REEP Lesson Plan
Contributed by Linda Winings
Level: 150 – 200
Lifeskills unit: Work
Lesson Objectives: Identify good work habits
Language Skills Focus: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing
EFF Non-Language Skills:
Communication Skills: Speak so others can understand
Listen Actively
Interpersonal Skills:
Cooperate with others
Lifelong Learning Skills: Reflect and Evaluate
Estimated Time: 2 hours
Resources and Materials Needed:
Yes/No cards for all learners
Magazine pictures
Whiteboard or Blackboard with writing implements
Paper and pencil for each learner
Multiple Copies of “Evaluation Form” Handout (cut up)
Multiple slips of paper, each with 1 descriptive adjective/work habit on it
Lesson Plan
Warm-up/Review:
The class reviews previously learned opposites as follows: the teacher has written
descriptive adjectives on the board that are opposite in meaning. The words are out of
order. As the learners arrive, they are asked to draw a connecting line between the
correct two words. After all the words are connected, the class reads the words. Then the
teacher erases half of each pair of opposites and asks the learners to produce the missing
half by calling out the answers as a class. Examples may include: happy/sad; lazy/hardworking, etc.
Introduction:
Show the learners pictures of people from magazines. These should be situations in
which people appear clearly opposite in some work-related quality. An example would
be a person smiling and waving (friendly) vs. a person looking mean (unfriendly) or
someone who is sloppy vs. someone who is neat. Write the adjectives on the board
under the headings good vs. bad. Explain that learners will learn to identify good work
habits and poor work habits.
Presentation:
The teacher then demonstrates the following qualities in mime:
late
lazy
dishonest
vs. punctual
vs. hardworking
vs. honest
unreliable
sloppy
dirty
unfriendly
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
reliable
neat
clean
friendly
The teacher should try to elicit the opposite in each pair from the learners before writing
them on the board. Encourage the learners to contribute their own ideas for work-related
opposites.
Next, have the learners respond with Yes/No cards as the teacher mimes the qualities
again, for example: the teacher writes on the board “appointment 10:00 a.m.”. Then the
teacher looks at his/her watch and says (with eyes wide, acting upset) “Oh no, it’s 10:30!
The teacher then asks, “Am I punctual?” The learners hold up their “No” card.
Explain that “Good work habits” may also be called “strengths” and “Poor work habits”
may be called “weaknesses”. Tell them an employer will evaluate an employee on these
work habits. If an employee has many good work habits or strengths, the employee will
be rated “excellent” on an evaluation. If the employee has many poor work habits or
weaknesses, the employee will be rated “poor”. An “okay” rating is in between.
Practice #1:
Each learner draws a slip of paper with a work habit listed on it. The learners take turns
role-playing the various work habits before the class. The other learners guess what they
are acting out. For each learner, ask: “Is this a good or poor work habit?” Write the
answers on the board under the headings labeled “Good work habits” or “Poor work
habits” as appropriate. Afterwards, write on the board, sentences such as, “He is
_________”, “She is __________”, “You are __________ ” , “I am _______”. Fill in
different qualities. Have the learners listen and repeat, then read it on their own as a
class.
Practice #2:
Give each learner an Evaluation Form. Ask them to read it. Then, they circle the
strengths and underline the weaknesses of each employee. Next, they fill in the table
(each employee in a horizontal row). They should rate each employee as “poor”, “okay”,
or “excellent”.
Application:
Learners are paired off and create an evaluation for a “pretend” employee. Together, the
partners select a pretend name, job title, job duties, FT or PT status, and work habits.
Then they decide if the employee is “poor”, “okay”, or “excellent”. They use the bottom
row of the Employee Evaluations table for this created evaluation. Students share these
with the class. The class can vote on which employee to hire!
Evaluation Activity: The teacher checks each learner’s completed Evaluation form and
listens to learner interaction. Also, the teacher encourages learners to give feedback from
the Reflection Activity.
Reflection Activity:
Write on the board, “Rate your progress”
I understand the other learners.
1
5
10
no
with help
easily
The other learners understand me.
1
no
5
with help
10
easily
I understand the new words.
1
no
5
with help
10
easily
Instruct the learners to answer on their paper. If they have “no” answers they can ask for
extra help. This format can be used often, so the learners know how to use it easily after
it is explained and demonstrated. For the first time, it may be easier to write it up as a
worksheet.
Extension:
Ask the learners to look up the different work habits in a dictionary and bring in a list of
synonyms. For an alternate extension activity, ask the learners to evaluate themselves
and their own work habits as well as rate themselves as an employee.
Evaluation Form
Employee name:
John Smith
Job title:
Cook
Job duties:
Cook soups and sauces for Chinese restaurant
FT/PT:
FT
Evaluation:
Mr. Smith is hard working and very knowledgeable about the soups and sauces. He is
honest and friendly. However, he needs to be more punctual.
Evaluation Form
Employee name:
Martha Lopez
Job title:
Secretary
Job duties:
Use computer and answer phones
FT/PT:
PT
Evaluation:
Ms. Lopez is usually neat and clean. She is also honest, punctual and friendly, but she is
too unreliable.
Evaluation Form
Employee name:
David Amir
Job title:
Teacher
Job duties:
Teach children in school
FT/PT:
FT
Evaluation:
Mr. Amir is a very reliable employee. He is also knowledgeable and hard working.
Unfortunately, his clothes are not neat.
Employee Evaluation Summary
Employee Name
Strengths
Weaknesses
Rate:
Poor-----OK-----Excellent