Conversation - Employees & Employers Negotiate (B2/C1)

One of the skills that I have most focused on in my classes is the oral one. Most part of the time, students want to SPEAK the language rather than just study its grammar (by answering some grammar exercises) in class.

Considering that speaking is developed by practice (that’s just my opinion), I developed some short activities that can be used by teachers in their EFL/ESL classes.

This one is meant to be used with B2 or C1 students.

PROCEDURE: Write the situation on the board

TIME: 30 to 40 minutes

TOPIC: business

SKILL: speaking

TEACHER’S ROLE: facilitator

Read the situation below and brainstorm with a partner a list of pints that both partners might want to include in a negotiation

Situation about the employees and employers:

IMAGINE A COMPANY. NOW, IMAGINE THAT THE COMPANY FINDS ITSELF IN ECONOMIC DIFFICULTY AND THEN EMPLOYEES HAVE ALREADY LOST THEIR JOBS. THE EMPLOYEES ARE UNHAPPY WITH EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY ISSUES.

Now, ask your students to reflect upon the following questions:  

WHY SHOULD EACH PARTY NEGOTIATE?

WHAT DOES EACH SIDE WANT TO ACHIEVE?

After the students have reflected upon the situation as well as discussed with their partners, ask them to share their thoughts on the topic. Then, divide the group into ‘employees’ and ‘employers’ and simulate the situation above.

Ask them to write short dialogues as well as practice them in pairs (or groups). Finally, when you feel that students should talk about negotiation, tell them to start a conversation in which they should use (some of) the structures/questions below:

I am willing to accept________ if ________.

I think we will have to agree with_________.

It would be an alternative to______________.

We can trade this against ________________.

Our intention is________________________.

I would like to_______________________.

We might like to____________________.

We must________________________.

Our main concern is __________________.

It is vital that __________________________.

We refuse to accept __________________________.

It is extremely important for us to include ____________.

How about ______________?

Do you feel that you can accept _______________?

How can we reach a compromise?

Could you tell us why you feel like that?

Shall we put this into a written proposal?

Can you offer us any other possibility?

And you can give them some production moment (I am considering the steps of the PPP approach) in which they are supposed to develop a role-play activity about negotiation (of any kind).

If you have enough time, you can ask your students to think about the last time they were involved in situation in which they were supposed to negotiate something.

HOW MUCH TIME DID THEY SPEND ON PREPARATION?

Ask them if they would prepare differently if they had to negotiate again.

  

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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[WARMER] “IF AT FIRST YOU DO NOT SUCCEED…” WHAT IS SUCCESS FOR YOU?

A very simple icebreaker (or warmer). It may also be used as a pocket activity.

First, show your students some quotes about success (or failure) and ask them to think about what the ones who said each quote meant by it.

“I can't give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.” ― Herbert Bayard Swope

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” ― Albert Einstein

“The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.” ― Bette Midler

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” ― Winston S. Churchill

“Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.”― Steve Maraboli

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ― Oliver Goldsmith

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

“Success is most often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.” ― Coco Chanel

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ― Robert F. Kennedy

After that, start a discussion about 'what success is' based on their own opinions, beliefs, or ideas.

Then ask them to talk about the stories of success they may know (or ever heard about). 


Can you think of anyone you know or a famous person who has been successful in very difficult circumstances? 

It will depend on their language level, but you may also ask them to write down their own quotes about success and then ask them to show their quotes to the class and talk about their own.

I hope you have enjoyed this one! See you around!

Cheers!

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. 

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much. 

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me! 

Did you spot a typo?

Do you have any tips or examples to improve this page?

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ADOPTING A CHILD (EFL/ESL Speaking Activity)

The activity I would like to suggest today is called ADOPTING A CHILD. It should be used with B2, C1, or C2 (intermediate, upper-intermediate, or advanced) students.

First, tell your students the following story:

A truck driver was in a gas station and was just about to get into his truck when he heard a baby boy screaming right in front of his wheel. He picked the baby up and took him to the authorities.

Now the baby is up for adoption and the authorities are looking for the ideal parents.

After the students reading moment, ask them to try to draw the situation (ask them to imagine and then draw the situation).

After that, compare their drawings and give them to read, analyze and complete the checklist below.

ADOPTING A CHILD

CRITERIA

The ideal should:

[     ] be under 30 years old

[     ] be of the same racial group as the child

[     ] be of the same religious group as each other

[     ] be a married couple

[     ] be a heterosexual couple

[     ] both have jobs

[     ] have other children in the family

[     ] not be living in poverty  

[     ] have some professional experience of dealing with children, i.e. as teachers or nurses  

Ask them to mark each item of the list or criteria on a scale of 1 (very important) to 5 (not important at all). Then, divide them into groups of 3 (or more) and ask them discuss each point. In groups, students should discuss each item, using the agreeing and disagreeing sentences below:

AGREEING

I completely agree with you.

I agree with your point of view.

I think you’re right.

By and large, I would accept what you just said (formal)

Exactly, I feel the same way.

I agree up to a point, but…

DISAGREEING

I don’t agree with you at all.

No way could I agree to that (informal)

I respect your opinion, however… (student’s’ ideas)

I am not totally convinced by what you said.

I really must take issue with you here (formal)

We’ll have to agree to agree to disagree then.

You as a teacher should guide the students during the whole activity. Nonetheless, be careful about your opinions and make sure that students understand that the activity is not a competition (there no right or wrong answer).

This activity is based on Jane G. Coury’s Speaking Activities Book.

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. 

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much. 

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me! 

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

Did you spot a typo? 

Do you have any tips or examples to improve this page?

Do you disagree with something on this page?

Use one of your social-media accounts to share this page:

Vídeos e aulas de Língua Inglesa.

Todos nós professores sabemos dos benefícios dos vídeos no ensino de línguas estrangeiras. A relação é bastante frutífera! Não preciso ficar argumentando ou falando sobre seus benefícios. Nesta postagem, pretendo apenas mostrar um vídeo que fizemos nos três últimos dias de aula com uma turminha legal pra caramba.

Primeiro, pedi aos alunos para tentar escrever o script para que pudéssemos ensaiar. Encontramos os locais, ideias para a filmagem do vídeo e pronto... fizemos este vídeo aqui embaixo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NZLhX-2NcY

Este vídeo foi postado há três semanas e ainda temos um número bastante modesto de visualizações, mas a ideia aqui não é sair por aí ganhando curtidas, mas sim passar essa ideia para os professores que estão lendo esta postagem.

Ysa: “hey Fernanda. How have you been?”

Fernanda: “it’s none of your business!”

Ysa: “Why noooot?”

Ysa: “why are you in such a bad mood? I’m the one supposed to be upset!”

Fernanda: “Alright, woman. Tell me what happened”

Ysa:  “Kaio has made me a fool.”

Fernanda: “why is that?”

-----

Libna: “How are you, my dear friend?”

Kaio: “I’m just fine. A little bit sad, but fine.”

Libna: “why is that?”

Kaio: “well, I had arranged to meet Ysa in a restaurant. I arrived and waited for her. After one hour I suddenly realized that I was in the wrong restaurant.”

Libna: “so, you had been waiting for her for one hour when you realized that you were in the wrong restaurant?”

Kaio: “That’s right!”

Libna: “Oh, boy. Tsc, tsc, tsc… erm… you know… why don’t you call her?”

Kaio: “well, I’ve tried to call her, but I think I deleted her number by mistake.”

----

Cinthia: “So, I was thinking about a special couple in our class…”

Doug: “Really?! Who?”

Cinthia: “It’s about Ysa and Kaio. Don’t you think they’ll be cute together?”

Doug: “Yeah! But what about Libna?! Didn’t you notice anything different on her?”

Cinthia: “Hmm, sometimes… Hey, look! We have to go there and stop that conversation.”

-----

Cinthia: “Hi, what are you guys doing here alone? Can we all sit together?”

Doug: “What are you talking about?”

----

Edino: “Hi sweetie, how are you?”

Ysa: “I’m not so fine. A little bit sad, really.”

Edino: “What happened? Tell me.”

Ysa: “I was planning to have a date with Kaio today but he didn’t show up.”

Edino: “You don’t have to finish the story. I just want his number. NOW!”

---

Ysa: “Look daddy, he is here with other friends!”

Edino: “Come with me.”

Edino: “Hey Kaio, I’m Ysa’s father. My name is Edino. We have to talk.”

Kaio: “OK sr.”

------

Lucas: “Hi Ysa, how are you?”

Ysa: “I really don’t know. I’m worried, I think.”

Kaio: “Hey! What are you doing here?”

Lucas: “Just talking to Ysa.”

Kaio: “I know you have a crush on her but we have something so, get out of here.”

Lucas: “Hell, no!”

------

Edino: “Ysa, you come with me!”

Ysa: “But…”

Edino: “Ysa, now!”

Ysa: “Bye everybody.”

Both: Wow! That’s gonna make a great movie one day!

Geison: I think this is gonna be the best movie I’ve ever seen. What do you think about it?

Eduardo: I don’t know, man… how can I know, I am a freelancer? Lol

The end!

Thank you guys – see you around!