Class Level: 1
Topic: Health & Safety
Lesson Objectives:
 Identify common safety signs
 Identify basic body parts
 Describe common health problems
 Say what hurts
 Call the boss when they are sick
Language Skill
Proficiency:
 Listening
 Reading
 Writing
 Speaking
Estimated Class Length: 3 hrs
Date:
Materials and Equipment:
 Laptop/projector for WTCC ESL Safety Signs blog post
or make a handout of the post
 Make safety signs using OPD p. 154, or find your own
 Optional: T created word cards for safety signs
 Optional handout: Basic OPD Literacy Program p. 65
 Ventures Basic Unit 4
Activity Plan
Warm Up: Find out what Ss know about safety signs in English. Take a walk around your building,
pointing out signs such as enter, exit, push, pull, in, out, fire extinguisher, elevator, keep out, etc.
Find other safety signs on Wake Tech blog entry: http://eslblogs.waketech.edu/eslenglish/2015/03/27/english-signs-beginner-version/ Project this on the front board. Give Ss time to look
at pictures and talk about what they might represent. Call group together, point to each sign, and see what
Ss know. If you don’t have access to a computer/projector, you can also make a handout using the signs
from the blog. Another option is to use OPD p. 154 or use your own collection of safety sign pictures.
Introduction: Put bullet points on the board for Ss’ reference. Say, Today we will talk about safety
signs. We will also talk about your body and about sicknesses. You will practice calling your boss when
you are sick.
Presentation 1-Safety Sign Pictures: Go over pictures in order, ss repeating after you. Play the Yes/no
game: T: “Tell me yes or no.” T. points to each sign in order. T: “This means…poison.” Ss: “Yes.” T.
points to second sign: “This means… railroad.” Ss: “No, hospital.” Continue with all. T.
explains/demonstrates meanings as needed.
Practice: What number? game. If using blog signs: point out numbers 1-10. If using OPD, point out
numbers 1-18. T. says the names of signs in random order. Ss say the number. For more practice, T. says
the numbers in random order. Then Ss say the name of the sign.
Practice: Speaking. Ask Ss to stand up with their book or near the board so they can see the signs. Ss
practice identifying signs in pairs for a few minutes. T. answers questions, encourages finding a new
partner when needed. * Depending on Ss’ proficiency, you may need to revisit this topic in future lessons.
Practice: Create a word card for each sign (poison, hospital, pedestrian crossing, etc). T. models
matching for ss. Then hand out word cards for ss to match to pictures. Go over answers, mix up cards for
Ss to match a second time. The important thing about this topic is for Ss to be able to hear and say what
the signs mean. Adding realia to this lesson is a good option.
Practice: Worksheet from OPD Literacy Program, p. 65 (elevator, entrance, exit, fire escape, up, down)
Evaluation: Go through pictures in order, asking for a group response. Then go over them again in
order, calling on Ss randomly. Based on the strength of their responses, plan for more practice in the near
future. There are many resources for safety signs on Google Images: worksheets, bingo games, etc.
Presentation 2-Body Parts: TPR sequence: T. goes from head to toe, pointing to head, eyes, ears, nose,
mouth, shoulders, chest, stomach, back, arms, hands, fingers, legs, knees, feet. Ss listen – no repeating.
T. does the sequence again, in the same order. This time ss repeat after the T. 2-3 times. T. does the
sequence again, in the same order. This time, ss say the word while T. is silent. Ss stand up. T. and Ss do
the sequence in the same order, saying the words together this time.
Practice-Identifying body parts: Break Ss into groups of 6-8. Ask confident Ss to lead a group just like
you did. Lead the group in the yes/no game (see Presentation 1 above). After you’re done, ask if a S
would like to lead the game. Ventures Basic p. 46: look at pictures and repeat. Practice in pairs. Ventures
Basic p. 48, ex. 1: listen and repeat. T. demonstrates meaning of plurals (eye, eyes; hand, hands). Ss
repeat.
Evaluation: While Ss practice in pairs with Ventures p. 46 and 48, circulate and point to pictures for Ss
to say the word.
Presentation 3 - My back hurts. What hurts? My back: T. does TPR sequence again, acting out and
saying, “My head hurts. My eyes hurt. My arm hurts. My back hurts” and so on (this is a preview of
Ventures Basic pp 47-49). Ss listen, no repeating. T. repeats sequence, this time Ss repeat 2-3 times. T.
repeats sequence again, but this time, Ss say the words while T. is silent.
Ask a couple of strong speakers to come and take your place, acting out the hurting body parts while the
class practices speaking.
Practice: Exercises in Ventures Basic pp 47-49.
Presentation 4-I have a headache: T. acts out health problems in Ventures Basic p. 51: a cold, a fever, a
headache, a sore throat, a stomachache, a toothache. Ask ss to repeat after you. Ss stand up, act out the
problem, and say what it is. Ss turn to p 51, point to pictures, and repeat after T.
Ask 6 Ss to come up and sit in chairs as if they are in a waiting room, acting out the 6 ailments. Class tells
what the ailment is. Do this again with 6 more Ss.
Evaluation: Ss line up at end of segment T. acts out an ailment, Ss give correct response.
Presentation 5-Call the boss when you’re sick: Ask a strong speaker to come help you with this
dialogue. Act it out several times. Ss listen, no repeating.
Boss: Hello?
Employee: Hello, Mr. Smith, this is Miguel Alvarez.
Boss: Hi Miguel, how are you?
Employee: I am sick. I have a sore throat and my head hurts. I can’t come to work today.
Boss: OK. Thank you for calling.
Employee: Thank you. Bye.
Boss: Bye.
Perform the dialogue again, but ask Ss to repeat each line after you. Do this 2-3 times.
Practice: T. takes the part of the boss. All Ss together take the part of the employee. Then, T. takes the
part of the employee and all Ss together take the part of the boss.
Optional: Put dialogue on board and ask Ss to copy. Ss use their written copy to practice in pairs.
Or, ask Ss to practice in pairs without a written copy, referring to the board as needed. Encourage
creativity within conversation as long as the core meaning is communicated in a polite way to the boss.
Evaluation: Ask pairs to come to the front and perform the dialogue. Or, T. listens to each pair perform
the dialogue as they are practicing.
Extension Activities:
 Read Walk and Bike Safely, a curriculum for ESL adults, by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration. Find it at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/WalkBikeSafely.
 OPD pp. 106-107 (Body Parts), 110 (Symptoms and Injuries)
 Talk about when to call the doctor’s office and when to call 911
 Talk about home remedies for common illnesses. What do Americans do for a
cold/headache/stomachache? What do you do in your country?
 Discuss Jobs in the hospital: OPD p. 120