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Ej1104047 PDF
Ej1104047 PDF
d. What skills are needed for this job? 4 . After students have explored all three
categories, ask them to connect some
3 . Model the activity by having students of the ideas they have come up with.
consider the career you suggested. If For example, students could draw a line
some students do not know that job, connecting “biology” to “surgery” because
elicit ideas from the class. What is a it is important to study biology in order
veterinarian? What does a veterinarian to perform surgery.
do? (Possible answers: “A veterinarian
is a doctor who takes care of animals.” 5 . Pair students and have them share their
“Veterinarians treat animals that are career ideas. You might say, “Please tell
sick.” “Veterinarians help animals stay your partner which job you chose, and
healthy.”) Once veterinarian is defined, explain why you chose that job.” This step
have students brainstorm possible daily should take just a few minutes—enough
tasks associated with the job. Students time for students to share with each other
might say “giving exams,” “giving shots,” their choice and offer an explanation as
“performing surgery,” etc. As students to why this particular job interests them.
offer ideas, write them on the board— While students talk, pass out paper,
or better yet, have students come to markers, and tape (or pieces of chalk).
the board and write their ideas. Once
students have finished brainstorming 6 . Tell students they will now do the same
daily tasks, move on to brainstorming mind-mapping activity individually
with the class for the other questions, that they have done as a class with
about people and skills. “veterinarian.” Tell them to use the
materials you have given to them. If
Note that when brainstorming possible, have students choose a spot on
about people associated with the the wall to hang their paper and begin
job, students might not know the by copying the mind map template you
necessary vocabulary.You can provide shared in Step 1, with their own career
the vocabulary as students describe the choice written as the central idea. The
person or allow students to work with advantage of using large paper is that
the vocabulary that they have. One when students step back from their
example might be a term like “veterinary mind maps, they are able to look at
technician.” Students might say “nurse.” their ideas from a different perspective
At this point you could provide the term and easily see the bigger picture. But
“veterinary technician” or simply write note that if you do not have large pieces
“nurse.” of paper, this activity can be done
with any materials you have on hand.
Once you reach the subtopic of skills, Students can stay at their desks and use
students will likely be engaged with paper or their notebooks to complete
the activity, and so this subtopic the activity.
This activity can be part of a larger unit on • Helping students work through and
job or career choices. Early in a unit, after an understand a process or cause–effect
GPS Designed, produced, and printed by Global Publishing Solutions (A/GIS/GPS) © (16-20680-E-1.0)
recipe chronologically and then return topic rather than relating ideas to specific
to each step to suggest possible variations. subtopics. In addition, beginners could end
Each variation could lead to a different with a short oral presentation rather than
end that students would work toward. a written piece. More advanced students
could be tasked with developing the subtopic
• Comparing topics—for example, to categories at the beginning of the lesson
further understand two topics students with a prompt from the teacher such as,
have been learning about throughout “What do we need to know about a job in
a course or term. Students work with order to understand it?”
two central ideas at the start instead
of one and develop both ideas during
the activity. In this way, students can This activity was written by Melissa Mendelson, an
make clear connections between ESL teacher with more than ten years’ experience
subtopics or can actively separate in the United States and abroad. She is currently an
differences. Associate Instructor in the Department of Linguistics at
the University of Utah.