Describing yourself to a potential employer
Part 1: Lesson Description
Lesson Title
Describing yourself to a potential employer - Day 1
Abstract
The intended audience for this lesson includes adults seeking basic speaking and listening skill development focusing on Grade Level A. Whenever applicants interview for a job, employers will ask them to describe themselves, their qualifications and any relevant events that will tell them why this person is a good candidate for the job. This lesson will help learners prepare to describe themselves and present personal information clearly and accurately in response to questions. This is the first lesson in a three-part series on preparing for job interviews.
Learner Audience / Primary Users
The intended learner audience includes adults seeking basic speaking and listening skill development focusing on Grade Level A (Beginning Adult Basic Education Literacy).
Educational Use
- Curriculum / Instruction
- Informal Education
- Assessment
Language
English
Material Type
- Instructional Material
- Homework and Assignments
Keywords
- Designers for Learning
- Adult Education
- Interview Skills
- Personal Description
Time Required for Lesson
60 minutes
Targeted Skills
Key skills covered in this lesson include:
- Describing events and themselves using informational texts or media.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to:
- Describe an image
- Relate a story about themselves
- Ask basic questions about a classmate’s story
- Describe themselves to a potential employer
College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) Alignment
- Level: Adult Education
- Grade Level: CCRS Grade Level A
- Subject: CCRS English Language Arts / Literacy
- Domain or Strand: Speaking and Listening
- Standard Description: CCR Anchor 4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (Level A).
Prior Knowledge
The learner must be able to use adjectives, possessive pronouns and the present tense in English.
Required Resources
Learners will need access to images for the description activities. Instructor should have a selection of images to hand out in the event that learners do not bring their own. Some images that could be used are attached to this lesson.
Learners will need access to either several sheets of blank paper and writing instruments or a whiteboard and markers.
Learners will need copies of the activity worksheet.
Lesson Author & License
- Lesson Author: Carrie Lewis Miller
- License: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license
Part 2: Lesson
Instructional Strategies and Activities
Warm-Up
Time: 5 minutes
Instructor passes around the image below, or displays it on the board (or overhead).
Instructor asks students to list all the words they associate with this image on the activity worksheet. Give the students 1-2 minutes. Then ask the students to list some of the key words they associated with the image. Instructor should jot down a number of the words identified by the students for use in the next activity.
Introduction
Time: 5 minutes
Instructor uses words from previous activity with the image to talk about describing people, places, events, etc. Include a brief review of adjectives and possessive pronouns.
Presentation / Modeling / Demonstration
Time: 10 minutes
Instructor will tell a story based on an image from his/her work life, modeling descriptive behaviors that would be expected in a job interview. Encourage students to write down questions on the activity sheet to ask the instructor later. Instructor will prompt students to ask questions about the story.
Guided Practice
Time: 15 minutes
Instructor will prompt learners to use the images below or images that they brought from home. Learners could bring in an actual photo, a drawing, or an image from the Internet that is representative of the workplace. Instruct learners to get into pairs then to take turns describing their image and the event it represents to one another. Learners should take turns asking questions about the stories. Instructor should circulate and guide students on the use of adjectives and questioning techniques.
Evaluation
Time: 10 minutes
Each pair will share one image with the class and briefly describe it. Instructor will coach students to ask one question about the image.
Application
Time: 15 minutes
Instructor will prompt learners to think about how they would describe themselves to a potential employer. Using the activity worksheet script as a guide, in pairs, learners will take turns describing themselves to their partner as if in a job interview. Instructor will circulate and check for understanding. Learners will then present one of their role-plays to the class. Instructor will ask remaining students to give each pair feedback on vocabulary usage and descriptions.
Key Terms and Concepts
Adjectives
Descriptions
Interview
Possessive Pronouns
Part 3: Supplementary Resources & References
Supplementary Resources
Easy World of English (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.easyworldofenglish.com/default.aspx
Snashall, P. (N.D.) ESLflow.com. Retrieved from: http://www.eslflow.com/Index.html
Attribution Statements
This course content is offered by Designers for Learning under a CC Attribution license.
Content in this course can be considered under this license unless otherwise noted. Page
(Design Guide effective September 12, 2016)
