The sicknesses that stop people from working well are often long-lasting, like heart problems, feeling very sad or worried, and pain in their bones. The Health Foundation, which studied this, says the government and bosses need to help workers stay healthy. They also say that women and people who don't have much money get sick more often. When workers are not healthy, they can't do their best at work, and this can cost everyone money and make more work for doctors and hospitals.
The Health Foundation is worried because more workers in the UK are getting sick. They say we need to do something fast to help. The government and bosses should make sure workers can stay healthy. If we don't help sick workers, it will be bad for them, cost a lot of money, and make things hard for everyone.
Original news source: More illness among young affecting work ability (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs. Have each pair read the article and work together to write a short summary of the main points in their own words. Encourage them to focus on the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the article. After they have written their summaries, ask a few pairs to share their work with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write some statements about workplace health on the board (e.g., "Employers should do more to prevent workplace illnesses," "Young people are more stressed at work than before," etc.). Students walk around the room and sign their names under the statements they agree with. Afterward, discuss which statements had the most signatures and why students agree or disagree with them.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Prepare a list of key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., "workers," "health problems," "government," "bosses," "heart problems," etc.). Divide the class into two teams. One student from a team comes to the front and selects a word. They must draw it on the board without writing any letters or numbers, while their team tries to guess the word. Continue until all words have been guessed, and then tally up the points to see which team wins.
– Role-play: News Reporter
Instructions: Divide students into groups of three. Assign roles within each group: one student is the news reporter, another is a worker affected by health problems, and the third is a representative from the Health Foundation. Each group prepares a short news interview based on the article's information, with the reporter asking questions and the other two responding based on their assigned roles. After preparation, groups perform their role-plays in front of the class.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask a question related to the article such as, "What can employers do to help improve the health of their workers?" Students first think about the question individually, then pair up with another student to discuss their thoughts. After sharing with their partner, pairs will share their ideas with the larger class. This activity encourages students to think critically and articulate their ideas in English.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
About 3.7 million workers have health problems that make their work difficult.
Yes, young people are getting sick just like older workers used to.
Sicknesses like heart problems, feeling very sad or worried, and pain in the bones are making it hard for people to work.
The government and bosses need to help workers stay healthy.
Women and people who don't have much money get sick more often.
When workers are not healthy, they can't do their best at work. This costs money and creates more work for doctors and hospitals.
The Health Foundation is worried because if we don't help sick workers, it will be bad for them, cost a lot of money, and make things hard for everyone.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
In the UK, more people who have are getting sick in ways that make it hard for them to work. About 3.7 million have health problems that limit their work, which is more than before. Young people are getting sick just like older workers to. This is a big change from 10 years ago. The sicknesses that people from working well are often long-lasting, like heart problems, feeling very sad or worried, and pain in their bones. The Foundation, which this, says the government and bosses need to help workers stay healthy. They also say that women and people who don't have money get sick often. When workers are not healthy, they can't do their best at work, and this can cost everyone money and make more work for doctors and hospitals. The Health Foundation is because more workers in the UK are getting sick. They say we need to do something fast to help. The government and should sure workers can stay healthy. If we don't help sick workers, it will be bad for them, a lot of money, and make things hard for everyone.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a job?
2. How would you feel if you got sick and couldn't go to your job?
3. Do you like going to the doctor when you are sick? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it is important for bosses to help their workers stay healthy? Why?
5. What can people do to not get sick?
6. Have you ever felt very sad or worried? What did you do to feel better?
7. Why do you think women and people with less money get sick more often?
8. How do you stay healthy so you can do your best at school or work?
9. Do you think the government should help sick workers? Why or why not?
10. What happens when someone in your family gets sick? Who takes care of them?
11. Do you know anyone with a long-lasting sickness? How does it affect their life?
12. If you were a boss, what would you do to make sure your workers are healthy?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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