my husbands accounts for him.
In groups learners can decide which sentences
should and shouldnt go in an additional
information space on an application form.

Task

Learners need dictionaries for task 1. Ask them

to read the text in pairs, underlining the words
they dont know and checking them in a
dictionary.
Elicit how Vanessa organises her information
chronologically, moving from past to present.

Task 2 focuses on useful adjectives for describing

personal qualities. Elicit any words the learners
know and write them on cards or on the board.
For task 3 the learners write a short paragraph
about themselves using the model for task 1
and referring back to the list of their skills for
Activity A.

Page 12
Body language Let your
body do the talking
Materials

Extension and differentiation

Listen to less confident learners talk about their

own experience and write down the main points
with gaps for them to complete a kind of
customised cloze exercise.
Others can complete this section on the full
version of the application form.

Activity B

Listening and speaking:

asking for a reference

Video of people interacting e.g. section from

TV soap, management training film (to observe
body language with sound turned down)

Activity A

Reading: comparing body

language

Rationale
To raise awareness of the concept of body
language, key features and cross cultural
implications

Pre-task activity
Pre-task activity

Pre teach references and referees. Explain the

convention of asking someone. Link with the
space on the form.
Elicit the kinds of things people write in
references. You can show them a checklist for
referees. You may be able to get an example
from an employment agency.

Task

Learners can work in pairs to choose the correct

dictionary definition for task 1.
Play the audio for task 2, pausing at different
places to ask learners to repeat and practise the
words.
Set up task 3 as pair work.
Do final round up with whole class.

Task

Differentiation

Some learners do more listening practice and

repeat actual words from the tape. Others can
do more dictionary work.

Extension

Dictionary work ask students for other

examples of English words that have many
different meaning. Case is a good example.
Point out that all the meanings offered are the
same part of speech noun, in this instance.

Introduce concept on non- verbal

communication.
Use section of video with sound turned down to
demonstrate. Learners identify different aspects
of body language facial gesture, posture,
gesture, eye-contact etc. in simple terms. Check
awareness of cross-cultural differences.

Introduce text. Learners read (or are read to

depending on confidence as readers).
Get learners to discuss tasks 2 and 3 in pairs.
They can then check their answers with other
pairs.
For task 4 learners can work in groups of 4. Aim
for cultural diversity if possible.
Each group reports back to the class to share
information.

Extension

Use video from a discussion programme, TV

soap, training video etc., to observe examples of
body language. Play video with sound down.
Use checklist to observe and note different
aspects of body language.

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

95

Organise learners into small groups of 34 (if

possible with same language) to act out short
scenarios in their own language (use prompt
cards with context e.g. group of friends
watching TV another friend comes in and
wants to watch a programme on the other
channel what happens?). They prepare and
act out silently (not voicing the words). Repeat a
second time with words. Other groups repeat
same or similar scenario in order to make crosscultural comparisons. All learners observe other
groups and note differences in features of body
language. Discuss.

Page 13
Going for an inteview
Activity A

Activity B

Pre-task activity

Learners can consider the points about interview

behaviour in groups. Whole class feedback and
revision of must/mustnt.

Extension and differentiation

Listening to an interview

Materials
Audio Listening to an interview.

Rationale

Elicit what is important at an interview. Be aware

that UK conventions are just that, and not
necessarily the best way of doing things.
Compare with different cultures and countries.
Ask questions: Is it OK to say No? Is it polite to
look the interviewer in the eye or not? etc.

Task

Speaking: what to do at
an interview

Listening for detail; to introduce a model job

interview and give learners opportunities to practise
their interview skills

Learners put points into a lists of dos and donts.

Some learners do this for another culture or
country.
Role-play an interview using prepared role cards.
Organise learners in groups of three, one being
the observer. Change roles.
Adjust task according to levels of confidence.
Provide fuller prompt cards for less confident
and give small group support in rehearsing the
conversation.

Pre-task activity

Ask learners to predict the interviewers

questions. Get them to think about what the
interviewer needs to know and why.
Give learners an idea of the usual shape of an
interview. Tell them that there will sometimes be
ice-breaking questions, such as Was your journey
all right? or Did it take you long to get here? or
Did you have any problems finding us?

Tasks

Play the audio. Listen for gist for task 1. Repeat

with learners listening for more detail and
completing true/false questions in task 2.
Listen again. Stop the tape after each question
for learners to focus on intonation and question
forms. Learners repeat questions.
Learners work in pairs to practise asking and
answering questions. Before you begin elicit
questions for each point.

Differentiation

96

For some learners, provide more practice using

the audio. For others, put more answers on the
board so that learners phrase more questions.

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

Page 14
Project
Rationale
To bring together skills practised in the unit; to
provide an opportunity to move outside the
classroom; to provide evidence of learning for the
learners portfolio, progress record and ILP review
The project will need careful setting up. See
notes on project work in the Introduction to the
Teacher's Notes.

Activity A

Find a job vacancy

at the Jobcentre

Prepare the project by contacting the Jobcentre

to establish layout, availability of and procedures
for seeing an adviser.
Consider a whole group visit if this would be
more appropriate. Alternatively consider learners
working in pairs.

Provide time in class for support in preparing for

the visit and for feedback on their findings to
the whole group.

Activity B Ask about the job vacancy

Learners can work in pairs or small groups to
develop useful questions and rehearse a possible
meeting with the adviser.

Activity C

Tell the class about the

Jobcentre and the vacancy

Learners can give a short verbal report to the class,

or for larger groups they can work in a small group,
taking turns to talk about the job and experience at
the Jobcentre.

Page 16
Mini-projects
Rationale
To encourage learners to work independently; to
practise and apply the skills and language from the
unit outside the class
Learners can select one or both of the tasks. For
more information, see the Introduction to the
Teacher's Notes.

Activity A Find out about a company

As necessary provide a list of useful website with

addresses. Encourage learners to print out
relevant pages.

Activity B Find out about a job

Page 15
Check it

Rationale
To check understanding of some of the learning
points in the unit; to identify any difficulties
individual learners may have
Learners complete the tasks in their own time
and can check their answers in the key. Make
time to check progress and give feedback and
help.

Activity A

Asking questions at
interviews

It might be useful to bring in the job section

from local newspapers to demonstrate the kind
of information the learners should look for.
After the research phase, allocate time for
learners to feedback on the task.

How am I doing?
Rationale
To encourage learners to evaluate their own
learning; to provide a record of learning for the
learners progress record
Learners record and evaluate their learning over
the course of the unit. For more information, see
the Introduction to the Teacher's Notes.

Learners choose the correct answers.

Activity B
If possible learners could record themselves.

Activity C Job names wordsearch

Learners can add the words in the wordsearch to
their vocabulary note books or create a word web
of words for jobs.

ESOL E2

Teachers Notes Unit 8

97

Pages 8,9
Completing a job application
Here is a copy of the whole application form

APPLICATION FORM
Job applied for:

PERSONAL DETAILS
Family/Surname:
First names:
Mr

Mrs

Ms

Miss

Other

Please specify:__________

Tick as appropriate

Address:

Postcode:
Day Telephone No:
E-mail address:

Evening Telephone No:

Mobile:

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
From

To

Employer

Duties

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

From

To

School/College

Qualification

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

REFERENCES:
1 Name of referee:
Position:
Organisation:
Address:

2 Name of referee:
Position:
Organisation:
Address:

Tel No:

Tel No:

DECLARATION: The information in this application is complete and correct.

Signed:

98

ESOL E2

Date:

Teachers Notes Unit 8