This downloadable PDF lesson plan for English teachers helps B2 students discuss workplace harassment and discrimination. This class material provides vocabulary, grammar, and speaking activities for your next Business English or ESL lesson.
This B2 Business English lesson focuses on creating a respectful workplace. Students begin by discussing scenarios to differentiate between unprofessional behavior and harassment.
Activities include a key vocabulary matching exercise, a news article analysis about a discrimination lawsuit, a listening gap-fill, and a grammar focus on modals. The lesson culminates in role-plays where students practice handling sensitive situations, such as reporting an incident to a manager or supporting a colleague.
Activities
- Analyze workplace scenarios to define the line between acceptable behavior and harassment, fostering critical thinking and discussion.
- Complete a listening exercise where they fill in the gaps based on an HR manager's talk about company policy, improving their listening for details.
- Read about a fictional discrimination lawsuit, answer comprehension questions, and learn useful phrases for setting boundaries and reporting incidents.
- Conclude with guided role-plays, allowing them to apply new vocabulary and modals of obligation in realistic scenarios like reporting an issue to a manager.
Vocabulary focus
The lesson introduces essential vocabulary for discussing workplace conduct. Key terms include harassment, discrimination, retaliation, grievance, bystander, and inclusive environment. Students learn these terms through a matching exercise and see them used in context in the reading and listening activities.
Grammar focus
The grammar section focuses on modals of obligation, prohibition, and advice. Students learn the differences between must/have to (obligation), should/ought to (advice), and must not/can't (prohibition). They practice by rewriting sentences related to workplace rules and employee responsibilities.
