Labor unions
Lesson plan overview
This intermediate Business English lesson is about labor (or trade) unions. Students will discuss workers’ rights, will learn useful vocabulary, and will watch a short video discussing the pros and cons of labor unions. Other lessons you might like are: “Quiet quitting”, “The gig economy”, “The right to disconnect“, “How to get promoted”, “The importance of company culture”, “Competition”, and “Performance appraisals”, as well as the worksheets “Phrasal verbs: human resources”, and “Phrasal verbs: job performance”.
Speaking: The lesson starts with 7 discussion questions related to labor rights and laws. Then, students are given a list of categories and are asked to give an example of a workers’ right in each category. Then, they match the categories to the correct group of rights, and discuss the current situation in their own countries. Next, students are given discussion questions about labor unions.
Vocabulary: Students learn words and expressions related to unions (e.g. union representative, collective agreement, collective bargaining, grievance, strike, union dues). To practice, students complete 8 sentences with the correct expression.
Listening: Students watch a video called “Are labor unions good for the economy?”, and complete 2 listening comprehension tasks. Then they engage in a post-listening discussion.
Finally, students are asked to make a list of working conditions they think should change, and role-play a conversation between management and a union representative.
For more speaking practice, check out the conversation cards.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
Pre-class activities
All video-based ESL lesson plans include online pre-class activities, which are FREE and can be completed without registration. Perfect for teachers who wish to embrace the blended learning approach. By providing students with resources and engagement opportunities before the actual class session, educators can foster active participation, enhance comprehension, and optimise in-class discussions.
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In-class activities
Additional resources
Each video-based lesson plan includes links to additional resources (videos and articles), which are FREE can be found online (in the pre-class activities page. These links aim to extend the learning experience, enabling students to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
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