Summary
This ESL lesson plan is designed for A2-level English students to practice small talk in a professional setting. It focuses on common, safe topics like the weather, weekend plans, and celebrating small successes at work. Students will learn essential vocabulary and grammar to start and maintain friendly conversations with colleagues, helping to build positive workplace relationships.
This lesson helps elementary students develop confidence in everyday social interactions. Activities include a listening exercise based on a typical office chat, a vocabulary matching task, and a grammar focus on the Present Simple vs. Present Continuous. Students will also read a short article on the importance of small talk and engage in speaking practice to apply what they've learned.
Activities
- A warm-up discussion to get students comfortable talking about common small talk topics like weather and weekends.
- A listening comprehension exercise where students fill in the gaps in a short dialogue about a colleague's weekend.
- A vocabulary matching activity to learn key words for discussing weather, daily routines, and work, such as "overcast," "chores," and "accomplish."
- A grammar exercise focusing on the correct use of the Present Simple for routines and the Present Continuous for current actions.
- A short reading passage about the "art of casual conversations," followed by a comprehension check to reinforce understanding.
- Guided speaking practice with questions that encourage students to use the lesson's vocabulary and grammar to have their own small talk conversations.
Vocabulary focus
The vocabulary section introduces practical A2-level words for everyday conversations at work. Key terms include words for describing the weather like "overcast" and "breeze," weekend activities like "chores" and "catch up," and work-related topics like "deadline" and "accomplish."
Grammar focus
This lesson clarifies the difference between the Present Simple and Present Continuous tenses. Students learn to use the Present Simple to talk about habits and routines ("My team always meets on Mondays") and the Present Continuous for actions happening now or around the current time ("I am preparing for the presentation").
Small Talk at Work: Weather, Weekends, Wins | A2 English
